“The new CD by Sonia Rubinsky has arrived and it is yet another piano masterclass. On the program, the fourth Mozart sonata, singing with the simplicity and naturalness of Backhaus; it is followed by Rachmaninov’s second sonata, which shows the musician using a stunning variety of colors, dynamics and sound layers without ever losing sight of her sense of the line. Then to Debussy, with the Children's Corner, of which the Brazilian pianist masters the alchemy of quick-witted irony and fanciful melancholy; a dash of 'mitteleuropa' nostalgia with Kreisler's shimmering Libesleid, followed by the icing on the cake: Horowitz's formidable Variations on a theme from Carmen, sovereignly created and articulated.
Like no one today.”
“Some compare her pianistic style to that of Eugene Istomin or Wilhelm Kempff, others praise her simple and calm Mozart “hat breathes and sings”, still others admire her “clear technique” her “elastic phrasing”, the “infinite delicacy” of her Estampes de Debussy, the “musical sophistication” of her Regards de Messiaen and the “powerful and almost iron touch” of her Villa-Lobos. The New York Times, which regularly reviews her appearances at Carnegie Hall, went so far as to speak of an “exceptional degree of power and precision."
“…Pianist Sonia Rubinsky has a phenomenal technique, an immeasurable color palette and an irrepressible temperament.. She reminds her colleague Martha Argerich.”
“With consistent accuracy… Unfailingly seductive with her distinctive elegance.”
"What a temperament !”
“Real talent, artistic sense, fine pianistic technique”
"Outstanding talent”
“…visceral impact and virtuoso excitement…. big performance…tireless nervous energy…. Unusual degree of power and accuracy…. Brilliant sonorities…. Splendid fiery energy…. capable of lyricism (...) terrific speed, joyous energy.”
“The pianist demonstrates quite remarkable vitality which does not prevent, when necessary, the finest nuances.”
“She is a profound and refined pianist, who does not concede anything to show off. Her Mozart is articulate, no less singing and clear than that of Perahia or Uchida. Her Scarlatti demonstrates imperial control of timbre. Like her compatriots, the late Guiomar Novaes and Nelson Freire..., she has this genius for color which makes her an ideal interpreter of Debussy and Messiaen. Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words by Rubinsky, equally poetic, dazzles with her ability to hold the line without wavering, to characterize each of the 48 Songs Without Words while remaining balanced in the challenging in-between of classicism and romanticism.”
“…immaculate brio…Rubinsky scores an unequivocal success…beguiling melody…delicious love duet…acrobatic flight…dark erotic undertows…”
“Sonia Rubinsky, top level pianist, (…) rigorous and passionate, has just published a CD with works by Mozart which stands out (…) as the most beautiful of the year 2021.”
“The Brazilian pianist Sonia Rubinsky, already noticed in a complete Villa-Lobos (Naxos), demonstrates authority and shines brightly…. shimmering colors… spectacular, almost cinematographic effects.”
“…outstanding… fluent and sympathetic interpreter of music which encompasses the widest range of material and exotica…. Warmly affectionate…. Magically so…”
“Sonia Rubinsky brilliantly captures music of an exotic clime.”
“Through a clear and rigorously articulated approach, through the science of rhythm and timbre deployed, this complete recording gives Villa-Lobos the freshness of his lyricism. Vigorous and subtle, danceable and melancholic, Sonia Rubinsky’s Villa-Lobos is a reference.”
“Rubinsky strikes me as a thoughtful pianist… her rubato is free and sensitive…”
“Sonia Rubinsky approaches each page, even the most anecdotal, with the aim of showing its singular interest or charm. The often brilliant sound is an asset in clarifying acoustic perspectives (sometimes a very difficult task), and allows, sometimes not without reason, to nuance certain stylistic “positions”… the new complete recording constitutes a monument whose importance must be saluted.”
“…warmth and clarity… robust treatment….sinew clarity and seeming ease of pianism…”
“…sumptuous, limpidly molded account of Mozart’s popular Piano Concerto No. 21 in C, with Sonia Rubinsky as the expressive soloist.”
“…Sonia Rubinsky is a player of much talent and great sensitivity. Her playing is simply superb….be it in … nostalgia or sheer extrovert inspired virtuosity. Rubinsky projects a sense of grandeur of architecture that lasts 4’33…. Gripping listening.”
“…This exceptional pianist with a Polish sounding name and recording in Canada is nonetheless a Brazilian, born in Campinas, and was a true prodigy giving her first recital at six years old and appearing with orchestra at twelve… She has the perfect touch and style…”
“A Mozart that breathes and sings.”
“… she plays with spirit and affection…”
“…The pianist’s lyrical temperament taps into the heart and soul of the composer’s fecund melodicism…. Caressing, curvaceous rendition…playful vigor…”
“…A nice, original idea that can hardly be disputed even by purists - nothing more, but nothing less either. What makes the recording really worth listening to is Rubinsky's interpretation… She plays a Bach that immediately wins you over with its excellently balanced melody, slender transparency and a style that is rhythmically unmistakably personal, but at the same time appears to be 'historically informed' without being affected by fashionable excitement or exaggeration: calm, fulfilled and chamber music-like intimate, lasting listening benefit to Bach at the piano.”
“On record, few Brazilian pianists show a versatility comparable to that of Sonia Rubinsky, born in Campinas. (...) our pianists seem a little intimidated to put their Bach readings back on the microphone. After the titanic effort of João Carlos Martins and the refined albums of Jean Louis Steuerman, only Nelson Freire's recent and isolated album for Decca has entered my radar. And now, fortunately, Sonia Rubinsky, after the "Brazilian Bach" Villa-Lobos, has decided to devote herself to the German Baroque master, with an album that makes us listen to Bach like we never did. Rubinsky's pianism is neither eccentric nor boring with rigour: it shows sobriety and good taste, bringing all the refinement that our ears of the 21st century require from the interpretation of 18th century music.What is also original and unheard of is the concept of the album. (Editor's note: Suite reinvented by the pianist). The pianist was meticulous in choosing the order of the pieces, building an arc that seeks to respect the tonal relationship between the parts and present the variety of Bach's writing, in its French, Italian and German aspects - a postmodern collage that renews the legacy of Bach by presenting it in an innovative way, but scrupulously respecting the musical text. The good news is that the series will have two other volumes that will be released in October: Magna Sequentia II, with various dance pieces, and Magna Sequentia III (Editor's note: published only as a playlist by Naxos), including chorales, excerpts from the Well-Tempered Clavier and even a transcription of Rubinsky herself. I can't wait to hear them!”
“…mixture of heady languor, delicate poise and exquisite finesse.”
“By turns complex and carrying in its orchestral sounds, the work is a powerful evocation of the strength and mystery of the rising sun. Well matched with the excellent OFMG, Sonia Rubinsky’s lively performance is rich in contrasts: she finds tremendous clarity in the fragments of melody that sparkle in the upper parts of the keyboard and bring ferocious energy to the work’s driving rhythms and thunderous cluster chords”.
“…brilliant and full of temperament…. Exceptional interpretation…”
“…Rubinsky’s playing is deeply impressive.”
“[Rubinsky] controls the undulating chordal syncopations with a left hand propelled by an imaginary, rock-steady rhythm section, and never lets the pungent dissonances overshadow the melodies. Rubinsky is both on top and inside of the Brazilian composer’s idiom…. Vivid playing… A sensational CD.”
“…She is incredibly versatile, and I know her to be stylistically more aware than any other pianist I know.”
“Brilliantly gifted pianist”
“She will go far !”
“…Pianist Sonia Rubinsky played with exuberance and intense power…. She was ablaze with passion and fire…”
“One of the most brilliant musicians and excellent pianist of her generation."
“…best Villa-Lobos piano cycle…”
“At last, a replacement for Roberto Szidon’s long-deleted recording of Cirandas ! Brazilian pianist plays with stylistic insight and gorgeous piano tone…”
“…fascinating…lovely…daring…Her technical skills were quite apparent…”
“The plasticity and polychromy of sound are maybe the most evident characteristics of touch, at times even fantastic, of the Brazilian pianist Sonia Rubinsky. Sensibility….technique…all those are possessed in an admirable way…”
“Sonia Rubinsky is today an accomplished and internationally recognized talent…Unquestionable vigor of artistic talent…readings full of maturity and musical intelligence…. Versatility of ‘toucher’: evanescent, or percussive, luminously metallic…”
“(...) the finest performance of Mozart this orchestra has ever played…. Rubinsky’s tone is crystalline, her marksmanship unerring. She phrases freely and ornaments tastefully…. She earns her place among the piano masters of Mozart (Perahia, Uchida and Brendel among others) because she knows how to differentiate Mozart’s consonants from his vowels - playing rhythmically with a percussive edge and lyrically with a fluidity that makes the listener forget the piano makes sounds when hammers strike strings.”
“Pianist Sonia Rubinsky interprets the works with absolute freshness and conviction.”
“I think she will be remembered as one of the great interpreters of the Napolitan composer [Scarlatti]…she breathes the first half of the 18th century(...)“
“(…) utterly transfix[ed] a crowd…Sonia Rubinsky had them [listeners] engrossed, as few performers of any music can accomplish with any crowd. Rubinsky, a formidable artist.”
“…exceptional technical demands placed on the performer…. Immense challenges requiring reserves of colouristic skill and imagination, both of which Rubinsky more than amply possesses.”
“…balanced color, refined sound, rhythmic vigor, lyricism and poetry..."
“(…) Sonia Rubinsky performed a brilliant version of Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto. She has everything to win. She gave a recital with substance and authority. Her performance was admirable.”
“A true virtuoso of the keyboard, a refined technique and an interpretation which profoundly moved us.”
“She is not a mere performer but an interpreter who knows how to achieve a pure sound, uncontaminated by emotionalism or sentimental whims, she possesses her own style... a virtuoso pianist, an expressive artist.”
“Sonia Rubinsky really has great technique and this was evident in the difficult repertoire she chose…She breaks down the most difficult passages in the scores with that confidence that only her penchant for instrumental mastery and daily hard work seem to justify.”
“Great artistic dignity…With clear technique and elastic phrasing, she displayed a musicality that goes beyond the mere linear meaning of the text, delving deeper into the author's message. Her great solos were performed with meticulous sound refinement, always valuing the internal voices of the melody...technical finishing and refinement in the construction of the themes marked the pianist's expressive performance…”
“…between Dionysian feeling and Apollonian reflection…. A rare thing in music, Sonia Rubinsky avoids cheap eclecticism and combines intentions in an album with a beginning, middle and end. Like storms.”
“Nimble figures keep the mercurial passages both rhythmically tight and crisp, and she shapes each dance with affection…to bring a mood of exhilaration to the close.”
“Rubinsky can take things at a somewhat rapid clip like Gould sometimes did, and then we are wow-ed by some dexterous feats of velocity but like Gould, always with musicality, never in some kind of obvious horse-race of fingers…All this matters because in the end the pleasure of hearing the sequence unfold as it does relates to what Ms. Rubinsky has considered in working out the selection and order of the CD. So all that makes perfect and happy sense. The fine pianism itself in the end brings the rest of the experience together for us and puts us in a mood of satisfaction, fulfillment, Bach bliss if you are anything like me. This is the Bach Suite connection you might crave.”
“…extremely tasteful ornamentations…. Rubinsky presents a lively, expressive, pulsating Bach…. She combines originality with a musically convincing performance.”
“…it is satisfying to observe her versatility in the repertoire, her ability to command influences and inflect with opposite colour and gravity…. she evokes texture so well… colour of the Coral is so winning…. nobility… her control of tempo is of particular merit… Full of spice and colour…”
“Sonia Rubinsky is a pianist with a completely solid technique, and a keen sense of expression, grace, humour and drama. There are many technical demands made of the pianist in this music, and regardless of the work, be it the simple children’s pieces Brinquedo de Roda to the formidable virtuosity of the Ciclo Brasileiro, whose opening movement ostinato must be a wrist killer, Ms. Rubinsky meets every demand with ease and panache.”
“…Rubinsky identified herself ideally with the poetic, expressive and sublime content of this masterpiece. Connecting the phrases beautifully and with great care, the rigorous and demanding young pianist created moments of ecstasy the likes of which we have not heard since Guiomar Novaes, Fritz Jank, Eugene Istomin, Wilhelm Kempff…. She will become a glory of Brazilian pianistic art.”
“…infinite tenderness…great musical sophistication…almost iron touch…”
“…[Rubinsky] reveals herself in full command of her talents, that are not few… She has a perfect technique which is demanded nowadays of any pianist who wants to be respected. She approaches the instrument taking as a model her male colleagues (Nelson Freire and Arnaldo Cohen) and not her celebrated forerunners — Clara Haskil and Guimar Novaes. Therefore, her muscular strength is surprising…. Rubinsky knows how to show subtlety and refined mysticism…”
“Brazilian pianist Sonia Rubinsky was the soloist of Mozart's concerto in D minor. The outer movements were muscular yet thoughtful, mixing brilliance with depth and steel precision in warmth of tone. The central Romance sang sweetly, Rubinsky’s melody spinning effortlessly without fuss of pathos above the pillowy throb of the SSO strings, which nodded at appropriate points in gentle couplets of tender approval.”
“…intelligence… without monotony, without dynamic exaggerations or hammering… awareness and talent… The way she manages to convey [the music] is admirable…”
“…And a page of high virtuosity, percussive, muscular virtuosity, which the talented Sonia Rubinsky tackles with bravado, the same bravado with which she dominates the last piece of the cycle without any relenting.... In addition to her virtuosity, Sonia Rubinsky demonstrates her ability to modulate her touch well in the short and delicate pieces…Sonia Rubinsky’s interpretation is impeccable and fascinating.”
“Strength of technique”