New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-21

Professor Dehn The two following years We're
spent teaching in Vienna and Pressburg and in
1915 Rubinstein returned to Russia to become. by
nomination Of the Grand-duchess Helen, Hammer
Virtues After eight years in St. Petersburg OF
study and dilgent composition. he went again to
Germany. where he became extremely popular His
fame spread the entire musical world
and his compositions were in great demand by the
publishers.
In 1857 Rubinsein paid his second visit to Eng
land but the next year was back in St Petersburg,
which he made his home. The appointment was
given to him Of Imperial concert-director. with
life pension. He continued TO give numerous con-
certs. In 1862 he founded the ST. Petersburg Con
servatory, being its principal for five years. The
Russian Musical Society also owes its existence TO
him. The latter part Of the sixties he passed CIV
ing concerts in all parts of Europe. being hailed
everywhere with great acclaim. Then for time
he made his home in Vienna. where h. was director
of the Philharmonic concerts and OF the Chorai
Society. He afterward made number Of concert
tours throughout Europe. and came to America In
1872 remaining till the next year, and appearing in
conjunction with Wieniawsk. the violinist. OF
late years his appearances before the public have
generally been conductor OF his own com
positions in the larger forms. and he has seldom
come forward as pianist When he has done so
IT has generally been for some charitable object
upon which occasions the beneficiary has always
been certain to profit largely.
The last par, Of Rublnstein's lie NJ spent be
tween Dresden and his home In -. Petersburg His
position OF recent years had not been entirely
happy one Although he in reality the founder Of
the new Russian school Of music AMI hal rendered
it the greatest services by his part in establishing
ana carrying on the musical institutions 81 -.
Petersburg he had the unhappness = feeling that
the Russian Government under whose auspices
they were established. was not In entire sympathy
with him In Russia he was regarded as German
and In Germany a. a Russian. Being placed be
tween two stools he had. IL sense. fallen. ana
failed make hts artistic IDEAS count as he wished
them TO.
Rubinsteins features were distinctly Russian in
type His head WAS massive and noble He wore
no beard but "A heavy. leoninc shock " hair. dark
brown In color until the gray appeared
The impression whch Runinstclns pianofori" pay
ing made upon the music lovers ~ the United
States Vas powerful and - stlll so fresh tnht
an attempt TO describe what that playing was IKE
might almost be- spared his iniine nate nccrpogft
Those VINO heard him VIII find u dlhcIlt - believe
that than two-scorc years have passed since
he was among us. No p.anoiorte PLAYER that "Nvr
crossed the ocean preached - eloquent ana on
Vincing a musical evangci rs d.i he" hi- powers
were at Their ripes and though ne never oc,ai i
fad" like PldcrewskI, an. never WAS prlNil"ged
to play 70 such audiences ne ei ms n,t I pe
viii seem Ike footprints In the sand before the RS
ing tide. He was IN the oompletesS sens 81 ,ne
word subjective musician WIN al ne frNeIen ,
winch genius can feel Tor genius he looked upon .hc
works Of the great masters which he piayei bui
he could not play them win Devotion =, .iihPic w.,
rectness He was as distlnctivey creative genius
in his interpretations a. he was IN h's compo-tiChF
Whatever OF the music OF lIach hee,hoNrh ''"u-
mann or Chopin he played he gave u the pdb'N
plus the active mind and the su more active h'htt
o. Rubnsien. sometimes ne PROVOKED cohti"Nc,,
.Ies about the letter ~ the Interpretation: but al
WAYS those no heard him knew that what they were
listening to was reading based upon sih'rl'S. ~.
vofion but emo,ionaZed and vitaized by the vast
rich mellow naiur" OF Inc artlSt VINO St'ph "''"''"
the composer and the hearer. ,., -,
lie had a marvellous command Of the technique OF
pianoforc payins but Of thai fact h. a'ways mad
manner in which his skin was employed. manner
when banlshed the notion OF Vr'uoSosnlP ava
great accomplishment. sometimes 10y seeming - ~
more mechanical finish entirely In his pursuit OF me
spirit of the composition lie was one on mos,
the means in the end attained OF all the pianist
tine last Two generations ne W9s , ,ne abd the
arr of singing upon the pianoiorte. ms 'ouon
seemed transform the nsirume" I, "h e it ma
with powers that are not supposed TO ne ,,r
turc His great heart and warm impusiVe ha,ui
IS bis acknowledgements In It's presence he forgot
the peitlnesses that vexed his existence. on
W'eniawski the violinst. was ms companion W, VI,
many of his American concert trps me No''' M
YEAS a man OF coarse nature and one day on me
waentIy ;ha, Weniawsk applied insulting epithet
to Rubnsten. The later thereupSn rstuSed 'u'1nI ,s
e;eilfnss the agent Of steinway sons who wa va
managing the tour WAS the n ZAP ycvening he was
esounded beyond measure TO observe KH1 ,;e NJ
near the saeedoor listening n,e"i nyb i0 in
tone Of surprise but the latter had seemingly ors
gotten all about the dsaFr enm sa,d o. u"
bclorc. iir S''' mp" NJ, an angel"
7, p% SnI fr rec b. said within the next few
wecp@ mat the time not yet ripe for an est'" ,
OF Rublnsten's merits as a conpo. orinlnaiy
cpeativc career closed several years ago MS a,es,
music will not add 10 his fame but va. na, ,e1 h"r
H. The bitterness OF his declining years was m,
tensled by disappointment In the punc Uni ON
eyel with those OF Infinitely greater men HMays
deficient in the necessary quanty o. srnw old and
he though es the and ina sns OF of wagneT trmph
Instead Of resting on the laurels nlt"aus m', would
,rHs,no that the merits OF his earlier WORKS Wouu
nvent,iaI,y be accepted at his own extrnvqganty
high estimation Of them he wrote NOR anr We're
and with each new composition ms auimrea., and
sreved TO discover loss in Interest strength a anu
beauty When in hts r%SS mich ne w so' have become
P'hished favorltes In the concert rooms OF Europe
and the United Statestho In ID minor ana :, ma
or Also he had written five symphonies, OF o WIFI '
Two the reperiores Q; the Larger c ons l
situations here ard rhsbfr music and many Of
his songs genuinely p9Pnar OF his u Snefbas
SI5 In," ponskoL" THE Maccabees sulamith'
and "NeroO. only Nero was given IN Atnerica'
and 1t made but small impression
n nHr Of melody in Rubinsteins works. and eagerly
for each new som m saYs IN the last
~ his lie TO vain EFFORT to create style OF Iyric
, WorEs ns ncred impulse biblical
subjects iso for at bbcai ballet P in pa; Nothing
could make Rubnsiens want OF Inc cops,on 'o 81
idea represented by these sacred operas" or al!
Of ther, only two are practicable on on the STAG
maintained position In few German thea
tres. the latter is scarcely known though one ne
Wnmbbnrg Immediately after its publication
Paradise Lost and The Tower Of Babel
deIssobn They differ from "Eljah" and st Paul
only In having stage directions wh'ch NAV nave a
Who follow the performance with a text book IN
hand but have no other purpose me ias, OF this
Of Rfhiical ratDrOs Moses parts or Wnlcn
were performed az the last May Festival In Clncn-
natt ,s in inc same case Kubinsein recognized the
S,tn .,,It,, completey yet with singular faulty he