Arthur Rubinstein made three recordings of Chopin's 51 Mazurkas, this second set being made in 1952-1953. As with most everything he made multiple recordings of, the three sets of Mazurkas (along with three Mazurkas he recorded separately in 1932) make for fascinating comparisons. There is a gradual metamorphosis from the more exciting, brilliant, and episodic performances of the 1930s toward the more sober, reflective, structurally cohesive approach of the 1960s recordings. Rubinstein considered the stereo version of the mazurkas (Volume 50) one of the finest recordings he had ever made. But in my opinion, his earlier versions of the mazurkas are superior. In the 1930s set (volume 6), he more effectively captures the "swing" of this Polish peasant dance, where the 1960s version tends to sound metrically stricter. This 1950s version (Volume 27) melds the youthful and mature approaches. Rubinstein also uses a wider tonal pallette in this second set.
There are many valid approaches to these elusive gems. In addition to this set, collectors would do well to aquire the 29 Mazurkas William Kapell recorded before his early death, and the scattered Mazurkas recorded by Horowitz.
The mono sound is a bit dry, with little sense of space round the piano, but acceptable.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 27
Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)
Buy cheap Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 27 now
