Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-07-05
RUBISSTEIN.
Inrerviewo,I By Miss Kate Field

N
Interviewed by Miss Kate Field.
Steamship Correspondence by Kate Field to
the New York Tribune.l
Anton Rubinsteia agrees with me. He
is seated at my left, and looks like the
remains of former greatness. DE IS in
a. state of eclipse, and am heather
enough to rejoice, for at sea misery likes
company. / derive inexpressible COM
fort in beholding genius reduced to my
own level. The sea is democratic in its
tendencies; it is no respecter Of per-
sons, else it would spare the great plan
lst who has done so much to elevate the
musical standard in America, and whose
great objection to our country is that it
Is three thousand watery miles from Eu-
rope "Ah, il it were not for that " he
exclaims, extending his arms toward the
restless monster surging and ioaming
around us, America would be possible,
but the thought Of repeating this jour
ney, of committing myself to an awful
ocean, with chaRce of being swallowed
up by it, unknown to my family-this
thought, combined with my physical
wretchedness, will prevent my return"
but you will 70 to us againY | ex-
pnstulate. i do not say will not, for
who dares predict the future; but never
will 90 as a pianist" And thus it is
| learn OF Rubinsteiu's ambition and
plans for the next ten years. Aged
forty-three, he has been playing in pub
lie for thirty.three years. Put to the
piano for amusement at six, Rebinstein
developed such extraordinary ability
that his parents soon decided upon his
career Studying never more than three
hours day, young Anton appeared pub
licly at ten years of age, : | played,
but never practiced, after / was thir-
teen," confesses the pianist, whom Rob
ert Browning, a fine musical critic,
rightly pronounces the greatest of
them allp What 2 terrible shock this
is to plodders. Patience seeks without
finding, and genius finds without seek
ing. But Rubinstein is exceptional.
He is fred by musical passion. You
fancy that he has enormous power 10
b;s arms. 1t is all in his wrists and in
his psssion. When he is inspired he be
comes blind, and is sure to injure, him
self BE has played for us once on
board our good steamer. Come, we
90 now" he said one afternoon, beckon-
ing to a few, and entering the ladies'
saloon he sat down to an upright Erard
and played the Fri King IN way
that caused tears to come. From pas
sion he passed to the delicious sentiment
of Shubert's "Auf dem Wasser,' as ex-
ouisite a poem as melody ever sung;
then dashed into @ brilliant waltz, and
finally, being wrought up to the music,
gave such a rendering of the third act
of 1.-THE Huguenots, as mado every
operatic performance OF it pnerile. II
was not q pianoforte arrangement. IL
was Meyerbeer without the voices, and
vet Meyerbeer in all his glory, for every
note received its true ueinterpretetion, and
for the first time | realized the inten-
sity of that famous due for bass
and soprano. II was tremendous per
formance. Rubinstein ceased to see the
keyboard, and, upon concluding, blood
was upon the keys. He had in some i'm
possible manner hurt his right thumb.
& | always do aomething of the kind
when | grow blind" he said, rising
ouietly from the piano, showing himself
then as at all other times the most un-
assuming ofmen. And he is immensely
clever. A pianist may be stupid out
side of his art, but to be composer is
to create, and creation neeessltates
thought. shall cease being o pian-
ist," says Rubinstein. at Is better to
bid farewell to the public than to wait
until the public bids farewell to you.
want to be forgotten by the world.
shall return to St. Petersburg and de-
vote myself to composition. Ab. yes, l
have had dream for many years. 1t
has grown with my growth. II is pert
of me. II is my desire, my inten-
tion. nv will, to write sacred operas.
Oratorio, as now delivered, is mistake
ThiRk of Moses. Elijah, and the finest
biblical characters, stupidity singing in
dress coats on a barren platform Han
del never wrote with any srch design.
Public opinion forced him into the con
cert room. IL ] live, ] shall dedicate
the next ten Og 6fteen years TO the con-
nosition OF seven saeFe3 operas.
And the subjects, Maestro Rnbin-
steiET
HThey vlll be the grandest for to me
they are the most ipteresunH' tsei
Pvs. here is superb opportunity. Sec
ond Moses; I shall include his entire
b;story. saving The scene on Mount
sinai Third, Job, fourth, Canuelesi I
ef,h Maccabees; sixth, David; seventh,
Jssus Christ. in which last shall be
,ost Absorbed. OF course these last
oneras Will not be equally long, some
rsouirinE few hours only, others de-
-,sodinr two Representations for com
nie,s rendition. Nor shall one be
fro6rbt ont until ell sFs ready. for
vii not be judged by one eo@peil hon.
/ nsst stand % fall b AL Ihis = ny I
- u vii Be Farsd BY lighter com,
you9ourS PsHauk . Pad
Then Maestro Rubinsssip, see h0v