Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

178 RUBINSTEIN RUBINSTEIN
through Holland and Gennany, but the two
separated at Berlin, and Ruhini went on alone
to St. Petersburg, where he created an enthusiasm
verging on frenzy. By his first concert
alone he realised 51,000 francs. The Emperor
Nicholas made him ' Director of Singing ' in
the Russian dominions, and a colonel into the
bargain.
In the summer of this year Rubini went to
Italy, giving some representations at Vienna
by the way. He returned to Russia in the
winter of 1844, but finding his voice permanently
affected by the climate resolved to retire
from public life. He bought a property near
Romano, where he passed his last years, and
died, on March 2, 1854, leaving behind him
one of the largest fortunes ever amassed on the
operatic stage, which, unlike too many of his
brother artists; he had not squandered. He
seems to have been a simple, kindly-natured
man, and letters of his, still extant, show that
he was ready and willing to assist needy compatriots.
F. A. M.
RUBINSTEIN', Anton Gkegor, an eminent
composer and one of the greatest pianists the
world has ever seen, was bom Nov. 28, 1830,^
of Jewish parents, at Wechwotynetz, inVolhynia,
near the Austrian frontier of Russia. He
received his first musical instruction from his
mother, and afterwards from a pianoforte- teacher
in Moscow named Yilloing. So early as 1839
he made his first public appearance in Moscow,
and in the following year undertook a concerttour
with his teacher, journeying to Paris,
where he made the acquaintance of Liszt, who
was then teaching in that city, and under
whose advice he there pursued his studies. A
year later he made a more extended tour, going
to England (1842), and thence to Holland,
Germany, and Sweden. In 1845 he went to
study composition with Professor Dehn in Berlin.
From 1846 to 1848 he passed in Vienna and
Presaburg, teaching on his own account. In 1 848
he returned to Russia, where the Grand Duchess
Helen nominated him Kammervirtuos. After
studying diligently in St. Petersburg for eight
years he appeared as a fully-fledged artist with
piles of original compositions, first in Hamburg
and then all over Germany, where he found
enthusiastic audiences and willing publishers.
His early operas, to Russian words, were performed
as follows:— 'Dimitri Donskoi,' 1852 ;
'Die Sibirischen Jager,' 1852 ; 'Toms der Narr,'
1853, and ' Hadji-Abrek,' were not performed.
From this time his fame as a pianist and composer
spread rapidly over Europe and America.
He again visited England in 1857, and made
his first appearance at the Philharmonic on May
18. In 1858 he returned home again, gave
1 Not. 30 la given ]n most books of reference, a« the equivalent
of Not. is (O.Sj. Infhle antobiograpliy (aee below) he declares Nov.
16 (O.S.) to he tile actual day, but that the ISth had been so long
regarded as bis birthday that he had no intention of changing it.
Nov. 16 (O.S.) is the equivalent of Nov. 28.
brilliant concerts in St. Petersburg, Moscow,
etc., and settled in the former city. At this
period he was appointed Imperial Concertdirector,
with a life -pension. Thenceforward
he worked in conjunction with his friend
Carl Schuberth for the advancement of music
in Russia, and had the merit of being the
founder of the St. Petersburg Conservatorium in
1862, remaining its Principal until 1867. The
Russian Musical Society, founded in 1859, was
also his. On leaving Russia he made another
triumphant tour through the greater part of
Europe, which lasted till the spring of 1870.
When in his native country, in 1869, the
Emperor decorated him with the Vladimir
Order, which raised him to noble rank. In
1870 he rested awhile, and expressed the
intention of retiring from public life ;
but it
was not likely that this desire could be fulfilled.
He held the Directorship of the Philharmonic
Concerts and Choral Society in Vienna for the
next year or two, and this was followed by
fresh concert tours. In 1872-73 he toured in
America. Every year the same threat of retirement
was made, but the entreaties of the public,
and, probably, the desire of providing for his
wife and family, brought the gifted genius before
us again and again. He gave a set of farewell
recitals all over Europe in 1885-87, and in 1887-
1890 he again undertook the direction of the St.
Petersburg Conservatorium, and from the latter
year lived for a time in Dresden. In 1889 he
celebrated his artistic jubilee and published an
Autobiography, He died at Peterhof, Nov, 20,
1894,
Rubinstein's playing wais not only remarkable
for the absolute perfection of technique, in which
he was the only rival Liszt ever had, but there
was the fire and soul which ojily a true and
genial composer can possess. He could play a
simple piece of Haydn or Mozart so as positively
to bring tears into the eyes of his hearers, but
on the other hand, he would sometimes fall a
prey to a strange excitement which caused him
to play in 'the wildest fashion. An example
(though hardly a commendable one) of his
perfect mastery over tone is to be found in his
performance of the Funeral March of Chopin's
Sonata in Bb minor. Regardless of the composer's
intentions, he began it ppp, proceeding
crescendo, with perfect gradation, up to the
Trio, after which he recommenced ff and with
an equally long and subtle cUminuendo ends as
softly as he began. As an effect—the idea of
a band passing—this is stale and unworthy of
an artist, but as a tour deforce it can only be
justly appreciated by those who have heard it
done and then sought to imitate it.
The compositions of Rubinstein may be considered
as the legitimate outcome of Mendelssohn
;
there is a fine broad vein of melody
which is supported by true and natural harmony,
and a thorough technical skill. But