Arthur Rubinstein recorded the integral Chopin mazurkas three times: once in stereo, once in the mono LP era, and another time for the pioneering 1938/39 EMI 78s reissued here. Pressed to choose just one set, I lean toward the early recordings. They’re more vividly characterized than the remakes, and they blossom with shapely spontaneity. Here and there you’ll hear teensy misreadings and finger slips, but there’s nothing casual about Rubinstein’s artistry, nor in his deep affinity for these extraordinarily varied compositions. His infectious melodic thrust complements Ignaz Friedman’s bouncing ferocity, Horowitz’s unsettled lyricism, and Moriz Rosenthal’s wistful mastery, among the 78 era’s Chopin Mazurka heroes.
Naxos’ transfers sound like pristine copies of the original 78s with most of the surface noise and high frequency sonic information expunged. RCA’s Rubinstein edition transfers are noisier yet fuller of body, richer in detail, and truer in timbre. What’s more, RCA fills out the second disc with equally terrific transfers of Rubinstein’s thrilling 1932 Chopin Scherzos. True, you save money with Naxos, but RCA’s superior sound and extra music adds up to the real bargain.
