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Arthur Rubinstein Biography |
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Arthur Rubinstein (January 28 1887 – December 20 1982) was a Poland pianist who is widely considered as one of the greatest piano virtuosos of the 20th Century. He received international acclaim for his performances of Frédéric Chopin and Johannes Brahms and his championing of Spain music. /b> Rubinstein was born Artur Rubinstein in Łódź, Poland to a Jewish family. Aside from his early and singular fascination with the piano, another interesting childhood trait is that Rubinstein didn't begin speaking until some time around the age of three. Until the time that he developed speech, Rubinstein would entertain his family by imitating non-speech sounds. The descriptions of Rubinstein's delayed speech, his early childhood tantrums and his later virtuosity closely follow a similar pattern of development of other famous late-talkers, such as fellow pianist Clara Schumann and physicist (and sometimes-musician) Albert Einstein, among others. Rubinstein studied in Warsaw. He made his debut in Berlin in 1900, followed by appearances in Germany and Poland and further study with Heinrich Barth. In 1904, he went to Paris, where he met the composers Maurice Ravel, Paul Dukas, and the violinist Jacques Thibaud. He also played Camille Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 2 (Saint-Saëns) in the presence of the composer. Rubinstein made his New York debut at Carnegie Hall in 1906, and thereafter toured the United States, Austria, Italy, and Russia. In 1912, he made his London debut. During World War I Rubinstein lived mainly in London, accompanying the violinist Eugène Ysaÿe. From 1916 to 1917, he toured Spain and South America, developing an enthusiasm for the music of Enrique Granados, Isaac Albéniz, Manuel de Falla, and Heitor Villa-Lobos. He was the dedicatee of Villa-Lobos' "Rudepoema", one of the most difficult piano pieces ever written . In 1932 he withdrew from concert life for several months to work on his technique and repertory. During World War II, Rubinstein lived in the United States and became a naturalized citizen in 1946. He refused to play in post-war Germany because of the Nazi extermination of members of his family. He retired from the stage in 1976, as his eyesight and hearing were rapidly deteriorating. He became mostly blind in later life. Although best known as a recitalist and concerto soloist, Rubinstein was also considered an outstanding chamber musician, partnering with such luminaries as Henryk Szeryng, Jascha Heifetz, Gregor Piatigorsky, and the Guarneri Quartet. Of the piano solo repertoire Rubinstein recorded a vast portion, including Frederic Chopin virtually entire (save the Études) and innumerable Romantic composers. He was one of the earliest champions of the afore-mentioned Spain and South American composers and of French composers who, in the early 20th century, were still considered "modern" (Debussy, Dukas). In addition, Rubinstein was the first champion of the music of his compatriot Szymanowsky. Rubinstein, in conversation with Alexander Scriabin, named Brahms as his favorite composer (a response that enraged Scriabin) Artur Rubinstein, My Young Years, quoted in Norman Lebrecht, The Book of Musical Anecdotes. Rubinstein was fluent in eight languages H. Sachs, op. cit.. Rubinstein’s photographic memory of much of the repertoire, not simply that of the piano, was formidable ibid.. According to his memoirs, the pianist learned César Franck’s Symphonic Variations while on a train en route to the concert, without the benefit of a piano. Marriage and Death Rubinstein was married in 1932 to Aniela (Nela) Mlynarska, daughter of conductor Emil Mlynarski and ex-wife of Mieczyslaw Munz. They had four children: their daughter Eva married William Sloane Coffin; their son John Rubinstein is an actor. Rubinstein also fathered a daughter with a South American woman. Though he never divorced, he carried on a series of affairs during his marriage and, at age 90, left his wife for the young Annabelle Whitestone in 1977. Rubinstein died in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1982 at age 95. His ashes were interred in Israel. Honours and Awards In 1977, he was made an List of honorary British knights Knight of the British Empire (KBE). Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance: 
Courtesy of: http://www.wikipedia.org/ |
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