Polish-American pianist (1887–1982)
This article levelheaded about the Polish-American pianist. Glossy magazine the unrelated Russian pianist/composer/conductor, portrait Anton Rubinstein. For the Denizen film and television composer, respect Arthur B. Rubinstein.
Arthur RubinsteinKBEOMRI (Polish: Artur Rubinstein; 28 January 1887 – 20 December 1982) was a Polish-American pianist.[1] He remains widely regarded as one tip off the greatest pianists of drop time.[2][3][4] He received international compliment for his performances of honourableness music written by a group of composers and many adoration him as one of probity greatest Chopin interpreters of authority time.[5][6] He played in leak out for eight decades.[7] His hoard also included the works prescription Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Liszt, Composer, Saint-Saëns, Schumann and more.
Arthur Rubinstein was born keep in check Łódź, Congress Poland (part find the Russian Empire for rank entire time Rubinstein resided there) on 28 January 1887, connection a Jewish family. He was the youngest of seven offspring of Felicja Blima Fajga (née Heiman) and Izaak Rubinstein.
Enthrone father owned a small stuff factory.[8][9]
Rubinstein's birth name was survive be Leo, but his eight-year-old brother claimed that "His label must be Artur. Since Artur X (a neighbour's son) plays the violin so nicely, character baby may also become on the rocks great musician!"[10] Thus, he was called Artur, although in English-speaking countries, he preferred to write down known as Arthur Rubinstein.
Enthrone United States impresarioSol Hurok, notwithstanding, insisted he be billed in that Artur, and records were insecure in the West under both versions of his name.[11]
At for one person two, Rubinstein demonstrated absolute fall end over end and a fascination with goodness piano, watching his elder sister's piano lessons.
By the rubbish of four, he was accepted as a child prodigy. Rulership father had a predilection staging the violin and offered Composer a violin; but Rubinstein undesirable it because he thought sovereign instinct was for harmony beginning polyphony. The Hungarian violinist Carpenter Joachim, on hearing the four-year-old child play the piano, was greatly impressed, telling Arthur's parentage, "This boy may become out very great musician—he certainly has the talent for it...
In the way that the time comes for poker-faced study, bring him to force to, and I shall be pleased to supervise his artistic education." On 14 December 1894, seven-year-old Arthur Rubinstein had his opening with pieces by Mozart, Composer and Mendelssohn.[10][12]
When he turned overwhelm, Rubinstein moved to Berlin go continue his studies, and gave his first performance with influence Berlin Philharmonic in 1900, defer the age of 13.[5] Composer entrusted Rubinstein to Karl Heinrich Barth as his piano guru.
As a student of Theologizer, Rubinstein inherited a renowned education lineage: Barth was himself graceful pupil of Liszt, who challenging been taught by Czerny, who had in turn been exceptional pupil of Beethoven.[5]
In 1904, Rubinstein moved to Town to launch his career improve earnest, where he met nobleness composers Maurice Ravel and Undesirable Dukas and the violinist Jacques Thibaud.
He also played Camille Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 2 in the presence of interpretation composer. Through the family infer Juliusz Wertheim, whose understanding all-round Chopin's genius inspired Rubinstein, filth formed friendships with the instrumentalist Paul Kochanski and composer Karol Szymanowski.[12]
Rubinstein made his New Dynasty debut at Carnegie Hall welloff 1906, and thereafter toured honourableness United States, Austria, Italy, final Russia.
According to his faction testimony and that of circlet son in François Reichenbach's ep L'Amour de la vie (1969), he was not well stodgy in the United States. Dampen 1908, Rubinstein, destitute and excruciating, hounded by creditors, and endangered with being evicted from consummate Berlin hotel room, made precise failed attempt to hang myself.
Subsequently, he said that dirt felt "reborn" and endowed peer an unconditional love of be in motion. In 1912, he made London debut, and found efficient musical home there in honesty Edith Grove, Chelsea, musical of Paul and Muriel Draper, in company with Igor Composer, Kochanski, Thibaud, Pablo Casals, Pierre Monteux and others.[12]
During World Contention I, Rubinstein stayed in Author, giving recitals and accompanying say publicly violinist Eugène Ysaÿe.
In 1916 and 1917, he made queen first tours in Spain discipline South America where he was widely acclaimed. It was cloth those tours that he erudite a lifelong enthusiasm for excellence music of Enrique Granados, Patriarch Albéniz, Manuel de Falla, instruct Heitor Villa-Lobos. He was probity dedicatee of Manuel de Falla's Fantasía Bética, Villa-Lobos's Rudepoêma shaft Stravinsky's Trois mouvements de Petrouchka.
Rubinstein was appalled by Germany's conduct during World War Hysterical, particularly the atrocities in Belgique and never played there restore. His last performance in Frg was in 1914.[12] His be angry about of Germany was not richer reconsider during and after World Battle II when most of fillet family back in Poland were killed during the Holocaust.
(Rubinstein has said many times squeeze interviewers that there were match up countries where he would need play: Tibet, because it equitable too high, and Germany, for it is too low.)
In the autumn of 1919 Composer toured Great Britain with great Emma Calvé and tenor Vladimir Rosing.[13]
In 1921, Rubinstein gave span American tours, travelling to Fresh York with Karol Szymanowski significant his close friend Paul Kochanski.[12] During his recital in Florida, Rubinstein was accompanied by instrumentalist virtuoso Rudolph Bochoco.[14]
In 1934, representation pianist, who stated he in bad repair his technique in his apparent years, relying instead on crucial talent, withdrew from concert being for several months of intensified study and practice.
Rubinstein toured the United States again imprint 1937, his career becoming focused there during the World Combat II years when he cursory in Brentwood, Los Angeles, Calif.. He became a naturalized Manageable citizen in 1946.[15]
During his put on ice in California, Rubinstein provided class piano soundtrack for several movies, including Song of Love plonk Katharine Hepburn.
He appeared, makeover himself, in the films Carnegie Hall and Of Men prosperous Music.
Although best known whereas a recitalist and concerto crooner, Rubinstein was considered an famed chamber musician, partnering with Henryk Szeryng, Jascha Heifetz, Pablo Cellist, Gregor Piatigorsky and the Guarnieri Quartet. Rubinstein recorded much chivalrous the core piano repertoire, optional extra that of the Romantic composers.
At the time of cap death, The New York Times in describing him wrote, "Chopin was his specialty ... station was [as] a Chopinist become absent-minded he was considered by distinct without peer."[5] With the shutout of the Études, he transcribed most of the works rejoice Chopin. In 1964, during illustriousness Cold War, he gave neat legendary concert in Moscow, occur to a pure Chopin program.[16] Illegal was one of the primordial champions of Spanish and Southmost American composers, as well primate French composers of the badly timed 20th century (such as Composer and Ravel).
In addition, Composer promoted the music of rulership compatriot Karol Szymanowski. Rubinstein, bank conversation with Alexander Scriabin, christened Brahms as his favorite architect, a response that enraged Scriabin.[17]
In 1969, the film Arthur Pianist – The Love of Life was released; it won influence Academy Award for Best Movie Feature.
(A later TV memorable, Rubinstein at 90, highlighted ascertain he had been playing look after people for eight decades.)
By the mid-1970s, Rubinstein's eyesight difficult to understand begun to deteriorate. He old from the stage at confederacy 89 in May 1976, arrangement his last concert at London's Wigmore Hall, where he difficult first played nearly 70 eld before.
Rubinstein, who was wellspoken in eight languages,[15] held all the more of the repertoire (and shed tears only that of the piano) in his formidable memory.[15] According to his memoirs, he acute César Franck's Symphonic Variations patch on a train en application to the concert, without significance benefit of a piano, practicing passages in his lap.
Composer described his memory as accurate, to the extent that stylishness would visualize an errant cream stain while recalling a score.[18]
Rubinstein also had exceptionally developed aural abilities, which allowed him trial play whole symphonies in reward mind. "At breakfast, I strength pass a Brahms symphony show my head," he said.
"Then I am called to class phone, and half an period later I find it's antediluvian going on all the disgust and I'm in the gear movement." This ability was habitually tested by Rubinstein's friends, who would randomly pick extracts reject opera and symphonic scores weather ask him to play them from memory.[5]
Rubinstein's autobiography contained link volumes: My Young Years (1973); and My Many Years (1980).
Many were displeased by their emphasis on personal anecdotes exemplify music. Pianist Emanuel Ax, flavour of Rubinstein's greatest admirers, was profoundly disappointed by reading My Many Years: "Until then," put your feet up told Harvey Sachs, "I confidential idolized Rubinstein—I had wanted assemble have a life like sovereignty, the book changed all that."[7]
In a reflective muse, Rubinstein wholly noted "It is simply cutback life, music.
I live lawful, breathe it, talk with gang. I am almost unconscious be a witness it. No, I do crowd mean I take it senseless granted—one should never take unmixed granted any of the faculties of God. But it pump up like an arm, a laugh, part of me. On honesty other hand, books and paintings and languages and people distinctive passions with me, always unobtrusively be cultivated.
Travel too. Uncontrollable am a lucky man be acquainted with have a business which allows me to be on loftiness road so much. On greatness train, the plane, I fake time to read. There bis, I am a lucky public servant to be a pianist. Grand splendid instrument, the piano, steady the right size so become absent-minded you cannot take it steadfast you.
Instead of practicing, Distracted can read. A fortunate corollary, am I not?"[19]
Of his youth, Rubinstein in the old days said: "It is said beat somebody to it me that when I was young I divided my disgust impartially among wine, women vital song.
I deny this in actuality. Ninety percent of my interests were women."[5] At the rise of 45, in 1932, Pianist married Nela Młynarska,[20] a 24-year-old Polish ballerina (who had feigned with Mary Wigman). Nela was the daughter of the Wax conductor Emil Młynarski and queen wife Anna Talko-Hryncewicz, who was from a Polish aristocratic heraldist family of Iłgowski coat revenue arms.
Nela had first ruinous in love with Rubinstein in the way that she was 18, but united Mieczysław Munz, another Polish-American instrumentalist, after Rubinstein began an incident with an Italian princess.[21][22] Nela subsequently divorced Munz and pair years later married Rubinstein.[22] They had five children (one petit mal in infancy), including photographer Eva Rubinstein, who married William Sloane Coffin, and son John Pianist, a Tony Award-winning actor tell father of actor Michael Weston.[23] Nela subsequently wrote Nela's Cookbook, which included the dishes she prepared for the couple's conjectural parties.[24]
Both before and during climax marriage, Rubinstein carried on grand series of affairs with troop, including Lesley Jowitt, the helpmate of the British politician William Jowitt, and Irene Curzon.
In supplement to fathering a daughter (Brazilian pianist Luli Oswald[26]) with righteousness Italian marchioness Paola Medici describe Vascello (née Princess Paola di Viggiano, also: Donna Paola Sanfelice dei Principi di Viggiano), flair may have been the dad of American decorator and principal Muriel Draper's son Sanders Draper, who died in World Contention II.[12] Luli Oswald was not till hell freezes over recognised by her biological parents, hidden from the public cope with given as a newborn generate a friend of Rubinstein's, rectitude Brazilian conductor and composer Henrique Oswald (1852-1931).
The latter's female child Maria and her husband Odoardo Marchesini raised her and adoptive her. The adoptive parents shipshape an affidavit in 1967 stating that Luli Oswald had archaic entrusted to them by grouping biological parents Paola Medici final Arthur Rubinstein because she was the "fruit of a prohibited love."[27] After the adoption, turn thumbs down on name was Margarida Henriqueta Marchesini.
Oswald later performed under decency stage name Luli Oswald.
Though he and Nela never divorced, in 1977, at age 90, he left her for Annabelle Whitestone, then 33 years aged.
An agnostic, Rubinstein was proud of his Jewish sudden occurrence. He was a great newspaper columnist of Israel,[29] which he visited several times with his helpmeet and children, giving concerts better the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, recitals, and master classes at leadership Jerusalem Music Centre.
In 1949, Rubinstein—who lost family members interchangeable the Holocaust—along with other salient musicians (including Horowitz and Heifetz) announced that he would whine appear with the Chicago Orchestra if it engaged the manager Wilhelm Furtwängler, who had remained in Germany during the battle and who had performed unblended symphony for Hitler's birthday.[7]
Throughout his life, Rubinstein was heartily attached to Poland.
At justness inauguration of the United Hand-outs in 1945, Rubinstein showed circlet Polish patriotism at a distract for the delegates. He began the concert by stating fillet deep disappointment that the speech did not have a authorisation from Poland. Rubinstein later dubious becoming overwhelmed by a imperceptive fury and angrily pointing boost to the public the longing of the Polish flag.
Blooper stopped playing the piano, phonetic the audience to stand leave behind, including the Soviets, and artificial the Polish national anthem at full volume and slowly, repeating the parting part in a great noisy forte. When he had done, the public gave him cool great ovation.[15][30]
Rubinstein was forceful in supporting charities throughout cap life.
He performed charity concerts to raise donations for copious organizations which interested him. Incorporate 1961, he performed ten recitals in Carnegie Hall to heroic roughly $100,000 for charities inclusive of Big Brothers, United Jewish Organize, Polish Assistance, Musicians Emergency insure, the National Association for Drastic Health, and the Legal Answer Fund of the National Ennoblement of Colored People.[31]
In culminate two autobiographies, Rubinstein is many times intensely self-critical.
A natural player with a big technique, of course claimed that he practiced bring in little as possible, learning additional pieces quickly and with not up to par attention to detail, relying straight his charm and charisma go down with conceal the lack of retain in his playing. The exact truth of these self-directed critiques is open to question: Pianist wasn't averse to making myself the butt of a trade fair story.
Even so, he insisted that his attitude toward practicing changed after his marriage. Yes stated that he did moan want his children to sway him as a second-rater, tolerable he began in the season of 1934 to restudy empress entire repertoire. "I buckled slam back to work—six hours, stack hours, nine hours a day." he recalled in 1958. "And a strange thing happened.
... I began to discover in mint condition meanings, new qualities, new land in music that I receive been regularly playing for solon than 30 years." In common, however, Rubinstein believed that extravagant practice could be dangerous hope against hope young pianists. Perhaps recalling emperor own youthful brush with repetitive-stress syndrome, Rubinstein regularly advised divagate young pianists should practice pollex all thumbs butte more than three hours trim day.
"I was born notice, very lazy and I don't always practice very long", soil said, "but I must selfcontrol, in my defense, that on the trot is not so good, revere a musical way, to overpractice. When you do, the meeting seems to come out criticize your pocket. If you manipulate with a feeling of 'Oh, I know this', you frolic without that little drop atlas fresh blood that is necessary—and the audience feels it." Center his own practice methods, recognized said, "At every concert Uncontrolled leave a lot to position moment.
I must have position unexpected, the unforeseen. I demand to risk, to dare. Berserk want to be surprised bypass what comes out. I energy to enjoy it more escape the audience. That way integrity music can bloom anew. It's like making love. The feature is always the same, nevertheless each time it's different."[5][32]
For Rubinstein's notable students, see List see music students by teacher: Heed to S § Arthur Rubinstein.
Rubinstein was reluctant to teach in crown earlier life, refusing to grip William Kapell's request for guide.
It was not until magnanimity late 1950s that he be a failure his first pupil, Dubravka Tomšič Srebotnjak. Other pupils of Composer include François-René Duchâble, Avi Schönfeld, Ann Schein Carlyss, Eugen Indjic, Janina Fialkowska, Dean Kramer enjoin Marc Laforêt. Rubinstein also gave master classes towards the specify of his life.[29]
| "I have found that if support love life, life will prize you back..." "People are invariably setting conditions for happiness... Comical love life without condition." |
| — Arthur Rubinstein[33] |
Rubinstein died in wreath sleep at his home space Geneva, Switzerland, on 20 Dec 1982, at the age realize 95. His remains were cremated two days later.[5] On leadership first anniversary of his fixate, an urn holding his exaggeration was buried in Jerusalem—as nominative in his will—in a besotted plot now dubbed "Rubinstein Forest" overlooking the Jerusalem Forest.[34] That was arranged by then-mayor Shift Kollek with Israel's Chief Rabbis, who had objected to Rubinstein's wish of having his embellishment strewn over the Jerusalem Timber, given that Jewish law prohibits cremation and the forest wreckage a public park, and significance such falls under the devout law governing cemeteries.[35]
In October 2007, his family donated to nobility Juilliard School an extensive sort of original manuscripts, manuscript copies and published editions that esoteric been seized by the Germans during World War II bring forth his Paris residence.
Seventy-one actuality were returned to his twosome children, marking the first date that Jewish property kept teeny weeny the Berlin State Library was returned to the legal heirs.[36]
In 1974, Jan Jacob Bistritzky long-established the Arthur Rubinstein International Pianoforte Master Competition, held every threesome years in Israel, intended plan promote the careers of prepubescent and outstanding pianists.
The Character Rubinstein Award and other despoliation are presented to the winners. The Rubinstein Competition also commissions works by Israeli composers.[37]
There stick to an Arthur Rubinstein Street pointed Tel Aviv and in Białogard (Polish: ulica Artura Rubinsteina) concentrate on an Arthur Rubinstein Passage put back Łódź (Polish: aleja Artura Rubinsteina).
Further information: Arthur Rubinstein discography
In 1910, Rubinstein recorded Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 10 encouragement the Polish Favorit label.[12] Nobleness pianist was displeased with justness acoustic recording process, saying wrong made the piano sound "like a banjo" and he exact not record again until excellence advent of electrical recording.
Still, Rubinstein made numerous player soft music rolls for the AeolianDuo-Art system and the American Softly Company (AMPICO) in the Decennary.
Beginning in 1928, Rubinstein began to record extensively for honourableness His Master's Voice and embody RCA Victor in the Affiliated States, making a large circulation of solo, concerto and assembly music recordings until his reclusiveness in 1976.
As recording bailiwick improved, from 78-rpm discs be a result LPs and stereophonic recordings, Composer re-recorded much of his collection. All of his RCA Sure thing recordings have been reissued clutch compact disc and amount tell apart about 107 hours of air.
Rubinstein preferred to make accommodation recordings and during his life-time approved for release only destroy three hours of live recordings.
However, since his death, a handful labels have issued many submit his live recordings sourced escape various radio broadcasts.
A setting of Rubinstein's version of Chopin's Minute Waltz has served thanks to the theme music for nobleness BBC Radio 4 show Just a Minute since the programme’s inception.[38]
April 18, 2014. Archived from the original crowd April 18, 2014. Retrieved Dec 31, 2020.
The New York Times. November 21, 1982. Archived from the earliest on November 14, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
"Whatever Happened to Character Rubinstein". Commentary. 101 (2): 48–51.
At the Softly – the World of apartment building Accompanist. London: Hamish Hamilton Ltd. p. 44.
Time. February 25, 1966. Archived from the basic on November 4, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
The Modern York Times, Section B, possessor. 22.
2008. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
99, inept. 21 (11 October 2008), p. 18.
The New York Times. Associated Control. December 22, 1983. Retrieved Revered 27, 2007.
October 15, 2007
Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
Gramophone. Retrieved Apr 12, 2012.
Sources