Anton Rubinstein: A Life in Music

COVER

A Life in Music Philip S. Taylor INDIANA INDIANA University Press Bloomington & Indianapolis http://iupress.indiana.edu 1-800-842-6796 nton A r ubinstein Taylor nton A rubinstein The first modern biography in English of the Russian composer-pianist Anton Rubinstein, this book places Rubinstein within the context of Russian and Western European musical culture during the second half of the nineteenth century, exploring his rise from humble origins in Bessarabia to staggering international fame, as well as his subsequent rapid decline and marginalization in later musical culture.Taylor provides a balanced account of Rubenstein’s life in three key areas of activity: his career as a piano virtuoso and conductor, as a composer, and as the founder of Russia’s first conservatory. Widely considered the virtuosic heir to Liszt, and recognized internationally as an equivalent cultural icon, he performed with most leading musicians of the day, including Liszt himself, Joachim, Clara Schumann, Vieuxtemps ,Wieniawski, Saint-Saëns, andYsaÿe. In 1859, Rubinstein founded the Russian Music Society, which led to the establishment of the St. Petersburg Conservatory three years later. Among the first students to enroll at the new conservatory in September 1862 was the young Tchaikovsky.The relations between Rubinstein and his most famous pupil are examined in detail, as are those between Rubinstein and his younger brother Nikolay, who founded the Moscow Conservatory in 1866.Rubinstein was awarded innumerable orders,decorations,and marks of distinction,and his compositions were performed all over Europe. Clearly written and highly readable, Taylor makes available more information about the life of Rubinstein than any previous compilation in any language, presenting material that can currently only be accessed in Russian. Philip S. Taylor holds a Single Honors degree in Russian from the University of Wales, a postgraduate diploma in technical translation from Polytechnic of Central London , and is a member of the Institute of Translating and Interpreting, U.K . Jacket illustration: Postcard ofAnton Rubinstein ca. 1880s. CourtesyAlexander Rabinowitch. Music • Biography Russian Music Series Malcolm Hamrick Brown, Founding Editor “In this timely and well-researched book, [PhilipTaylor] has given the Russian maestro his due after years of comparative neglect. Bravo!” —Edward Garden, Professor of Music (Emeritus), Sheffield University Anton Rubinstein Anton Rubinstein ca. 1880. Russian Music Series Malcolm Hamrick Brown, founding editor P H I L I P S . TAY L OR Anton Rubinstein A Life in Music indiana university press Bloomington and Indianapolis Publication is made possible in part with the generous support of Dan and Susan Sterner. This book is a publication of Indiana University Press 601 North Morton Street Bloomington, IN 47404-3797 USA http://iupress.indiana.edu Telephone orders 800-842-6796 Fax orders 812-855-7931 Orders by e-mail iuporder@indiana.edu© 2007 by Philip Taylor All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The Association of American University Presses’ Resolution on Permissions constitutes the only exception to this prohibition. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. Manufactured in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Taylor, Philip S. Anton Rubinstein : a life in music / Philip S. Taylor. p. cm. — (Russian music series) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-253-34871-5 (hardcover) ISBN-10: 0-253-34871-4 (hardcover) 1. Rubinstein, Anton, 1829-1894. 2. Composers—Russia—Biography. I. Title. ML410.R89T293 2007 780.92—dc22 [B] 2006032914 1 2 3 4 5 12 11 10 09 08 07 To the memory of my late parents Thomas and Mary Gwyneth Taylor ...