Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

—
—
;
I
RUBINSTEIN RUBINSTEIN 179
there is also the fatal gift of fluency, and the
consequent lack of that self-criticism and selfrestraint
which alone make a composer great.
Rubinstein has written in every department of
music, but as yet his songs and chamber-music
are all that can be called really popular,
excepting always his Ocean Symphony,* which
*
is known all over the world. ^ This is undoubtedly
one of his very best works, the ideas
throughout being vivid and interesting, while
the workmanship shows unusual care. From
the composer's having added an extra Adagio
and Scherzo after the first appearance of this
Symphony we may presume he had a particular
regard for it, though to risk wearying an audience
by inordinate lengtli is scarcely the way to
recommend a work to their favour. The
'
Dramatic ' Symphony (op. 95) has been
admired, while of the other three symphonies
the first and fifth have each only been performed
once in England. His Pianoforte Concertos
are very brilliant and effective, especially that
in G (op. 45)
; they will perhaps in time take
a permanent position. His Violin Concerto
(op. 46) is a very fine work, though but little
known. The Persian Songs (op. 34) are perhaps
the most popular of his vocal works, but there
are many very striking and successful specimens'
among his other songs—
* Es blinkt der Thau*
and 'Die Waldhexe* for instance—and the
duets are full of beauty and passion. The
numerous drawing-room pieces which he has
written for the piano are far superior to most
of their class, his writing for the instrument
being invanably most brilliant, as is but natural
in so great a pianist. His chamber-music is
not much known in England, and he is apt to
give the piano an undue prominence in it ; the
Quintet in F (op. 55) is almost a Pianoforte
Concerto in disguise. His operas and oratorios
have as yet met "with but qualified success,
seeming to lack dramatic force. This is in
some measure due to his antagonism to the
theories and practice of Wagner and the modern
German school. He had a preference for sacred
subjects, which are but ill fitted for the stage.
List of dramatic works (including the
oratorios, or sacred operas, which were all
intended for stage-performance) :
Biinitri Dotuikoi. St. Fetersbnrg, 1852.
Sibirskije Ochotnikie. St. Petersburg, 1852. (' Die Sibiriachen
J&ger.')
Foma Duratchok ('Toms, der Narr'). St. Petersburg, 1853.
Mest ('Die Sache*). St. Fetersbtirg, 1858.
Hadji-Abrek fapparentiy not peiinrmed).
Die Kinder der Haide. five acta. Vienna, 1861.
Fei-amors (Lalla Hookh), three acts, Dresden, 1863.
Der Thurm zu Babel {' The Tower of Babel '). KiinlgBberg, 1870
(see op. 80).
Der DSmon, three acta. St. Petersburg, 1875. Aa H Demonic,'
'
Covent Garden, 1881.
Die MakkabSer, three acts. Berlin, 1875.
Das Verlorene PsradieB fDUsaeJdorf , 1875). A preliminary performance
had taken nlace in 186.^ under Liszt at Weimar (see op. 54).
Nero, four acta. Hamburg, 1879.
Kalashnikov Moakovski Kupeta ('Der Kaufmann von Moskau *.
St. PetersbuTK, 1880.
Die Hebe (* La Vigne '), 1882.
1
First performed in London by Musical Art TTnion (Klindworth)
May 31, 3861 ; with extra movements, Crystal Palace, April 12, 1877.
Philharmonic, June 11, 1879
Sulamith, Hamburg, 1883.
Unter BAubern, one act (Hamburg, 1883, played before ' Sulamith ').
Der Papagei, one act. Hamburg, 1884.
Moses (1887), see op. 112.
Gorjushka {' Die KummervoUe '). St, Petersburg, 1889.
ChristuB. Berlin, 1868, Bremen, 1895, on the ata^e (see op. 117).
The complete list of Rubinstein's numleied
works is as follows :
Op.
1. 6 little Songs in Low German 44. 'Soir^s de St. Peterabourg.'
for PP. solo (6 pieces).
dialect. Voice and PF.
Schreiber.
Kahnt.
3rd PF. Concerto 2 Fantasias on Rasaian 45. (G). B. B.
themes. PP. solo. Schreiber. 46. Concerto, Violin and Orcb,
2 Melodies for PP. boIo (F, B).
Peters.
(O).
Schreiber.
Mazoutka-Fantaifie. PF.solo
(O). Schreiber.
Polonaise, Cracovienne and
Miizurka. PF. solo. Schreiber.
RuBsian) with PF. Senff.
Tarantelle, PF. solo (B).
Schreiber.
50. 6*Chaiakter-BiIder.' PF.
Impromptu -Caprice, 'Horn* duet. Kahnt.
mage & Jenny Liiid.' PF. 51. 6 Morceanx for PF. Senff.
solo (A minor). Schreiber. 62. Srd Trio. PF. and Strings
6 Songs (words from the (Bb). Beiiff.
BuBsian}. Voice and PF. 53. 6 Preludes and Fugues in free
Senff.
Octet in D for PF. V., Viola,
Vcello, Baes, Fl., Clar.j after Milton, in 3 parts.
and Horn. Peters.
Senff.
Kamennoi-Oatrow. 24 Fortraits
55. Quintet for PF. and Wind
for PP. Schott.
(F). Schuberth.
56. Srd Symphony (A). Schuberth.
3 Pieces for PP. and V. ; 3
do. for PF. and Vcello ; 3
do. for PF. and Viola. Scbuberth,
let Sonata for PF. solo (E).
Peters,
lat Sonata for PF. and V. (6). 69. String Quintet (F). Senff.
Peters.
60. Concert Overture in Bb.
'The Ball,' Fantasia in 10 Senff.
Nos. for PF. Bolo. B. B.^ 61. 3 Part-Bonga for Male Voices.
2 Trios. PP., v., and Vcello Schreiber.
(F, G min.). Hofmeister. 62. 6Part-Bongsfor Mixed Voices.
Impromptu, Berceuse and Schreiber.
Serenade. PF. solo. Hof-
9 Songa (words fi-om Bussian).
Voice and PF. Schreiber.
Nocturne (Ob) and Caprice
(Eb) for PF. solo, Kistner.
2 Funeral Marches. PF. solo.
—1. For anjArtist (F min.)
2. For a Hero (C min.).
Kistner.
Barcarolle (F. min.); All"
Appass. (D min.) for PF.
47. 3 String Quartets (Nos. 4. 6,
6, £ min., Bb, D mm.).
B. AH.
48. 12 Two-part Songs (from the
49. Sonata for PF. and Viola
(F min.), B. A H.
style. PF. solo. Peters.
64. 'FarsdiseLost.' Sacred Opera
67. 6 Songs. Voice and PF. Senff.
58. Scena ed Aria, 'E dunque
verof Sop, and Orcb,
Schott.
63. 'Die Nixe.' Alto Solo, Female
Chorus, and Ordh.
5 String Quarteta (G, C min.,
Senff.
F). B. &H,2
64. 5 Fables by Krlloff. Voice
1st Sonata for PF. and Vcello and PF. Senff.
(D).|b. &H.
65. 1st Concerto for VceUo and
2iid Sonata for PF. and V. Orch. (A min.). Senff.
(A min.). B. & H.
66. Quartet. PF. and Strings (C).
2nd Sonata for PF. solo (C Senff.
min.). B. & H.
67. 6 Two-part Songa with PF.
3 Caprices for PF. solo (Ft, Senff.
D, Bb). B. A H.
68. 'Faust.' Musical portrait,
3 SereuadeB, for PF, solo (P, for Orch. Siegel.
Gmin.. Bb). B. A H. 69. 5 Morceaux for PF. solo.
6 Etudes for PF. eolo. Peters.
Sitgel.
6PreludeaforPF. Bolo. Peters, 70. 4th PF. Concerto (D min.).
let PF. Concerto (E min.).
Senff.
Peters.
71. 3 Morceaux. PF.solo. Siegel.
Bomance and Impromptu, 72. 6 Songa for a Low Voice and
PF. Bolo (F, A minor). PP. Senff.
Schreiber.
73. Fantaisie for 2 Pianos (F).
Senff.
74. '
Der Morgan.' Cantata for
Male Voices and Orch.
(from the Busaian). Senff.
75. 'Album de Peterhof.' 12
Pieces, PF, solu, Senff.
76. 6 Songs for Voice and PF,
Senff.
77. Fantaisie for PF. (E min.).
Benff.
76. 12 Songs from the Bussian.
Kiatner.
solo.
6 4-part Songa for Male Voices. Voice and PF. Senff.
Kistner.
'
Ivan the Terrible.' Musical
79.
6 from Heine. Bongs Voice portrait for Orch. B. B.
and PF. Siatuer.
The Tower of BabeJ.' Sacred
ner.
6 Bongs. Voice and PF. Kiat-
opera In one act.
Chappell.
Senff.
12 Persian Songs. V. and PP.
Kistner.
solo.
Album of National Dances
6 Etudes for PF. B. B.
2nd PF. Concerto (F). Schreiber.
(6) for PP. solo. B. B.
10 Bongs. Voice and PF.
B. B.
12 Songa from the Buasian.
Voice and PF. Schreiber. Fantasia for PF. and Orch.
Akroatirhnn (I