Rubinstein Plays Brahms - Sony Classical Masters

This 9-CD box set from Sony is such a bargain that to give it fewer than 5* would be less than generous. You receive a card clamshell box, the CDs on card sleeves, no notes whatsoever. The re-masterings are seemingly the latest, mainly from the gargantuan Sony Rubinstein Edition from a decade or so ago.CD1 has the Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No.1 with Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1954  Brahms:Concerto 1:Solo Works  and the Capriccio in B minor Op.76 no.2, Intermezzo in E-flat minor Op.116 no6. and the Rhapsody in B minor Op.79 no.1 from a 1970 Italian RCA session.CD2 has the Concerto for Piano & Orchestra with Josef Krips and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra from 1958, and from 1970 the Intermezzo in B-flat minor Op.117 no.2, Intermezzo in E minor Op.116 no.5, and the Rhapsody in G minor Op.79 no.2. The most recent release was  Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2 , now very expensive to obtain.CD3 has Piano Sonata No.3 in F minor Op.5, Intermezzo in E major Op.116 no.6 and Romance in F major Op.118 no.5 from 1959 and 4 Ballades Op.10 from 1970. The previous release was  Vol. 63-Plays Brahms .CD4 gives us Rubinstein's set of Brahms' violin sonatas with Henryk Szeryng from 1960.  Vol. 41-Collection-Brahms Viol .CD5 gives us the cello sonatas with Gregor Piatigorsky from 1966  Collection-Vol. 64-Brahms .CD6 has the first two piano trios with Szeryng and Pierre Fournier from 1972  Brahms: Piano Trios .CD7 has the third piano trio with the same forces and Quintet for Piano, 2 Violins, Viola and Cello in F minor Op.34 with the Guarneri String Quartet from 1972/1966. Originall re-released on 2 CDs  Collection-Vol. 67-Brahms/Dvor  and Collection-Vol. 73-Brahms/Schu .CD8 has Piano Quartets 1 & 2 with the Guarneri's from 1967  Collection-Vol. 65-Brahms .Finally, CD9 has the second piano quartet with the Guarneri's from 1967  Rubinstein Collecton 74 .As you can see from my links, many of the original "Rubinstein Edition" CDs are hopelessly expensive nowadays; this box is a great way to pick up some great Brahms for very little. Unhesitatingly recommended.

Why is Sony withholding details about the sound of these recordings? The back of the box says 24bit, but there is no reference anywhere to when the remastering took place or of what it precisely consists. Previous RCA reissues sometimes even listed the brand of electronics that was used in the remastering.This lack of information is especially annoying to those who have purchased much of the contents here in earlier pressings. Although the recordings sound good to me [I am listening as I write this.] I guess I'll have to do comparisons with earlier pressings I have to find out if the '24bit' description really means anything at all. Minus one star for the lack of important information.

As Rubinstein once remarked in an interview, he was 10 when Brahms died, and he regarded him as a contemporary. His affection for the Master was life-long, and he brings to his music a certain Gallic charm which is often missing from pianists schooled in the Germanic tradition. If one wants a more Teutonic and big-boned approach to Brahms, then Backhaus is the one to go for. But Rubinstein often scores over a heavier approach, and his readings are never less than distinguished. Other reviewers have detailed the contents of the 9 CDs which make up this set. Suffice it to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the consistency of the performances and recordings, and the evident affection for the music displayed by Rubinstein and his fellow-artists. Highly recommended.

I am pleased to see that RCA are recognised as the originator of these recordings. Sony have completely obliterated any reference to CBS on so many of their other re-issues.That grip aside, these are essential recordings for anyone interest in the music of Brahms and/or the piano playing of Rubinstein. The recordings are really good, and have been very successfully digitised. The performance are first class. What is truly amazing is the bargain price for this box of treasures.

A fabulous Brahms collection with a major exponent of his art at an unbelievable bargain price. The chamber works with Szeryng and the Guarneri Quartet have not been readily available for some time, at least in the shops, and to have them all together now with the two concertos and a number of the solo pieces is something that should not be missed. Memories return of evenings at the Royal Festival Hall in the 1960s.

Rubinstein to me is the greatest pianist I have ever heard, these recordings of Brahms move me emotionally like no other pieces of music,he and the piano are conjoined. Rubinstein's reading of the piano concertos would undoubtedly have brought Brahms to tears on hearing them.If you were to purchase one boxset of piano music then this would have to be the one.

Loved this CD set!!

this recording is crystal clear despite the age of the recodings;the master was at his peak in many of the pieces but there were some recorded when he was more flamboyant;this is a treasure for my classical library.