A citizen of the world, as Arthur Rubinstein was called (he not only traveled a lot, but also knew as many as eight languages!), Is known in Poland mainly thanks to the words he spoke during the founding conference of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945. Poland belonged to the anti-Nazi coalition and was a victim of Nazi Germany, but there was no delegation from the Polish government in exile among the representatives of 50 countries. Why? Western politicians feared Stalin and preferred not to provoke him. For the same reason, there was also no Polish flag. The musician, whose concert was to add splendor to the event, noticed the lack of white and red colors, got angry and decided to loudly express his disapproval. He started the performance with the anthem of the United States, but after a few bars he stopped, stood up and said: “Here in this hall you want to arrange a happy future for the world. I miss the Polish flag for which you fought. I cannot tolerate it. I will play the Polish national anthem for you. And please get up! ”. His speech was met with a storm of applause, to which even Nikita Khrushchev (a member of the Soviet delegation) was forced. With this gesture, Artur Rubinstein recalled the participation of Poles in the defeat of Nazi Germany, and also revealed his deep love for the homeland
I would argue Horowitz played it better. When listening to nocturnes waltzes and mazurkas and some of the slower etudes, rubenstein takes all, but for more heroic flare I prefer Horowitz since arthur isnt a pedal pusher
@@christinechon2464 Perhaps you Christine did not reflect that when the interpreter uses the pedal a little it could be the merit of the interpreter ... Excuse my broken English, but I am of Italian nationality. Can you answer me in Italian? Thanks.
@@PabluchoViision I think they were sort of 'frenemies', for lack of a better word. They were well acquainted while living in Paris, but Rubinstein never really got over the fact that Horowitz had more success there - by consequence, Rubinstein spoke of Horowitz as a mere showman and technician...
Rubinstein once said in an interview that this piece of music was the " closest to his heart ". I don't doubt it. He plays it with such passion. The world is badly in need of artists of this caliber. They are so absent from our landscape. God rest Mr. Rubinstein. ✝️❤✡
My grandmother heard Rubinstein at Orchestra Hall in Chicago in the 1920s. She and my mother heard him there in 1950. When I was 22, I attended his last recital there in May, 1976. I vividly remember his impeccable performance of Chopin’s Scherzo, opus 31, no. 2. His artistry spanned 3 generations of my family over 50 years. He performed in Chicago for over 60 years. His enduring legacy was his ability to enrich the lives of millions of people worldwide over a career that spanned nearly a century.
I wish I could have heard that. Was at many Orchestra Hall recitals; the closet experience to what you report was Ashkenazy playing Beethoven op. 110 and 111, first half of concert, after intermission: Brahms op.119 then op. 24, the Handel Variations. With all due (tremendous) admiration and respect to Ashkenazy, it was probably the best recital of dozens I heard at Orchestra Hall, but Rubinstein would have been on an altogether higher level, a different category, especially if he played Chopin. But I mention the Ashkenazy recital because as with the Rubinstein performance you saw, I think it was his last and he played it like a grand farewell, valedictory recital. He's had a flourishing career since then (maybe still active) conducting, but I'm pretty sure that he was then retiring his solo recital career. And those works created a pretty monumental farewell gesture. But as to major, unforgettable Chopin recitals there, I once had a ticket to a Moravec all Chopin nocturne recital. I remember sort of looking forward to it, but being a young man in his 20's with a little caveman still in me, 2 hours of nocturnes seemed potentially dull (I now know much better by the way), So I was excited to hear Moravec, but a bit ambivalent about the program. I felt a bit jipped that I wouldn't hear a big Polonaise, Scherzo or Ballade. Anyway I get to Orchestra Hall, ticket in hand, and learn I'm doubly jipped: Moravec cancelled on some health issue, and they were substituting some lady I never heard of, who who "entertain" us in his stead. Who's this "lady I never heard of"? BELA DAVIDOVICH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I admit I don't remember half the concert, even the program, but half of it included the Chopin Barcarolle and F-Minor Fantasie, I'm sure it was the best Chopin I ever heard live, and the single biggest factor in my expanded appreciation of Chopin beyond the Polonaises, Scherzos and Mazurkas I loved since my mid-teenage years.
Perhaps most impressive is around 4:00 when he resumes the L.H. octaves just as fast as before, but much more softly-not sure if mezzoforte or piano, I think piano. What strength & control that takes!! Now THAT’S difficult!!!
My grandmother told me that one day as she was listening to the radio she heard in French:Vive la liberté!!.It was from Warsaw and the Polonaise was broadcasted; it turned out to be the Germans as the Soviets as well were invading Poland.
Artur Rubinstein - on of the greatest maestros of all time, sentitive and artistic mind. No one like him could play Chopin, this melody is pure Polishness which Rubinstein deeply and intenssive felt.
I am not able to tell, if Rubinstein or Horowitz are better. Both are just far beyond any other contemporary musicians. There are good, great and the few blessed genius pianists. 4-5 on Earth in every century perhaps. Rubinstein and Horowitz are among the third category.
"In this hall, you want to arrange a happy future for the world. I miss the flag of Poland, for which you fought. I cannot tolerate this. I will play the Polish anthem. And please stand up!" - said Artur Rubinstein during a concert at the UN conference in San Francisco in 1945. 🎹 Artur Rubinstein was born in Łódź, in a moderately wealthy Jewish family. His great talent was soon discovered. He started performing publicly at the age of 7. He inaugurated his international career in 1900 with a concert in Berlin. Since then, he has performed for nearly 80 years. At the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, he informally represented Poland, as the government-in-exile was not recognized by the Soviet Union. During the founding conference of OZN there were no representatives of the Government of the Republic of Poland in exile. The Soviet Union did not recognize him, and Western politicians were afraid of offending Stalin. Moreover, the Polish flag was missing from the meeting room. Seeing this, Artur Rubinstein - an outstanding Polish pianist of Jewish descent - expressed indignation and ostentatiously played Dąbrowski's Mazurka. Previously, according to the rules, he started with the anthem of the host, i.e. the United States. After the Polish national anthem was played, there was a hurricane of applause. The Soviet delegation, led by Vyacheslav Molotov, forced to rise during the anthem of independent Poland, did not hide its fury.
His name is Frances Van Siclen so he could be from: Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, germany (maybe), maybe more countries. But his name is from the germanic language because of the 'van'. Idk
It is so easy to exaggerate this truly legendary polonaise . It is easy to exaggerate Chopin’s music in general. Maestro Rubinstein has always been acutely aware it . A genius playing music written by another genius.
If I were an aspiring pianist and listened to this performance by Mr. Rubinstein , I would be both intimidated and inspired. RU-vid provides us with the ability to compare many fine performances of this wonderful piece by Chopin. In my not so humble opinion , this rendition is perfection and beyond compare.
Whenever I listen to Rubinstein's Chopin, I can't help but think that there's something very special about his performance. Something that can't be replaceable.
Dont know which European country, but read on a comment of his playing on another site. I live in South Africa and am English origin, my husbands father was born Holland and settled here after the second world war.
I'm in no place to give critique or proper opinions on music such as this, but all I can say is... This is simply, beautiful. I have been listening to it for a couple hours now, and I can't help but feel calm, and happy.
A stupid perhaps, but a sill a serious question: How was Chopin, the genius that he was, able to create this wonderful piece of music and actually transcribe it so others could play it? To me is it absolutely mind boggling. And then, there is Artur Rubinstein, another genius, playing it note for note without a written score. This is magic.
Kocham muzykę Chopina. Miał polską duszę. Ja ją słyszę. Miód na moją duszę. Chopin był i jest wielki. Co za talent. To geniusz z iskra boża. ✌️✌️✌️✌️👑👑👑💖💖💖
3:18 he was so in command 😭 I wonder how tortured the souls of the great composers are to have created masterpieces like this and put something out that is indestructible even upon their demise.
This was my mother's all-time favorite musical piece. I'm a day or two late' but please listen to it in her honor! Her birthday was April 22 (in heaven)............
She must have had such a colorful soul! In this piece, I hear such raw passion and triumph. If she loved it, maybe this piece connected to her soul :) Happy Birthday to her (it is nowhere near April 22nd but I’ll say it anyway)!
No Composition Ever Written by man has ever so Completely Embodied The Greatness And Nobility of The Polish Spirit like this one !! Hats off to Mr.Rubenstein who Throughout his long and Storied Career always did great justice to this Composition !!!...
What a legend. His left hand seems to have a mind of its own powered by a rocket. Arthur Rubinstein and Chopin together in heaven, I can scarcely imagine the music they would make together.
Throughout his life, Rubinstein was deeply attached to Poland. At the inauguration of the United Nations in 1945, Rubinstein showed his Polish patriotism at a concert for the delegates. He began the concert by stating his deep disappointment that the conference did not have a delegation from Poland. Rubinstein later described becoming overwhelmed by a blind fury and angrily pointing out to the public the absence of the Polish flag. He stopped playing the piano, told the audience to stand up, including the Soviets, and played the Polish national anthem loudly and slowly, repeating the final part in a great thunderous forte. When he had finished, the public gave him a great ovation.[
Fabulous! Still lhe best performer ever. Each individual note flies through the Air, as breathtaking mixed flocks of birds. Every note vibrantes, individually, in its beauty, staying airborne in a magical, musical airshow -- never colliding with any of the other elements
Perfeito, insubstituível, esse homem tocava sobrenaturalmente! Este homem qdo tocava ele vivia cada nota. E tocar polonaise não é uma tarefa fácil. Além da destreza tb o sentimento de protesto, revolta e injustiça que esta música transmite. E Rubinstein expressava todos esses sentimentos ao tocar. Magnífico!
The one the only artur rubenstein. If chopin lives in the world to come and he has to pick from among recordings of his music, it has to be rubenstein. Most others can't even play it mechanically correctly and Rubenstein is the only only one of those who is capable, understands chopin's intent and plays it as if his body and soul's true satisfaction depends on channeling chopin himself.
My Gawd, what talent! he makes those triad runs in the opening look so effortless. it took me 6 months just to get them off the page and I could never articulate them as cleanly as he did. Just like brushing dust off a table. Phenomenal!
Often when people make comparisons they consider extremely lopsided, they say “no comparison” as if “a” and “b” are in completely different categories, apples and oranges. But in this case I do believe Rubinstein is fundamentally different from all others. It’s like he’s not playing the keys, hammers and strings, but right through them to mold the soundboard directly into a moving sculpture of pure nobility and heroism. Although some could call his style muscular and percussive, I don’t hear anything like percussive impact even in his loudest playing, it has a buttery, velvety, cushiony - shock-absorbed, which seems to be how his loose and heavily muscular arms operate - quality as if there were nothing harder than (soft) rubber at any point in the process. Each sound conveys nothing but pure nobility. A warmth and brightness that transcends physicality. Although the sound is glorious, it’s like experiencing the “Platonic form” beyond physical sound itself, something unworldly. Any other musician, I can’t help feeling I’m trapped inside a physical piano (with all its mechanical limitations and the “heaviness” of physical matter) compared to Rubinstein’s sound.
far beyond mere musicianship he chose power over accuracy at any price to call up the spirit of chopin an even greater demigod than himself. bravissimo!
I honestly prefer Argerich's rendition. I know Rubinstein has an unique style and likes pedaling, I just think Martha's version has a better tempo and clear notes
@@Thiago-px9ev l'll have to listen to Martha's version, this version is so expressive, powerful and masterful, if martha's is above this, l have to see and hear to believe.
A true genious. Keep the Bunins , the Lang-Langs, and all Speedy-Gonzales who try to render speed the essence of their performances. Rubinstein combine speed with an individualised playing of each note. Listen to his Full performance, live, in Moscow in 1964. And in 1947 at Carnagie-Hall. Playing the Polonaise and the Ritual of Fire. We are unable to see his hands, .in the Ritual. However, every single note flies through the Air, individually Playing extremely fast -- and Crystal clear! His performances still are the yard-stick for all pianists!
Hearing Rubinstein in person at Carnegie Hall in the 1960s play this piece was a formative inspirational experience of my life in music. (He was always better in live concerts.) There's no one way to play any piece, and there are many great recorded performances of this Polonaise, not just Horowitz but going back to Ignaz Friedman and Josef Lhevinne. But for my taste no other great pianist has ever so embodied the nobility, dignity, heroic martiality, and sheer elevation of this singular piece.
The pinnacle of Western culture. If anyone knows anything, I mean anything as transcendental as this piece, from another civilization, please let me know.
J'ai eu le privilège d'aller au Festival Hall à Londres voir et écouter ce pianiste extraordinaire. J'ai aussi acheté son livre. Cela fait un énorme plaisir de le retrouver et l'écouter à nouveau de temps à autre.
What a joy it is to watch him play! At moments, it looks like he's pounding the piano with maximum intensity like a drum, and other moments, the softest of tickles like tickling a cat and all the variations in between with bravado and showmanship just from the sound of the music he makes with that Rubenstein stoic look... fantastic!
Years ago I read an article about the maestro where his wife said--after an enormously successful concert--"You needed a bucket to catch your false notes tonight." And Rubinstein laughed out loud, reached over, and kissed her on the cheek.
This is simply the best performance of this masterpeice, I´ve ever heard. His phrasing is perfect, and he avoids the temptation of exaggeration. Notice the last four seconds. Simple and effectful!
Through some fluke I saw him twice in grade school wearing a scratchy suit my mother had made. Then years later and I waited then to shake his hand, which was huge, perhaps through illness, or great strength. Will always love him.