Arthur Rubinstein (1887–1982) was one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century. After brief studies with Paderewski in Switzerland in 1903, Rubinstein moved to Paris, where he met Ravel and Dukas, and played Saint-Saëns’s G minor Concerto to the composer’s approval. He made his debuts in the USA in 1906 and London in 1912. He was a superb performer of Chopin and his 1960s recordings of nearly all Chopin’s solo piano music have been considered essential to any record collection since their release.

He was also a formidable interpreter of Spanish music.

Rubinstein became a naturalised American citizen in 1946, but he maintained residences in California, New York, Paris and Geneva. After the Second World War, he refused to perform in Germany, in response to the Nazi extermination of his Polish family. Rubinstein became a strong supporter of Israel with an international piano competition named after him in 1974. His honours included the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society of London, the US Medal of Freedom (1976), and membership of the French Legion of Honour.

This is a rare live recording of Rubinstein made by the BBC in 1963. It has only recently been discovered in the National Sound Archives.

It has never been issued before in any format.

The recital contains repertoire by composers that were closely associated with the pianist: Chopin, Ravel and Beethoven. Rubinstein’s temperament had sufficient fire for Beethoven but enough poetry for Chopin; his tempos and dynamics were always flexible, but never distorted.

Rubinstein’s recording of Brahms’s Piano Concerto No.2 on ICA Classics (ICAC5003) was a Gramophone ‘Editor’s Choice’, with Rubinstein’s playing praised for its ‘legendary charisma and indelible individuality’.