Anton Rubinstein and Alexander Adolfovich Winkler represent two generations of Russian Romanticism, and their sonatas for viola and piano reveal contrasting yet complementary approaches to chamber music and to the expressive potential of the viola. Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894), one of the founders of the Russian conservatory system and a towering figure as pianist, conductor, and composer, approached chamber music with a distinctly European Romantic sensibility. His Sonata for Viola and Piano is notable for it's lyrical breadth and dramatic contrasts. Rubinstein treats the viola not merely as an accompanying voice but as a fully expressive partner to the piano, exploiting it's warm, dark timbre and vocal qualities. The sonata's sweeping melodies, rich harmonic language, and expansive formal design reflect Rubinstein's admiration for composers such as Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Brahms. At the same time, moments of intense lyricism and emotional weight highlight his belief in music as a direct vehicle for personal expression. Alexander Adolfovich Winkler (1865-1935), a student of Sergei Taneyev and a representative of a later Russian school, brings a more refined and introspective character to his Sonata for Viola and Piano. Winkler's writing is marked by structural clarity, contrapuntal skill, and subtle harmonic color. His sonata emphasizes the viola's expressive nuance, often favoring intimate dialogue between the instruments rather than virtuosic display. The work blends Romantic warmth with Classical balance, revealing Winkler's interest in formal discipline and textural transparency. Luca Sanzò is a pupil of Bruno Giuranna. His concert career has taken him to the world's major concert halls, both as a soloist and in collaboration with leading musicians. He has collaborated as principal viola soloist with various orchestras, including those of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, and the early music orchestra Concerto Italiano. He teaches viola at the Conservatorio di S. Cecilia in Rome. He has recorded for Nuova Era, Bottega Discantica, BMG Ricordi, Opus 111, Tactus, Edi Pan, Stradivarius, Naïve, Chandos, and Naxos. Italian pianist Maurizio Paciariello, schooled by Aldo Ciccolini and Paul Badura-Skoda and prizewinner of the ARD Competition, is a champion of rare repertoire and a specialist on period instruments.
This album is the third installment in Centaur’s cycle of the complete piano concertos of Anton Rubinstein (1829-94). +One of the great piano virtuosos of his day and a prolific composer, much of Rubinstein's musical output has long fallen out of public consciousness, only in recent decades receiving renewed performer and audience interest. +The Greece-born pianist Grigorios Zamparas is currently Associate Professor of Music, Piano, University of Tampa, FL., and an active international recitalist.
Rubinstein: Caprice Russe; Piano Concerto No 5; Der Thurm Zu Babel Overture / Mitchell, Zamparas
Centaur Records
CD
$18.99Jan 29, 2013
RUBINSTEIN Piano Concerto No. 5, Op. 94. Caprice russe, Op. 102. Der Thurm zu Babel, Op. 80: Overture • Grigorios Zamparas (pn); Jon Ceander Mitchell, cond; Bohuslav Martin? PO • CENTAUR 3204 (74:55)
The fifth and last of Anton Rubinstein’s piano concertos was composed in 1874. Dedicated to the French pianist and composer Charles-Valentin Alkan (misspelled “Arkan” in Centaur’s notes), it is by far the longest of Rubinstein’s works in this genre, comparable in duration if not stature to the concertos of Brahms. The first movement alone lasts over 22 minutes in this performance, with a total timing of 50 minutes. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that Rubinstein chose the same key for this work, E?-Major, as did Beethoven for his “Emperor” Concerto. That lengthy first movement is a grand, expansive, often rhapsodic statement, although as is usual with Rubinstein, there is too much repetition. The slow movement strikes me as rather perfunctory, but the brilliant, exuberant finale, at 17 minutes nearly as long as the first movement, offers considerable pleasure. The performance by Grigorios Zamparas is straightforward, crisp, fluent, and technically proficient. He does not quite match the brilliance, forcefulness, and spontaneity that pianists such as Joseph Banowetz and Marc-André Hamelin have brought to other Rubinstein concertos, although he does contribute some pretty impressive rapid passagework. Hamelin, however, has not recorded this concerto, and the Banowetz reading, on Marco Polo, is currently available only as an MP3 download. I have not heard it, but the Marco Polo catalog is gradually being transferred to Naxos, so Banowetz may eventually be available again on CD. On the other hand, the Centaur recording, although a bit dry and unreverberant, is better focused and balanced and more realistic than the Marco Polo series, and the piano sound is solid and well defined. Peaks have plenty of impact and are free from strain or harshness. No other recordings of this concerto are currently available.
The Caprice russe, an appealing 20-minute fantasy for piano and orchestra on three folk or folk-like themes, was written in 1878. Zamparas once again offers a straightforward and proficient performance, perhaps lacking a degree of the flamboyance that Rubinstein’s music seems to demand. The only other recording of this piece in the catalog is that of Banowetz, also coupled with his performance of the Fifth Concerto and therefore available only as an MP3. Rubinstein’s “sacred opera” Der Thurm zu Babel (The Tower of Babel), one of several he wrote on biblical themes and to German librettos, dates from 1869. Its brief overture is deliberate and brooding but uneventful. No other recordings of the overture and none of the opera itself are available.
Under Jon Ceander Mitchell, the Bohuslav Martin? Philharmonic shows itself to be a capable and proficient ensemble, although lacking the tonal opulence of some more famous orchestras. The violins, at least as recorded here, can sometimes seem thin and steely, but the winds are reliable, more so than in the Slovak orchestra used in the Banowetz recordings of the first four concertos. (A different Slovak orchestra performs in the Fifth Concerto.)
In the absence of any current competition on CD, I can recommend these accomplished and well-recorded performances to anyone interested in Rubinstein’s music.
Rubinstein: Piano Concerto No. 1 & Don Quixote / Zamparas, Mitchell
Centaur Records
CD
$18.99Jul 08, 2016
A new addition to Centaur's Complete Recordings of Anton Rubinstein Piano Concertos, this release features Grigorios Zamparas, Jon Caender Mitchell and the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra. Anton Rubinstein was a Russian pianist, composer and conductor where he ranked among the besth 19th-century pianists. Grigorios Zamparas has received worldwide acclaim for his astounding musicianship and versatile performances. He has performed with prestigious orchestras such as the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra, Indiana University Symphony Orchestra and many others.
Rubinstein: Piano Concerto No. 4 & Caprice Russe / Jarvi, Shelest, The Orchestra Now
Sorel Classics
CD
$17.99Jul 06, 2018
It is difficult to overstate the breadth of contribution of Anton Rubinstein to the development of the Russian culture in the 19th century. His multifaceted genius can be divided into three areas- Rubinstein the composer, the pianist, and the educator. In this first release in the series of recordings of his works for piano and orchestra, we focus on Rubinstein’s role as an educator. The album brings into light the effect Rubinstein had on the advancement of the Russian musical style in the 19th and 20th centuries. Hailed by The New York Times as a pianist of “a fiery sensibility and warm touch,” Anna Shelest is an international award-winning pianist who has thrilled the audiences she’s been in front of all over the world. Born in Ukraine, she began her studies at the age of six, and at the age of eleven she performed at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Her repertoire ranges from the Baroque to today’s contemporary composers. She has a particular affinity for Russian piano literature. Having received her Masters Degree at The Juilliard School, Anna Shelest currently resides in New York City with her husband and two sons. The Orchestra Now is group of vibrant young musicians from across the globe who are making orchestral music relevant to 21st century audiences. Hand-picked from the world’s leading conservatories, the members of TON are not only thrilling audiences with their critically acclaimed performances, but also enlightening curious minds by giving on stage demonstrations.
A. RUBINSTEIN Theme and Variations, op. 88. Akrostichon No. 2, op. 114 • Joseph Banowetz (pn) • NAXOS 8.570941 (73:44)
Joseph Banowetz might easily be thought of as an Anton Rubinstein specialist. He has, after all, recorded all of Rubinstein’s works for piano and orchestra for Naxos’s sister label, Marco Polo, plus four other discs of Rubinstein’s solo piano music. This is a worthy task, for while there is a grand total of some 50 recordings of Rubinstein’s famous Melody in F, very few other works recorded make even two different versions. The sheer dedication of Banowetz is remarkable, and his fine reading of these two works (both world premiere recordings) implies strongly that it is time for a reappraisal of Anton Rubinstein (1829–94). Banowetz is a pianist of some strength—clearly, he is no shrinking violet, anyway, and this robust approach coupled with exemplary finger clarity lends itself superbly to this repertoire.
The Theme and Variations, op. 88, dates from 1871 and lasts some 47 minutes in this performance. It is therefore a major work, and Banowetz certainly treats it as such. His respect for Rubinstein’s talent is evident in every measure he plays. The music itself might well come as something of a revelation, for the invention flows confidently and appealingly from Rubinstein’s pen. Moments of mystery are honored (try the recitative-like ruminations of the fifth variation). Most importantly, Banowetz provides just the right amount of fantasy. The range of the variations is wide, moving from Schumannesque innigkeit (variation 7) to Handelian grandeur viewed through a decidedly romantic telescope (the very next variation). The climax is formed by the 12th and final variation, lasting some 10 minutes. Banowetz whips the music up to a fulfilling, summatory statement. The recording is a trifle shallow and dry, perhaps, but the ear adjusts quickly.
The Akrostichon, op. 2, of 1890, stands in stark contrast. A set of five salon pieces (which together add up in duration to around 27 minutes), the op. 2 counterbalances the Theme and Variations perfectly. There is a spring-like freshness to the second (Allegretto) that is most appealing. All five pieces make for compelling listening, not least the individual, evocative solo lines of the fourth piece (Adagio).
This constitutes Volume 1 of what is presumably intended to be a complete edition of Rubinstein’s piano works, and I note that ArkivMusic is already listing (and highlighting, at the time of writing) Volume 2 (which contains Akrostichon No. 1; Two Pieces, op. 26; Souvenir de Dresde, op. 118; Two Melodies, op. 3; and the Sérénade russe in B Minor). I hope to hear the next installment in due course; in the meantime, Volume 1 provides ample cause for celebration.
Anton Rubinstein’s Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 95, emerged in 1874 – ending a dry spell of roughly 20 years since his previous efforts in the genre. It came at a time when the future of the purely instrumental symphony was in doubt, reflecting the notion of Wagner and his disciples that Beethoven had exhausted the possibilities of symphonic development – and that the day of “synthetic” art (the “Gesamtkunstwerk”), with its blend of symphonic, vocal and theatrical elements, had arrived. Rubinstein did not agree, and composed his fourth symphony in an apparent effort to prove that Beethoven’s methods were still valid. This marks Delos’ second re-release of Russian Disk’s acclaimed series of Rubinstein’s orchestral music, as performed with authentic idiomatic flair by Igor Golovchin and his Russian State Symphony Orchestra.
The 5 piano concertos of Rubinstein opened a new era in the history of Russian piano art, setting the stage for the great Russian concerto masterpieces, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov. This is the 3rd in Delos’ current series of Russian Disc re- and features the 2nd and 4th concertos, as performed by distinguished, Russian-trained artists.
Anton Rubinstein: Symphony No. 2, "Ocean" - Ballet Music fr
Delos
CD
$18.99Apr 24, 2012
... a work written by a young, ebullient, but quite mature talent, and distinguished, beyond it's broad scope and youthful freshness, by a remarkably unified conception. Thus did Russian master P.I. Tchaikovsky describe the long-neglected "Ocean" Symphony (Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 42 - Original Version) by Anton Rubinstein, his composition teacher at (and the founder of) the St. Petersburg Conservatory. His "Ocean" symphony is a bold and highly original programmatic work that convincingly evokes the struggle of man against the elemental forces that rule the seas. Echoes of composers like Mendelssohn and Schumann are heard in the work, no doubt the result of Rubinstein's European training and exposure - yet there remains a certain Russian pathos and earthiness. Also heard here is a colorful suite of dances from Rubinstein's oriental-flavored opera, Feramors. Igor Golovschin and his Russian State Symphony Orchestra provide skillful and idiomatically true performances.
These are the first recordings of the two sonatas for cello and piano and of the last trio for violin, cello and piano by the Russian romantic composer Anton Rubinstein. The works are performed by three fine musicians often playing together and giving a fully convincing performance of these rare works. On the re-issue of the original album a bonus album is included with the first release of the original master tape of the last Rubinstein trio, a large-scale work showing deep understanding of the chamber music combination from this big Russian.
During his lifetime Anton Rubinstein gained a considerable reputation as a piano virtuoso the equal of Liszt, and for a stream of distinctive compositions, among them symphonies and operas. He was also responsible for revolutionising standards in Russian teaching and performance – yet despite his eminence many of his works have been overlooked. Le Bal, Op. 14 presents a characteristic ballroom scene in ten sections full of energy and rich sentiment. This miniature drama charts the anticipation of the dancer, a series of eventful dances and a final reflection on what has been. Warren Lee made his debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of six. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Yale School of Music, he was the First Prize winner of the Stravinsky Awards International Piano Competition and the Grand Prix Ivo Pogorelich in 1995. He has performed on four continents, often in collaboration with international artists and leading orchestras. His recordings for Universal Music (Hong Kong) and Naxos have garnered favourable reviews worldwide. A Steinway Artist as well as an awardwinning composer, Warren Lee received the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award in Hong Kong in 2012 and was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2015 for his contribution to the music profession. In 2017 he received the Ian Mininberg Distinguished Alumni Award from the Yale School of Music.
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REVIEW:
The playing is stunning and imaginative. Warren Lee gives a performance which sparkles in the lively numbers and is suitably thoughtful in the quieter and more reflective moments.
Rubinstein: String Quartets Nos. 4 & 6 / Reinhold Quartett
CPO
CD
$18.99Jan 08, 2021
How Anton Rubinstein in the end succeeded in creating a comprehensive oeuvre covering all the genres while making breathtaking concert and traveling rounds as a pianist is something that numbers among the incomprehensibilities of his life marked by a tireless work ethos. During the course of his busy life on the go he composed more than a dozen operas, six symphonies, an oratorio, a ballet, some two hundred songs, countless works for piano solo and for piano in the concerto style and with orchestral accompaniment, and chamber music for various formations with and without piano. He also composed ten string quartets, two of which are now being released on cpo. Rubinstein composed these works during his time in Leipzig, and the Reinhold Quartet, whose members are musicians of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, offer powerful interpretations of them. The two Quartets Nos. 1 and 3 in minor keys from op. 47 are on the one hand subtly linked together motivically and on the other hand most highly different in design. Especially striking triplet motifs livening up in the secondary segments, refined motivic transformations, and fortissimo outbursts of absolutely orchestral might – these are all typical characteristics of Rubinstein’s quartet style. And what might possibly top the impressive conclusion of the first quartet? The gigantic, virtuosic, and harmonically and formally bolder conclusion of the third quartet, that’s what!
Anton Rubinstein: Piano Music, Vol. 2 / Joseph Banowetz
Naxos
CD
$9.99$19.99Save 50%Jul 27, 2010
A. RUBINSTEIN Sérénade russe. 2 Melodies, op. 2. Souvenir de Dresde, op. 118. Romance and Impromptu, op. 26. Akrostikon No. 1, op. 37 • Joseph Banowetz (pn) • NAXOS 8.570942 (75:21)
Recently, I reviewed Joseph Banowetz’s first volume of music by Anton Rubinstein, declaring myself ripe for more at the end of it. Well, here is Volume 2, a mix of the new (five of the six movements of Souvenir de Dresde are world premiere recordings—No. 6 was recorded by Leo Sirota and is available on the Arbiter label—as are the Romance and Impromptu, the Sérénade russe, and the Akrostichon No. 1). Volume 1 contained music from 1871–90; this presents works written 1852–94. I also mentioned in my earlier review that only the Melody in F has gained the favor of the catalog, and here in fact it is, played with unaffected simplicity by Banowetz and bringing in tow its lesser-known companion, a Melody in B, a work of supreme delicacy. Rubinstein uses single-line melody to great effect, and Banowetz plays with supreme dignity and maturity.
The disc begins with a work minus opus number. The Sérénade russe was written around 1852, and was composed for a publication named L’Album Bellini. The melancholy feel of the work seems entirely Russian. Banowetz ensures that the lightenings of texture and mood register to maximum effect, and that the Lisztian arabesques contain hints of improvisation.
The sublime sweetness of the first movement of Souvenir de Dresde (1894) draws one into the work. This movement’s title is, in fact, “Simplicitus.” The music opens out into sequences of roulades (dispatched with remarkable ease by Banowetz). In contrast, the second movement, marked “Appassionata,” uses Brahmsian sonorities to bring a contrastive disquiet. Annotator Joshua Creek suggests that the opening of the third movement, “Novelette,” is pastiche Rameau, and it is easy to hear what he means. The movement is a delight. A light, almost Mendelssohnian Caprice leads to an extended Nocturne where the shadow of Chopin can be clearly felt. Drama is the characteristic of the final Polonaise. Banowitz does not quite project the full sweep of the piece, perhaps.
Dripping, slow descending lines that one might expect to encounter in late Brahms begin the Romance from op. 26. Rubinstein’s offering turns out to be a simple but expressive song without words, its melody exquisitely shaped by Banowetz. The Impromptu makes for effective contrast in its playful, busy nature. Finally, Akrostikon No. 1 (written around 1856). Each movement is headed by a letter, which when put together spell “LAURA” (Laura Shveykovskaya, a young lady evidently admired by the composer). All five movements are remarkably stress-free, liquid outpourings. Any hints of disquiet in the fifth movement (Con moto) are dismissed in the quasi-improvised final movement, a clear Lied ohne Worte.
Once again, Banowetz has succeeded in alerting the record buying public of the importance of Anton Rubsinstein’s music while simultaneously providing playing of the utmost clarity and beauty.
Rubinstein: Music for Piano Four Hands, Vol. 2 / Duo Pianistico di Firenze
Brilliant Classics
CD
$17.99Jan 03, 2020
Conductor, virtuoso pianist, founder of the St Petersburg Conservatory and composer of solo works, symphonies and operas, Anton Rubinstein (1829–1894) is a key figure in Russian musical culture and achieved international celebrity during his lifetime. In the midst of a busy world touring schedule, he also found time to be composition teacher to Tchaikovsky. Often only selected pieces from Rubinstein’s piano four-hands repertoire are performed, but in a rare feat, Duo Pianistico di Firenze take on the full 20 movements of the epic suite Bal Costumé. Excluding the opening and closing movements, the Suite is a musical depiction of the fashionable masked balls frequented by the elite. The elaborate costumes, the dancing and, in particular, the interaction between two characters, one male and the other female are represented in the music. Each movement references different historical periods from the 12th to the 18th century and although largely romantic in style, the movements nod to their corresponding era with baroque inflections. Toréador et Andalouse, with its distinctly Spanish feel, is the most famous movement and is often performed as a stand-alone piece. The movement is fast-paced and concise, complimented by a memorable melody-line sprinkled with chromaticisms. Although Bal Costumé can work as a collection of individual pieces, the effect is most profound when appreciated as a whole, transporting the listener to Rubinstein’s musical plane. The Introduction sets the scene in a bold symphonic mood, then moves through folk-songs, Arabian dances and a military parade before reaching the climatic final movement: Danses. This extravagant finale begins as a Great Waltz becoming a jubilant Polka and then a whirling Galop. Coupled with the recording of Rubinstein’s sonatas and Characteristic Pieces that launched this series (Rubinstein: Music for Piano 4 Hands Volume 1 BC95016), this new release is unique in its dedication to the composer and his repertoire. Admired by Mendelssohn, Schonberg, Rachmaninov and Chopin, friends with Liszt and Saint-Saëns and adored by fans around the globe, Rubinstein has had a monumental impact on Russian musical traditions and education. The breadth and depth of his music deserves to be heard today.
Anton Rubinstein was one of the towering figures of nineteenth-century music, a great piano virtuoso, conductor and influential teacher. The fifth of his six Symphonies is thoroughly Russian in it's melodies, and is often compared to his student Tchaikovsky's First Symphony. The overture to Rubinstein's first opera Dmitry Donsky is based on a similarly national Russian theme, while Faust, written in Leipzig in 1854, is the sole surviving movement of an abandoned Faust symphony. Rubinstein's Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 can be heard on Naxos 8.555590 and 8.555979.
![Rubinstein: Kamennïy-ostrov [24 Musical Portraits] Vol 2](http://arkivmusic.com/cdn/shop/files/404189.jpg?v=1786732028&width=400)
