Arthur Rubinstein’s pioneering Chopin Polonaise cycle from the 1930s may not be as disciplined or scrupulous to the text as his LP-era remakes, yet the pianist’s big-heartedness, rhythmic snap, and joie de vivre leap out and invite you in. Other 78-era artists like Solomon, Lhevinne, and Horowitz produced equally memorable (and cleaner) A-flat Polonaises, and Hofmann’s Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise remains supreme for scintillating lightness. But when Rubinstein launches into these works, it’s soul music! Unfortunately, Naxos’ transfers, though true to timbre, are processed to the point where certain notes sound as if they’re being sucked up by a vacuum cleaner. You don’t hear the diamond-edge projection and mellow overtones that define Rubinstein’s centered sonority. In other words, Naxos’ restorations are no match for those in RCA’s complete Rubinstein edition.
