Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1872-11-06
Rubipstein's Playing.

1, And, finally. with his shy, awkward
bow, like a school boy doing obcisanceto n
committeeman, and his long, unkept Black
hair struggling over his rugged Slaypnic
features, the, great Rubinstein steps ON
the stage, and without predatory glance
or gesture, drops ON the piano-stool and
plupgesssipto his work. For a single
evening. either through personal mood
ar unfavorablc position, we were at some
tronble-let us now confess ito Judge
how great he actually is. But second
hearing dispclled all doubt. RubinsteinS
is not only the greatest we have had here,
but almost out of comparison grc.lt.
Facileprinceps, haud smile eautsecunduB,s
or any other well-worns phrase which the
render may manage to pick. ont of his
dog cared old Latin grammar, becomes
literal in his case. In brief plain English,
there is nobody like him, or who comes
it. OF course, the most Immediately
evident feature of this greatness is his
mechanical command of the Instrument,
imprimis, the amazing hard work ofwhich
he is capable. The mere labor of play
ing, well or i'll, the four tremendous num-
hers OH fhh lads presr fririr- yt
heard him, would have reduced an ordi-
nary day laborer to synqopc and stretch
er. But when we reflect that every note
was played with the most exquisite and
conscious discrimination, with the most
admirable weighing of power and self,
command, that every staccato was asshafp
and clean cut, every trill as liquid and reso-
nant MS if he had been doing nothing else
but practice them for an hour befprc, we
begin to realize his power IS mere me-
chanician But behind this lies the taste,
and, still further, the soul and the i'm, gi-
nation. With most piunists, even Of the
better class, the piano is, after all, rather
an obstinate and ungrateful instrument,
u little wooden. a little mechanical, even
a little tin-kettlish, On occasion. But with
Rubinstcn it absolutely gives up NIL sub
stance of being machigc at MI and be-
comes living agent, interpcnctratcd by
and responsive to the spirit of the master.
Under his wonderful fingers it sings or
thunde,s, murmnrs or tingIcs, laughs or
weeps, inapparcnt freedom from all phys
ical law but that which puts it in imme
diate relation with the soul of the perfor-
mcr. Such softdying resonance Sof single
cords, such microscopic dnmond-dust
oftrill Or pcarl-drop Of Gadcnza, such
infinitcsimal timnution of faiy-likc pipn-
issimo, i will never probably be our fate
to hear again. That any mortal fingers
can strike n numbering, fcsistent, resilient
machine ike q piano-kcy with the abso-
lutte self-command and nervous discrimi-
nation, The infinite variety of shading
and fower-like softncss of Rubinstein-
that any human power of combination
can blend q series of pcrc,issons to the
liquid resonant chant and spirit-Iike mur-
mur Of his cantabie, is thing which
we beg pardon for the tritc phraze-must
be heard to be believed II any one is
Inclined to deem these mere technical
merits, to be acquired by the average per.
former though mere length and assiduity
of practice. let him hear the tragic in
tensity of expression, the picturesque in
naturalization in Rnbinstcin's "Eli.
Koing, the dreamy melancholy pathos
and poetic swcetacss CT Ills Romance ant.
barcaroics, and repent.
But why should we waste words in
doing that for our reader wich lie will
surely do for himself? Suffice it, that, so
fur as VIC canjudge Mt present, Rubinstien
il she king IF pian;sts, roya'!y arraye:l in
MI the apparel and insignia, rich in all
tho gifts and graces of his prc-cminent
station, exceptionally great alike in pow