CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Grieg, Chopin & Saint Saens Piano Concertos / Previn, Rubinstein, London Symphony Orchestra

starring: Artur Rubinstein, London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn

Release Date September 12, 2006
There's not much to add to what others have said about this DVD -- it's superb.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

The Art of Piano - Great Pianists of 20th Century

starring: Artur Rubinstein
directed by: Vladimir Horowitz

Release Date August 27, 2002
Great players playing and interesting commentary regarding what makes a great player. Daniel Barenboim provides some particularly cogent commentary. Rudolph Serkin was not profiled, but otherwise a complete survey of the big 20th Century pianists. Worth the time.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Arthur Rubinstein Plays Chopin and Rachmaninov

starring: Arthur Rubinstein, Artur Rubinstein

Release Date May 25, 2004
What you'll get here: 25 minutes of solo Chopin performances given in a
living room set, a 20 minute medley of different sections of the Rachmaninoff
Rhapsody as performed on live TV, and a second performance of the A
flat polonaise from live TV. Most of the Rachmaninoff is there, so
it's not as bad as you think. The sound quality is much like 1940's
radio.

This DVD captures what a piece of work Arthur Rubinstein was,
charismatic, always stoic, and always at full throttle. If he sat on
the keyboard and said, "That's how Mozart is played" you'd believe it.
In mannerism he comes across like the Jesse Jackson of classical music,
not good to get between him and a camera lens.
... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Artur Rubinstein

starring: Jascha Heifetz, Gregor Piatigorsky, Artur Rubinstein

Release Date August 30, 2005
After reading the 5 Star review on this DVD I purchased it hoping that if it even came close to this recommendation I would be overjoyed. Anyone if even faintly familier with classical piano has heard of Rubinstein who is certainly considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. Unfortunately he is not one of the great actors of the 20th century and this staged production done,I'm guessing for TV or the schoolroom,is truly pathetic. The film is dark and grainey and the fidelity is awful.

I know this was made in 1953 so what should I expect? Better than this.

There are some wonderful classical performances on DVD with supberb audio and video so maybe I'm spoiled. If your looking for a great recording of Rubinstein buy ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Carnegie Hall

starring: Jan Peerce, Lily Pons, Jascha Heifetz, Bruno Walter, Marsha Hunt

Release Date November 08, 2005
Edgar Ulmer was the king of B-movie directors, and this one was definitely one of his best. The story, for those who don't know it, is about a lady named Nora (played by the brilliant and versatile Marsha Hunt) and her son Tony. Tony's father dies when he's an infant and Nora raises Tony to be a distinguished pianist. Tony chooses another musical path - that of more popular music, much to Nora's disdain. Nora, meanwhile, has developed a society at Carnegie Hall for promising young musicians to study classical music. Tony goes on the road but comes back to Carnegie Hall for a concert, and wins back his mother's approval. Marsha Hunt is my colleague - and at the time I'm writing this, she's 90 years old and still going very strong. She agrees that the story ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Carnegie Hall

starring: Marsha Hunt, William Prince, Frank McHugh, Martha O'Driscoll, Hans Jaray
directed by: Edgar G. Ulmer

Release Date August 14, 2001
Edgar Ulmer was the king of B-movie directors, and this one was definitely one of his best. The story, for those who don't know it, is about a lady named Nora (played by the brilliant and versatile Marsha Hunt) and her son Tony. Tony's father dies when he's an infant and Nora raises Tony to be a distinguished pianist. Tony chooses another musical path - that of more popular music, much to Nora's disdain. Nora, meanwhile, has developed a society at Carnegie Hall for promising young musicians to study classical music. Tony goes on the road but comes back to Carnegie Hall for a concert, and wins back his mother's approval. Marsha Hunt is my colleague - and at the time I'm writing this, she's 90 years old and still going very strong. She agrees that the story ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 & Mendelssohn Violin Concerto & Walton Cello Concerto / Rubinstein, Heifetz, Piatigorsky (EMI Classic Archive 4)

starring: Jascha Heifetz, Artur Rubinstein, Gregor Piatigorsky

Release Date May 06, 2003
This is one amazing DVD. I loved every minute of it. The only thing I regret is that there wasn't any footage of the short-lived R-H-P trio playing (although the Rubinstein Kultur DVD does...but I think this is the only other one; Rubinstein and Heifetz never saw eye-to-eye and did not speak after about 1955). Heifetz's portion of this DVD is unjustly brief, great though it is. I've heard the Bell Telephone Hour recordings for years and never knew they were filmed (I didn't grow up during that time, so never saw them live either.) Kinda wish the whole Mendelssohn had been included, not just Mvt. 1. The Debussy "Flaxen Hair" is great - I doubt it's been played with orchestra since this recording - but eegads, the flaxen-haired girl shown superimposed is fake-brushing ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Rubinstein Remembered (With Audio CD)

starring: Arthur Rubinstein, Artur Rubinstein
directed by: Artur Rubinstein

Release Date March 09, 2004
This DVD could very well have been named, "Artur Rubinstein Remembered, John Rubinstein Featured." Whew! I note one reviewer simply cut to the chase and stated the obvious, to wit, "John, please shut-up!" Clearly, it could be argued, I suppose, that the son was merely highlighting the father but when John does his Polish orchestra conducting debut and the only reference to the father is a bronze bust of the man, well, certainly there existed more footage of Artur Rubinstein available in literally miles of film where Artur could have provided more commentary then that which was included in the DVD. BTW, it is "Artur", not "Arthur" but never 'Art' or 'Arty' which would be akin to referring to St. John the Baptist as 'Jack.'

The consensus seems to be a call for more of ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Producers' Showcase - Festival of Music, Vol. 1

starring: Renata Tebaldi, Jussi Bjorling, Leonard Warren, Roberta Peters, Rise Stevens

Release Date September 30, 2003
Both volumes of Producer's Showcase are well worth having. The performances, almost without exception, are the sort which artists can give when their esteemed colleagues are standing in the wings and the cameras are running. To think that these artists performed on prime time network television, presumably to a large and interested public--I would wish for the like today, or any day.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Carnegie Hall

starring: Marsha Hunt, William Prince, Frank McHugh, Martha O'Driscoll, Hans Jaray
directed by: Edgar G. Ulmer

Release Date February 29, 2000
Edgar Ulmer was the king of B-movie directors, and this one was definitely one of his best. The story, for those who don't know it, is about a lady named Nora (played by the brilliant and versatile Marsha Hunt) and her son Tony. Tony's father dies when he's an infant and Nora raises Tony to be a distinguished pianist. Tony chooses another musical path - that of more popular music, much to Nora's disdain. Nora, meanwhile, has developed a society at Carnegie Hall for promising young musicians to study classical music. Tony goes on the road but comes back to Carnegie Hall for a concert, and wins back his mother's approval. Marsha Hunt is my colleague - and at the time I'm writing this, she's 90 years old and still going very strong. She agrees that the story was quite corny but ... Read More: