Arthur Rubinstein Live in 1966: Schubert's Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960 [Remaster - 2020]

I. Molto moderato (B♭ Major) 0:00
II. Andante sostenuto (C♯ minor/C♯ Major) 13:45
III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace con delicatezza - Trio (B♭ Major) 22:32
IV. Allegro ma non troppo (B♭ Major) 26:34
“On stage, I will take a chance. There has to be an element of daring in great music-making. These younger ones, they are too cautious. They take the music out of their pockets instead of their hearts.” - Arthur Rubinstein
Solo: Arthur Rubinstein, Poland/USA
Piece: Piano Sonata in B-flat major, D.960
Composer: Franz Schubert, Austria
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Remastered by: Wayne Yang, USA-Taiwan

[@Ranger1216]

Such melody comes through and touch on the keys is sublime…..

[@janicewolk6492]

I realized for the first time how fundamental staccato and legato are to the rendering of this piece . He makes some audible mistakes, but his interpretation is so fabulous it absolutely doesn't matter at all. He is listening inside of himself for the MUSIC. I love this.

[@MaryElizabethRaines-mf7oy]

Exquisite! And Rubinstein plays with deep expression without the need to sway or grimace.

[@davidthompson3255]

This is a long piece and I think he has found the right pacing, and variety in dynamics, to keep the audience interested. This may be the best all-around approach I have heard.

[@stefanhawlin4230]

The audience - how still. How straight-backed Rubenstein. Schubert’s late sonata sings - with all its tender pathos and joy! Wonderful.

[@erpollock]

How beautiful and sensitive. Rubenstein truly understood Schubert like a soul mate. The first time I sang Schubert alone, his Ave Maria, I knew this was a composer who perfectly fit my personality both musical and personal.

[@lucazani7619]

What a beautiful interpretation!! The best d960! What a joy!

[@george40nelson4]

I saw him play in 1964 in Burlington Vermont. The program was all Chopin. Was struck by his tone and crafting of the melodic line. It was awesome. He loved to perform and the audience loved back. He had numerous encores.

[@helenguo9150]

Such a beautiful and soothing interpretation of this sonata from Arthur. The sonata itself features tender and mature characteristics, a true reflection of Shucbert's personality in his later stage of life :)

[@MusikPiratCH]

That's one of the greatest piano sonatas ever written! Schubert doesn't need to hide behind Beethoven at all! 😇

[@WarinPartita6]

Simple​ yet​ profound.​ Immense​ thanks​ for​ sharing​ ​this.​

[@BoulderMamacita]

Stoic, quiet--void of flailing and yet PROFOUNDLY emotional sans all the theatrics audiences buy into today!!!!!!!

[@rafaelbraga2751]

LEGEND OF THE PIANO 🎹

[@rayzan9561]

NO ONE! NO ONE! Has ever played this sonata better. How I wish he recorded more Schubert.

[@leongreen8088]

And yet he himself was never fully satisfied with especially his playing of this one. Of his one recording he said he should have started studying when he was in his 40s, instead of his 60s.

[@rayzan9561]

@@leongreen8088 Perhaps. And perhaps it was a good thing he didn't study it more. There is no magic here. He just plays the music without self indulgence or the imposition of a "very personal" interpretation. He always played like that and that's why he was one of the great artists of all time. He respected the music. He LISTENED to the music, the composer, not the voices in his own head.

[@MS-lg7xv]

At least listen to Sokolov

[@remomazzetti8757]

His 1969 RCA recording is even better than this live performance.

[@user-ri2oj6yz6c]

@@leongreen8088 leon, your post kills me! When i started hearing this now, i realized it's time for me to learn it, because my tender musical feelings make me feel i can do it at least as good. But if no lesser a person than Rubinstein felt the same if only he had been playing it since 20 years earlier, then i have absolutely no hope at mastering it like i envisage it!

[@MatiShemoeloff]

I love his reading of this piece. I wish i could exprience it live

[@ericb7937]

16:22 just sublime. So noble

[@user-nr5xe8gg5u]

I heard him play around this same time in a recital in of all places Sacramento before they had a proper venue for such concerts as they do now. Accompanied by my mom, who was an accomplished pianist but largely gave up when at age 17 her younger brother by six years was her equal.

[@Bampaloudu64]

The first recording (and my favorite) of this Sonata I've heard was Richter's. Everywhere, I read that his tempo was considered to be unconventionnaly slow. I couldn't imagine it being faster until I heard this amazing performance from Rubinstein. It just makes sense.

[@bealreadyhappy]

Phew! What a marvellous and gripping performance. BTW did you notice the ladies wearing short skirts? No trousers! How fashion has changed

[@wolfgangklofat594]

For many reasons this record is worth while to find an outstanding place in a worldwíde museum of the history of piano music and its great players.

[@erpollock]

The University of Maryland at College Park, MD had a Piano Archives of LP recordings at one time. It is still listed online.

[@yolainesene8691]

Thank you

[@KrisztianNagyTodor]

at the age of 79!!!! incredible!

[@stephaniechastain1963]

When I was in piano college, this piece was reserved for graduate students only.

[@lafarga2330]

at 13:59, he plays left hand: C# | right hand: F and C#, while the way I play it and all renditions I've heard use C# F and B! I wonder why this is the case

[@garrysmodsketches]

I noticed it too! I don't know the exact reason for this, but basically different editions of this sonata have different notes. So some editions say 'E# and C# in the right hand' (e.g. Breitkopf), while others say 'E# and B in the right hand' (e.g. Barenreiter). And yes, the note you are referring to as F is actually written in the score as E#. Interestingly, in Schubert's own draft of this sonata he writes 'E# and B' in the right hand, and I think it's how it should be played.

[@giovannidedola1144]

Questa interpretazione veloce da più spessore. Lang Lang non ha inventato niente

[@WarinPartita6]

Too​ bad​ we​ don't​ know​ what​ the​ venue was.

[@johnpointon4462]

I believe it to have been Warsaw.

[@massimodefrancovich4795]

Perché non traducete dall’inglese?

[@philippajoy4300]

Note the improv at 9.14! ❤

[@pascalcs]

Yes. A little liberty taken with the original scores.

[@pianotuna52]

Or memory lapse? I got my first lessons in improv that way. It is a long piece.

[@erpollock]

Notice at a 1966 piano concert by Artur Rubenstein, all the women are in dresses and the men all in suits and ties. How civilized we once were!

[@Mike1614b]

now look at us. open borders will sink us forever

[@GasperBregar]

It’s not to late to return to this tradition - it never is. Just start with yourself.

[@michelrocker9044]

Du Arthur Rubinstein...:incontestable talent, ni excès ni "pathos" (il est vrai que Schubert n'aimait pas "qu'on en rajoute"), de la mesure en toute chose...bien,mais peut-être un peu trop (ce n'est QU'UN avis personnel ): je suis plus ému par plus de spontanéité, plus de chaleur, voire un "grain de folie"...Maria Yudina par exemple (pour n'en citer qu'un).