ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN in HAMBURG (1966) - NDR documentary
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- Опубликовано: 21 янв 2012
- A wonderful documentary film featuring Arthur Rubinstein which shows him improvising a lot and playing snippets from the following works:
Chopin: Etude in A-Flat Major, Op. 25 No. 1;
" Etude in C Major, Op. 10 No. 1;
" Etude in A minor, Op. 10 No. 2;
" Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23;
Szymanowski: Symphonie Concertante, Op. 60;
Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales;
Schubert: Sonata in B-Flat Major, D. 960.
The spoken parts are all in the original German, and the English subtitles are my own -- just hit the "CC" button in the playback window to show the subtitles (or to turn them off if you prefer).
This clip was made in 1966 by the North German Radio when Arthur Rubinstein came to Hamburg, Germany to inspect his own favorite, personal Hamburg Steinway D-274 piano which was dropped from a crane somewhere while he was taking it on tour. It was sent back to the Hamburg Steinway factory for repairs. The event takes place in a room at the Steinway factory in Stellingen, a suburb of Hamburg. You can read more about it here -- in German, in an article which appeared in "Die Zeit" back in 1966:
www.zeit.de/1966/40/der-maestr...
I recorded this off the air in 1992 or 1993 from an ARTE broadcast. At one point, this clip was available as a VHS cassette. All of my efforts to locate it today have failed, and so I am making this available on RUclips because I feel that it is an important historical document. The sound quality is shaky at times, but considering the improvised placement of the microphones and the mobile recording techniques available back then, it is amazing that they were able to capture the sound as well as they did! The audio signal wobbles in pitch a bit at one point during the Schubert -- since there is no disturbance in the video there, I have to assume that this was a glitch in the original, not in my transfers. And the audio gain wanders wonderfully at random between channels at times. Then there is one place where Rubinstein makes a CRESCENDO on a held chord, merely by holding down the sustaining pedal :) -- actually, it is just the automatic level control on the original recording "zooming in" on the decaying sound of the piano.
Since all of ARTE's broadcasts back then were in "Zweikanalton", meaning that there is French in one (stereo) channel and German in the other, it was a bit of a challenge to preserve the native stereo recording of Rubinstein playing the piano and not have both languages at once in the dialog passages. In addition, my rather cheap VCR at the time had overlaid a soft, but still rather nasty 50-cycle mains hum to the whole thing. I was able to filter out the noise to a tolerable level (thanks to Cool Edit), remix the channels in the dialogs after stripping out the French parts (it's originally all in German, anyway). Then I translated the dialogs into English -- the ones I could hear clearly, that is -- and made the subtitles myself.
For French-speaking viewers, the only parts which were actually translated into French by ARTE are the sparse comments which were spoken by the off-screen narrator. None of Rubinstein's spoken parts were translated, also none of the reporter's questions in the middle of the clip were translated into French, so there is not much missing by having only German dialogs.
All in all, I have tried to do Mr. Rubinstein and the folks at the Steinway factory in Hamburg a service with all of this, and I hope that everyone will forgive any shortcomings there are with this unique little clip in light of its historical significance. I only hope that a better version might surface someday. Enjoy! 
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I am a 23 year old german and i just can say that his german is very very good. He chooses his words very very well and speaks them with an unbelievable kind sounding articulation. A beautiful spoken german from a great gentleman and musician
Incredible how her was able to speak so many languages in such perfection
He speaks English, French, Spanish, German in a fluent way. Just another proof of his fabulous phonetical memory. What a romantic genius he was
russian and polish of course (his mother tongue) as well btw!
Hey you two! Let us not forget the Italian! He spoke seven fluently, and who knows what else not quite-so.
. : .
He’s 79 in this film. Unbelievable!
07:51 is an absolutely priceless document. Rubinstein possessed that rarest of romantic sensibilities, completely without affectation, where the beauty in the music is fundamental and not to be marvelled 'at' or appreciated from the outside looking in... it's impossible to put into words of course, but I have the feeling when listening to his Schubert that beauty, romanticism, emotion, become sublimated into something that is one simple truth.
As remarkable a man as he was a musician.
It's wonderful to see just the sheer joy he takes from playing.
If the piano was damaged by its being dropped from a crane, it sounds as if the technicians at Steinway did a superb job of fixing it! Rubinstein inspired me from an early age, and the Steinway has been a source of incomparable pleasure and joy to me over the years. Thank you for this wonderful video.
I have worked long time ago in a piano repair shop and when a famous customer came to look for his instrument is a frisson in all technicians, and when he plays to
us is the best music we had for life.
This is a gem. Thank you so much. It's amazing to see how much vitality he had at almost 80. What other pianist could pull of the first Chopin etude with such elan at that age?! And the way that he just gets up and strides down the hall with so much purpose and attitude at the very end. And the chance to see and hear him improvise! And and and and and ... they go on and on. Thank you so much.
Yes, I also was struck with how much energy he suddenly turned and walked away through the showroom!
BOB you have done a great service by presenting this so nicely and I'm sure the world will appreciate so much the wonderful character of Arthur Rubinstein. Although I do not play piano I have always enjoyed listening to well played piano tunes and of all the players that I have heard the one I most cherish is this Arthur Rubenstein. I did hear an interview with Rubinstein during the 80's on the ABC radio in Australia which was a really wonderful preview or insight into his whole attitude towards life in general. He was a very profound deep thinker and philosopher. His happiness was always in learning something even while he was sitting in the dentists chair. Thank you.
RUBINSTEIN is Yoda of the musical universe. :-D
Amazing, as ALWAYS happens with Arthur Rubinstein. BLESS YOU, Bobhairgrove, for having recorded it so that we fans can today watch him. YES, I also noticed the crescendo on that sustained chord and marveled at the sound. No thank you is enough for bringing Ruby back into our lives in this wonderful documentary!! Million Thanks!
Thank you so much for posting this Bob!
Thank you so much for the subtitles!
A most enlightening programme covering different facets of the great Rubinstein's life and one that will certainly become an important piece of musical history.
Muchas gracias por este tesoro de este hombre que vivió con intensidad su vida.Gracias
What a wonderful video to come across on Rubinstein's birthday!!! Thank you so much, absolutely made my day.
Wow! AMAZING! Thank you for posting!
What can I say? Thank you so much for your efforts in sharing this video with the subtitle to RUclips viewers.
Thank you thank you thank you for taking the effort to post this for the general public. I had never heard or seen any video of AR playing the Op. 10 # 1 and 2, so even these little snippets where a real treat. What a tone, and what a charming man. Unique document.
Thank you! This video is a treasure.
Amazing document! It has made my day! I so love Ruby!! The last of the "greats".... Many thanks for sharing this with us.
I would like to thank you very much for this video and your wonderful editing, which i am sure took a lot of work... I am from that city Hamburg and really love Artur Rubinstein. This video is a gift...
Wonderful,this changes my idea of Ruby,whose RCA solo records rarely did him justice;metallic and a bit rigid.Here he's so free,improvising beautifully and the tantalising excerpts of Szym,Ravel&Schubert make one thirsty for more.The Chopin extracts are amazing.A natural musician & gentleman.
Bravo for the subtitles and for making this available to us; the Best of RUclips.
I believe the piano was dropped by the Buildings and Grounds workers at Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio. I was a student there at the time and heard of the accident on the day of his recital. We were all afraid that he'd cancel the recital, but in the end he agreed to play on the concert grand in Finney Hall, and we were treated to an unforgettable concert, with many encores. The only time I ever heard him live, but it remains indelibly in my mind. He made time and space disappear for those two hours.
(OOOPS!!) WOW, very cool...I'm envious. But if it was his piano that was dropped in the US, wouldn't it have been repaired by Steinway in NYC, rather than in Hamburg? But I guess if it was made in Hamburg, that location would have been the place to have it repaired, since they created it.
Thank you so much for this video.
Very enjoyable and revealing. And it's a delight to hear Rubinstein tossing off two more etudes (Op. 10, 1-2) that we haven't heard from him on record. Excellent subtitles too. Many thanks ... and how a person could "dislike" this baffles me utterly; maybe he had to spend the night on the couch.
Wir haben das grosse Glueck Ton Aufnahme und Filmreportagen von diesem Genie zu haben! Danke fuer dieses Video!
Many thanks for posting this gem!!!
Many thanks for posting this!
THANK YOU, bobhairgrove, for this wonderful little documentary, with excellent subtitles (even capturing the German "spinach" joke!) How fantastic it must have been to have Rubinstein give a impromptu recital and tell interesting tales, etc. WOW, his piano was dropped from a crane...it's hard to imagine the damage, not to mention that it was repaired so that it was better than before! Those Steinway technicians/craftspeople are true artists. AMAZING!
Herrlich. Danke für den Mitschnitt.
Thank you so much
i got the honeur to try out this piano and indeed - its a magical piano!
Many thanks for editing, translating and posting this! Wonderful job on all 3 accounts!
As noted by 'Rick1Walter', the 2 Chopin etudes are of special significance, being absent from his discography. The ease with which he tosses them off puts to rest any silly notions that he somehow couldn't play them.
Great ! I've been wishing to view such a precious record!!!
One of the few pianists who truly has a sound/soul you can't imitate. Believe me, I've tried.
Rubinstein remians as the signpost of decency and good taste......As a young student I saw him many times- the great my mother was wise to make possible-
What a great man, artist and musician Rubinstein was! Let's hope that they will release "Love of Life" on DVD one day. Rubinstein actually visited Germany a couple of times after the second world war, once to try out pianos, as shown in the video, and another time to promote his autobiography. He also played a recital in a town close to the German border so that German music lovers who wanted to hear him could. Thank you for posting this wonderful video.
How marvelous! Thank you! (sigh) If only all media could be this wonderful.
FASCINATING. Wouldn't miss this for the world.
thank you!!
Thank you
hi bob! yesterday i have heard that the new owner is daniel baremboim! perfect place for this incredible piano!
Thanks for this
Such a priceless treasure...
Absolutely DIVINE!!!
Thanks ,Danke,Merci,Dziekuje
Thanks so much for sharing. Interesting that he did revisit Germany after the war (although not for concerts, I think), only the Frankfurter Buchmesse (to promote his autobiography), and this visit to Steinway Hamburg.
Thank you for the subs!!
+mauricepiano You're welcome!
incredible!!, απίστευτο, ευχαριστω παρα πολυ, είναι τρομερο να βλέπεις μεγάλες προσωποκότητες εκτος τόπου εργασίας
Fantastic ! Thank you thank you thank you !!!
A real bijou - thank you!
This is a rather unique video, showing a Rubinstein not really aware of cameras and microphones. What he plays en passant is of great beauty. Thanks for posting, and the great audio restauration.
Thanks a lot to the German broadcasting station NDR from Hamburg for this important documentary ! Inga-Verena Barth from Schwaebisch Gmuend in Germany
thanks for sharing, Das ist ja wunderbar......
WOW... love that instrument...
thanks
I THOUGHT I READ THAT RUBINSTEIN REFUSED TO PLAY IN GERMANY AFTER THE WAR...I SAW HIM PLAY TWICE IN THE U.S......AMAZING
priceless document!!!
His command of German, as one can hear in the video, was excellent -- of course, considering that he spent many of his formative years in Berlin studying piano at the conservatory there, it comes as no great surprise.
magnificent!!!!!♥♥♥♥♥
Arthur you will always be the best, so gentle so friendly, youare a great person and an awesome pianist, love to you
Thank you. You have done wonders. This is so interesting. A collector's item.
MisikPiratYou missed the point totally of what Rubinstein said.
He said that the two Chopin concertos ARE TOO MUCH THE SAME to play on the same program.
He said the two Brahms concertos are different enough to play on the same program.
He said the last 3 Beethoven concertos are different enough to play on the same program.
I think it´s not that classical musicians "detest" improvisations at all. It´s just that most of them simply cannot do it. Probably has to do with the way they have been trained in the last 50 or 60 years. Most teachers do not teach improvisation at all, or they discourage students that are studying to be professionals.
On the other hand there are some examples of great pianists which I don´t believe can actually improvise that well, and yet they are fantastic interpreters.
Magnificent !!!!!!
This is such an interesting video!! Great work!!! I have always been amazed as to how well he spoke so many languages. A lot of people learn several languages, but few can command them as well as he did. His English and French were very good, and I never heard him speak Spanish, but someone told me he was very fluent given his long trips to South America and Spain.
Was his German also very good?
Thanks for uploading!
If only modern Steinway concert grands sounded like this one, with its beautiful warm tone and great power and depth in the bass section. The majority of today's instruments lack these qualities -all sacrificed for brittleness and piercing 'carrying power'.
+Ben Grice I agree that the recording quality is rather poor, but despite that I am able to hear beyond it - the depth of tone is greater than in modern instruments. If you read pianist Moura Mympany's biography she thought as I do, that modern Steinways 'aren't what they were'.
+Ben Grice. +I own a Grotrian 6'"3" 'Cabinet' grand piano which I bought from Morley's of London in 1989, serial number 139458. It has a superb, powerful tone in the bass and mid-range; with plenty of brilliance in the treble-enough for a medium sized lounge. My professional tuner says it compares well with the Steinway Model B, which is a few inches longer.
+Ben Grice +I should have said it's a Grotrian-Steinweg grand-they use the Steinweg name in Europe but aren't allowed to in the States, following a legal challenge by Steinways some years ago. I once had a Yamaha C3 grand , but didn't like its tone much. It sounded percussive in the treble, with a 'cold' hard tone although the bass was quite powerful.
Yes I agree as you say, there is a demand for greater volume; does this imply that people are more hard of hearing or prematurely inflicted with deafness?
AKS -You point that out in your final sentence, I just realized. The fact remains the old pianos were better in my and-some other players' opinions.
I think the sound quality is quite superb for a document of this kind. Digital recording devices would not capture the resonances and vibrancy as does this, which has a vitality and warmth not heard in digital. I just watched Reichenbach's doc on AR at MoMA and that film had a sound quality superior to anything I've heard in ages.
Yes, he speaks a very good and sort of poetic german!!
好き！
YES!
Many thanks!
SWR TV will show a Rubinstein documentary on Sunday 29 Jan 2012 : Dokumentation Arthur Rubinstein - Erinnerungen SWR 09:35 Uhr, 55 Min. .
All the improvisation is fantastic! I often wonder how many of today's concert pianists ever just sit and play from nothing at the piano for their own enjoyment. Seems like a dead art. People in the classical world practically detest improvisation these days it seems even though back in Rubinstein's day and centuries before, improvisation was a vital part of music making.
Whoever translated this is a god.
Thats interesting because he said on the BBC (Desert Island Discs) some years ago that he had'nt played in Germany since World War 2. This was as he said ''out of respect for the dead'', he lost virtually all of his family in the holocaust. Therefore it is rather surprising to witness this albeit fascinating documentary.
Rubinstein vowed he would never again perform in Germany after WWI (not WWII), because he was so appalled at Germany's conduct during "The Great War" (from "Rubinstein: A Life", Harvey Sachs 1995). He and his wife were living in Paris during the '30s and left for the US after the German occupation of Poland began.
Thank you so much for posting this. You have done a tremendous service. I recalled seeing this video a while back, and how I wished there was interpretation for this. How happy now seeing this after a more careful look that you have made the interpretation. Rubinstein is passed my generation, yet he lives on. I am skeptical of anything produced today, even classical music... as just a product of much marketing and very little substance. I rely on great men, real geniuses like Mr. Rubinstein for wisdom and truth. You really can't trust anybody over 30. Any way I can find that music he got from the estate of the Baroness?
Daniel Barenboim is the actual owner. I would say... is in good hands!
Has anyone else noticed that his pinky is almost as long as his ring finger?
@culturehorse It was due to the events of WW1 (not 2) that Rubinstein made his pledge to never play in Germany (see first volume of his bio, 'My Young Years'). Obviously he made an exception in this instance to visit the Steinway factory.
@emilgilels In his book, Steinway head tuner Franz Mohr mentioned Rubinstein's reluctance to speak German after the war. I never imagined a recording like this would turn up!
indeed
but one hearing him in Carnegie Hall , one had the privilege of his unique sonority...and spontaneity
@marcxopoco: I didn't miss the point Artur Rubinstein explained. But really Krystian Zimerman (with the Polish Festival Orchestra) showed the two Chopin Piano Concertos are not that much alike as Rubinstein thought. It's the "new" Orchestra Version of this wonderful recording (1999)! xD
Yes, he speaks a very good and sort of poetis german!!
He is improvising!
Thank you so much for all your work in making this gem available and for adding the subtitles and such a long an interesting note. I remember this being such a treat appearing for Rubinstein's 125th anniversary.Astonishingly, both sides of Rubinstein's 1910 record for the Polish Favorit label have just appeared here ruclips.net/video/K5aX2LqEJhw/видео.html ruclips.net/video/FRSQRQLe-sU/видео.html
This film belies the claim made by Rubinstein that the Chopin etudes terrified him. He never recorded the complete etudes, evidently considering them to be too difficult for him to do justice to, but he demonstrates his fluency in at least parts of them.
just goes to show that action do have consequences and because he spent so little time practicing in his youth his technique never reached the level of georgy cziffra who did record all the etudes.
Rubinstein played a recital at Oberlin College (in Ohio) in the fall of 1963. He shipped his piano with him and it was dropped from a flatcar while being unloaded from the train. He had to play the recital on a new Steinway purchased recently by the college which had a very stiff action, though Rubinstein didn't seem to have much problem with it. If the piano was still being repaired in 1966 damages must have been extraordinarily extensive. Or was it dropped a second time after Oberlin?
I was also at that recital, as a freshman. We were worried he'd cancel because of the accident, but he went through with it. I was way up in the back of the hall, but it seemed like he was playing in my living room just for me and a few friends. Fabulous. Unfortunately, I can't remember the program any more. Can you remember what he played?
♡♡♡♡♡
For fans of Rubinstein, check out the following two films on RUclips (click MORE for the links):
L'amour de la Vie (Academy Award Best Documentary 1969) ruclips.net/video/tncAsuemCRc/видео.html
Rubinstein at home (1 hr. 15 min., ca. 1950, includes AR, Heifitz and Piatiorsky rehearsing a Schubert trio) (there's also an adorable moment when his 2 youngest kids join him, and John R. is only about 4!) ruclips.net/video/3ktr1SSlLjM/видео.html)
who can show me the name of the piêc he played at 1:11. many many thanks
Can anyone identify what piece the chords at 1:48 are from??
Congratulations! Do you know where it is today, and who owns it?
Actually pretty sure, Einstein was noted to have said that about Menuhin (not Rubinstein).
Today, Daniel Barenboim is holding this piano.
Pretty cool...Barenboim also has a custom piano made several yrs ago (there are actually two of them).
凄い映像だ！
Yes, but considering that the source was being played on a TV, and the great content and English subtitles, a marginal picture quality is something we can deal with! If you read the full info about it, it was a pretty impressive effort to get this onto RUclips.
Rubinstein was a legend, he knew at least 4 languages.
Must have been more: Polish, German, French, English and Spanish he spoke fluently. I can imagine that he could at least understand Italian (close to Spanish and French)!
So ?
So, his photographic memory was not confined to the study of classical music. He used his "gift for languages" to enlarge his horizons, to make friends worldwide, and to augment his thoroughly deserved reputation!!
@@MusikPiratCH Italian indeed, and Yiddish and Russian
@@MusikPiratCH Also Russian. Bella Davidovich met him and said his Russian was "fantastic", and that he was so "witty". Guy was a genius.
What piece is he playing in the beginning?
Arigato gozaimas!
What is ghe first piece he is playing..
Thanks! I asked cause I don't speak or understand German. I do get the impression thought that he is very comfortable speaking it. Also recently I saw an interview of Horowitz in Germany. Even though he also lived in Germany in his young years, it seems that he forgot it all. The interviewer asks the questions in German, but he replies in English mostly. He understood, but could no longer speak it. Languages can easily be forgotten or (wiped out) when other ones are learned.