Clement Lo wrote:

>I bought a recording of the Brahms 1st Piano Concerto with Rubinstein
>(Mehta and the Israel Phil) and found in the program notes that Rubinstein
>had written in his autobiography that this recording was his best attempt
>(compared to the 1954 with Reiner and 1964 with Lensdorf).  I found it
>a great musical experience but technically there were plenty of holes in
>it.  I know the Brahms is one of the most difficult concertos, one of the
>longest, and for a man of 89 recording this monster is really incredible.
>Could someone tell me if the 1954 or 1964 recordings are better musically
>than the last one?

Better musically...well...I will only say that I prefer the Reiner
collaboration for, to my ears, it is a bit less romantic in conception.
I do not know the Leinsdorf.  However, his Leinsdorf collaborations were
generally quite good.  One of my favorites is an unissued broadcast of the
Paganini Rhapsody from a Pension Fund Concert back in about 64.  Certainly
there were one or two wrong notes, but the playing and expression are
magnificent.

Karl