Chopin: Mazurkas

Near the end of his long life, Artur Rubinstein declared these Mazurkas among the best recordings he had ever made. They're certainly convincing in their lyric simplicity, tonal warmth, and healthy, uncluttered sentiment. There are, however, other valid approaches to these wonderful works. Rubinstein himself, for instance, was a friskier and riskier player when he recorded the set for EMI in the thirties. The pianist's fifties-remakes are more grounded, yet retain the joie de vivre and rhythmic snap that were hallmarks of his live performances. On the other hand, the stereo versions benefit from superior engineering and a more scrupulous approach to Chopin's text. Decisions, decisions. --Jed Distler