Arthur Rubinstein plays Scriabin “Nocturne for the Left Hand”

Arthur Rubinstein
Scriabin “Prélude et Nocturne” Op.9 No.2
“Nocturne for the Left Hand”

#Rubinstein
#Scriabin
#Left

[Bampaloudu]

Absolument incroyable. Une partie à la main droite serait de trop. Tout est condensé dans la seule main gauche. Une sublime interprétation de Arthur Rubinstein.

[Ryzalis]

A sublime interpretation! I'm currently learning this piece while my right hand is out of commission, and I love this performance, so I'm studying it closely. It's interesting to me that Rubinstein here takes quite a few artistic liberties with the score. Here are some I've noticed:

• At the end of measure 3 (0:16), Rubinstein plays the final C with the chord in the treble staff (replacing the Bbb) and instead adds an extra Db before the chord that begins measure 4.

• In measure 4 (0:18), instead of Db2-Db3-Bbb3-Db4-Gb4 in the bass staff, Rubinstein plays Db2-Db3-Gb3-Bbb3-Db4.

• In measures 6 (0:26) and 14 (1:02), instead of F-G-A-A(tied)-C in the treble staff, Rubinstein plays F-G-Ab-A-C.

• At the end of measure 9 (0:45), Rubinstein plays the final Ab2 an octave higher.

• In measure 11 (0:50), for the octaves in the bass staff, Rubinstein repeats the Bbb instead of the Gb (Gb-Ab-Bbb-Bbb-C-Db instead of Gb-Gb-Ab-Bbb-C-Db).

(the previous changes are also present in the repeated parts in measures 28-38)

• I can't make out exactly what Rubinstein does in measures 18 (1:22), 20 (1:30), and 22 (1:36), but it sounds to me like he doesn't play all four notes of the ascending 8ths; I want to say he plays the bottom two notes together as an octave and skips the third, but I'm not 100% sure.

• A big one: in measures 25-26 (1:51), Rubinstein changes things significantly (playing the broken chord with the second Fb instead of the first, adding accompanying chords to the Ebs).

• In measure 27 (2:13), in the fioritura, Rubinstein skips the final Gb-Ab-A-Bb-F.

• *Okay, here's a really big one:* in measure 27 (2:21), Rubinstein plays the top note of the second trill flat (Bbb instead of Bb). I think it's an interesting choice; it definitely changes the feel of the music significantly. It sounds a bit more like Chopin!

• In measure 44 (3:49), Rubinstein plays the final interval an octave lower.

• In measure 47 (3:59), Rubinstein changes the last four notes into ascending 8ths, matching measures 45, 46, etc.

• In measure 48 (4:03), Rubinstein skips the final interval (it looks to me like he intends to hit the note here but changes his mind? this one could just be a mistake)

• In measure 53 (4:33), Rubinstein skips the final trill before the repeated ascending notes.

I've listened to two other recordings of Rubinstein playing this piece, and he makes all of the same choices as he does here, so I'm pretty sure these are considered decisions on his part and not one-off improvisations. As far as I'm aware, Rubinstein isn't known to be an interpreter who typically deviates from the score in this way, so I wish I could learn his reasoning and thought process behind these changes!

[Aleksandr_Skrjabin]

Im learning this piece, and its really fun to play. Difficult, but ill get there im almost finished. (Day 2)

[yhkalk]

Superbe.
A la fin de la mesure 27 le trille n'est pas Lab et Sib ?
Il joue Lab Sibb. J'ai un doute maintenant

[charlesfoster]

Beautifully executed by a master pianist.

[mikenichols]

Here he shows why he is a master at not only technique, but style and emotion. It's very unnatural to play with only the left hand and your mind tells you that you are forgetting something. Rubinstein shows that he can really do anything and not only play the strings of the piano, but tug on your own heartstrings.

[andream.]

I didn’t know he played this! Wonderful interpretation, challenging the amazing one by Alexis Weissenberg!

[dwacheopus]

Sounds wonderful. I'd like to try that!

[marciaraid]

Obrigada! Esta interpretação eleva o nosso espírito aos céus!!!👏👏👏

[noahwood]

Okay...he grows on you fast. I didn't get it as music at first but now that I see it being played. It makes a ton more sense.

[mahler]

I could not play this with even two hands!

[jacoboalvarez]

Esta canción y está interpretación son simplemente increíbles

[omarino]

can’t believe this only has 6000 views

[samh]

This great pianist, sadly, screwed up the most important passage of the climax at 1:47 by missing some notes and playing notes that weren’t written in the score. Some bits of this piece were played too slowly. Or else, this would have possibly been the perfect interpretation of this masterpiece.

[michelangelomulieri]

Too romantic. I rather go for Weissenberg