The celebrated Polish pianist broadly signs and inscribes his recital program in French to a Monsieur Lautier. Rubinstein characteristically undertook a formidable group of works by Franck, Schumann, Milhaud, Symanowski, Chopin, and Liszt.

Rubinstein's musicality was the stuff of legend: he could play most of his vast repertoire from memory, recall entire symphonies at the keyboard, and even learn works without the benefit of a piano. In his memoirs, he recalled learning Franck's Symphonic Variations on a train, simply by practicing the solo piano part in his lap.

Rubinstein withdrew from public performance in 1934, stating that he had relied on his natural talent at the expense of his technique for too long, and entered into a three-year period of intense technical study. He reemerged in 1937 with a tour of the United States and remained an active performer thereafter. This recital dates to after that important practice period and includes three works by Chopin, the composer for whom Rubinstein was best known.