I cant remember when this amazing concerto was performed with less pulling and pushing between pianist and orch. Love the phrasing in this performance. Tempo was never an issue for me in this performance. The best overall performance for Brahms 1st that I have heard.
I think Rubinstein had the best overall grasp of this music and definitely the poetic lyrical qualities required. There is such a marvelous balance but also contrasts within an orchestral overview.
what seems to be lost in a number of modern performers is musicality. the performances are technically brilliant but a great part of music is can it touch your emotions, make you feel something other than wonder at how fast a person can play. Artur Rubinstein is never crass at the piano and still has marvelous technique. His peers thought he was a consummate musician and did his legion of fans.
Good question. One should always be skeptical. But, just watch and listen to Rubinstein in these vids. Watch his technique, and listen to his cleanness. But, then not every body is pleased with things that please some people. I hope this answers your question to some extent!
@jewish1972 ... Was it Bach, Beethoven and Brahms?... mesmerizing... I have a tendency to stick to the french impressionists, but this concerto is a bliss. Thanks for sharing
The best Brahms 1 concerto players 1.Gilels with Jochum with Berliner Phil.2.Radu Lupu 3.Rubinstein 4.Witold Malcuzynski 5.Gelber 6.Katchen All these have the colors with their piano sound and tone.All the rest Kissin Ax Serkin Backhaus Arrau Barenboim and so on plays Brahms 1 an anti romantic fashion with a sticky a stiffy an ice cold tone
Joachim (Brahms friend) was R's mentor (paid 4 music lessons) with Prof H Barth. (Kempff was also a pupil of Barth -how different they are!) R grew up with people who know Brahms and how to play his music! it's the way he sounds so natural....Barenboim has said that when listened to R, even though he himself played the piece differently R's way somehow seems right at the time -the secret seems to be that R looks at the long line of the music his is total view always moving forward. .
Look at his elderly chiseled face, hardly breaking out in a sweat on the octaves, carefully avoiding using too much damper pedal to "cheat." And he's almost 90! Unrushed and lyrical.... sanjosemike
@Tiszt I saw him play in his last concert in LA on November 8,1975, with the LA Phil, and he was still a very young man at 88. His wrists could only have come from God.
@jewish1972 ... Was it Bach, Beethoven and Brahms?... mesmerizing... I have a tendency to stick to the french impressionists, but this concerto is a bliss. Thanks for sharing
I cant remember when this amazing concerto was performed with less pulling and pushing between pianist and orch. Love the phrasing in this performance. Tempo was never an issue for me in this performance. The best overall performance for Brahms 1st that I have heard.
I think Rubinstein had the best overall grasp of this music and definitely the poetic lyrical qualities required. There is such a marvelous balance but also contrasts within an orchestral overview.
Amazing performance!!! Unique!
what seems to be lost in a number of modern performers is musicality. the performances are technically brilliant but a great part of music is can it touch your emotions, make you feel something other than wonder at how fast a person can play. Artur Rubinstein is never crass at the piano and still has marvelous technique. His peers thought he was a consummate musician and did his legion of fans.
Good question. One should always be skeptical. But, just watch and listen to Rubinstein in these vids. Watch his technique, and listen to his cleanness. But, then not every body is pleased with things that please some people. I hope this answers your question to some extent!
@jewish1972 ... Was it Bach, Beethoven and Brahms?... mesmerizing... I have a tendency to stick to the french impressionists, but this concerto is a bliss. Thanks for sharing
The best Brahms 1 concerto players 1.Gilels with Jochum with Berliner Phil.2.Radu Lupu 3.Rubinstein 4.Witold Malcuzynski 5.Gelber 6.Katchen All these have the colors with their piano sound and tone.All the rest Kissin Ax Serkin Backhaus Arrau Barenboim and so on plays Brahms 1 an anti romantic fashion with a sticky a stiffy an ice cold tone
if i only just listen to the audio, i would think the player is a young man!
Joachim (Brahms friend) was R's mentor (paid 4 music lessons) with Prof H Barth. (Kempff was also a pupil of Barth -how different they are!) R grew up with people who know Brahms and how to play his music! it's the way he sounds so natural....Barenboim has said that when listened to R, even though he himself played the piece differently R's way somehow seems right at the time -the secret seems to be that R looks at the long line of the music his is total view always moving forward. .
For me, the three B's are Brahms, Berlioz, and Bartok
Great pianism. But a bit too slow...
I never said I was being objective. Those are just MY 3 B's!
@quornholio Hahah, that's a bold statement!
Look at his elderly chiseled face, hardly breaking out in a sweat on the octaves, carefully avoiding using too much damper pedal to "cheat."
And he's almost 90!
Unrushed and lyrical....
sanjosemike
@Tiszt
I saw him play in his last concert in LA on November 8,1975, with the LA Phil, and he was still a very young man at 88. His wrists could only have come from God.
His wrists stay firm, It's the fingers that come from God!
so musikalisch......das ist Musik....
someone needs to tell him to speed up
@sanjosemike sweat is for humans :)
@jewish1972 ... Was it Bach, Beethoven and Brahms?... mesmerizing... I have a tendency to stick to the french impressionists, but this concerto is a bliss. Thanks for sharing
Great pianism. But a bit too slow...