Rubinstein: Chopin

The Chopin Collection, performed by Artur Rubinstein, on the RCA Victor Gold Seal label ★★★
This is a historic collection, and thus contains much disturbing recording noise to it, though in many of the tracks, it tends to be less apparent. There are now a number of Chopin collections, including the Biret and Ashkenazy collections, both of which are superb. I also have other Chopin recordings by a potpourri of other performers, and the historic performer that is my favorite is Vladimir Horowitz. Artur Rubinstein (not related to Anton Rubinstein) was a Polish-American Jewish child prodigy, making his greatest claim in the interpretation of Chopin. His was a somewhat wanton life, living as a hedonist, though occasionally expressing moral approbation when his personal value system was affronted. While fighting “racism”, he arrogantly manifested himself as the greatest racist and intolerant to others, not of his own thinking. Like Richard Wagner, his own personal life and character tend to distract from the personal genius of the man. This is an inexpensive set worth having for historical reasons, though better recordings are now available.