I'm listening to the 10 different recordings I have of these pieces and I keep coming back to Rubinstein and the subtle magic he weaves. I don't know why these pieces hold such a spell over me, but I love them.
Actually, now that I've thought about it for a bit, I believe it's because they are so non-directive in their emotive approach. They don't tell you what to feel, moment by moment. Rather, they are ambiguous, and a bit mysterious, for all their surface charm. You hear them and you are not sure how you feel about what you just heard. I LOVE that.