Arthur Rubinstein photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1937

Arthur Rubinstein (January 28, 1887 – December 20, 1982) was a Polish pianist who is widely considered as one of the greatest piano virtuosos of the 20th Century. He received international acclaim for his performances of Chopin and Brahms and his championing of Spanish music. Rubinsteins portrait by Ilya Repin. ... Artur Rubenstein photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1937 Nov. ... Artur Rubenstein photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1937 Nov. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A grand piano, with the lid up. ... A virtuoso (from Italian virtuoso, late Latin virtuosus, Latin virtus meaning: skill, manliness, excellence) is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability at singing or playing a musical instrument. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin (in French, Frédéric François Chopin) (English: IPA: or ; French: ), (March 1, 1810[1] â€“ October 17, 1849) was a Polish pianist and composer of the Romantic era. ... Johannes Brahms. ...

Biography

Artur Rubinstein was born in Łódź, Poland in 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.^[1] 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. ^[2] Łódź ((?)) is Polands second largest city (population 776,297 in 2004). ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... Clara Schumann Clara Josephine Wieck Schumann (September 13, 1819 – May 20, 1896), wife of composer Robert Schumann, was one of the leading pianists of the Romantic era as well as a composer. ... Einstein redirects here. ...

Rubinstein studied in Warsaw. He made his debut in Berlin in 1900, followed by appearances in Germany and Poland and further study with Karl Heinrich Barth. In 1904, he went to Paris, where he met the composers Ravel, Dukas, and the violinist Jacques Thibaud. He also played Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 2 in the presence of the composer. Warsaw (Polish: , , in full The Capital City of Warsaw, Polish: Miasto StoÅ‚eczne Warszawa) is the capital of Poland and its largest city. ... Berlin is the capital city and one of the sixteen states of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region ÃŽle-de-France Department Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land area¹ 86. ... Joseph-Maurice Ravel (March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937) was a French 20th century composer and pianist, known especially for the subtlety, richness and poignancy of his music. ... Paul Dukas (October 1, 1865 – May 17, 1935) was a French composer of classical music. ... Jacques Thibaud (September 27, 1880 - September 1, 1953) was a French violinist. ... Charles Camille Saint-Saëns () (9 October 1835 – 16 December 1921) was a French composer and performer, best known for his orchestral work The Carnival of the Animals. ... The Piano Concerto No. ...

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. Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 7th Avenue, occupying the east stretch of 7th Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ...

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 Granados, Albéniz, de Falla, and Villa-Lobos. He was the dedicatee of Villa-Lobos' "Rudepoema", one of the most difficult piano pieces ever written ^{[citation needed]}. Astor Piazzolla cites Rubinstein as one his first big impressions at a concert staged in Buenos Aires. He was 18 years of age and so impressed by Rubinstein that he decided to write and dedicate a piano "concerto" (a definition that Rubinstein was to debate with the young Piazzolla) to him. {{Infobox Military Conflict |conflict = World War I |partof = |image = |caption = Clockwise from top: Trenches on the Western Front; a British Mark IV tank crossing a trench; Royal Navy battleship HMS Irresistible sinking after striking a mine at the Battle of the Dardanelles; a Vickers machine gun crew with gas masks... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Eugène Ysaÿe Eugène Ysaÿe (July 16, 1858 – May 12, 1931) was a Belgian violinist and composer. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Enrique Granados Enrique Costanzo Granados y Campiña (July 27, 1867 – March 24, 1916) was a Catalan pianist and composer of classical music; he is commonly considered to be a representative of musical Nationalism, and as such his music is in a uniquely Spanish style. ... Isaac Albéniz Isaac Manuel Francisco Albéniz (IPA: ) (May 29, 1860 – May 18, 1909) was a Catalan pianist and composer, best known for his piano works that are based on Spanish folk music. ... Manuel de Falla y Matheu (November 23, 1876 – November 14, 1946) was a Spanish composer of classical music. ... Heitor Villa-Lobos (March 5, 1887 - November 17, 1959) was a Brazilian composer, possibly the best-known classical composer born in South America. ... Photograph of Piazzolla playing his bandoneon. ...

In 1917 Rubenstein left Cadiz (Spain) with his music manager Ernesto De Quesada, on the Infanta Isabel to South America. He debuted on July 2, 1917 in the Teatro Odeon, in Buenos Aires. This tour included concerts in Buenos Aires, Monetvideo, Santiago de Chile and Valpariso.

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. Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... Naturalization is the process whereby a person becomes a national of a nation, or a citizen of a country, other than the one of his birth. ...

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 nearly all the works of Chopin,save the Études, and innumerable other Romantic composers. He was one of the earliest champions of the afore-mentioned Spanish 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 Karol Szymanowski. Rubinstein, in conversation with Alexander Scriabin, named Brahms as his favorite composer (a response that enraged Scriabin) ^[3]. Henryk Szeryng (September 22, 1918 – March 8, 1988) was a Polish-born Mexican violinist. ... Jascha Heifetz Jascha Heifetz (February 2, 1901 – December 10, 1987) was a violinist. ... Gregor Piatigorsky (April 17, 1903 – August 6, 1976) was a Russian cellist. ... Frédéric-François Chopin as portrayed by Eugène Delacroix in 1838. ... Romantic and romanticism have a number of uses: Titles: Romantic (song) by Karyn White. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Claude Debussy Claude Achille Debussy (August 22, 1862 – March 25, 1918), composer of impressionistic classical music. ... Paul Dukas (October 1, 1865 – May 17, 1935) was a French composer of classical music. ... Karol Szymanowski Karol Maciej Szymanowski (October 6, 1882 - March 28, 1937) was a Polish-Swedish composer and pianist. ... Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin (Russian: Александр Николаевич Скрябин; sometimes transliterated as Skryabin) (6 January 1872 – 27 April 1915) was a Russian composer and pianist. ... Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (May 7, 1833 – April 3, 1897) was a German composer of classical music. ...

Rubinstein was fluent in eight languages ^[4]. Rubinstein’s photographic memory of much of the repertoire, not simply that of the piano, was formidable ^[5]. According to his memoirs, the pianist learned Franck’s Symphonic Variations while on a train en route to the concert, without the benefit of a piano. César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck (December 10, 1822 – November 8, 1890), a composer, organist and music teacher of Belgian origin, was one of the great figures in classical music in France (and the world) in the second half of the 19th century. ...

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. Mieczysław Munz (October 31, 1900, Kraków - August 25, 1976) was a Polish-US pianist. ... Rev. ... John Rubinstein (born 8 December 1946) is an American film and television actor. ...

Rubinstein died in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1982 at age 95. On December 20, 1983 (first anniversary of his death), an urn holding his ashes was buried in Israel, in a dedicated plot now dubbed "Rubinstein Forest" overlooking the Jerusalem Forest. (This was arranged with the rabbis so that the main forest wouldn't fall under religious laws governing cemeteries^[6].) Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German:   //, Italian: Ginevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich), and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French-speaking part of Switzerland). ... December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Honours and awards

Sculpture of Artur Rubinstein on Piotrkowska Street in Łódź

In 1977, he was made an honorary Knight of the British Empire (KBE). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1605x1377, 491 KB) Sculpture of Artur Rubinstein on Piotrkowska Street in Łódź picture taken by Polimerek 20:07, 2 May 2005 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Arthur Rubinstein ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1605x1377, 491 KB) Sculpture of Artur Rubinstein on Piotrkowska Street in Łódź picture taken by Polimerek 20:07, 2 May 2005 (UTC) File links The following pages link to this file: Arthur Rubinstein ... This is an incomplete list of people who have been created honorary Knights (or Dames) by the British crown, as well as those who have been raised to the two comparable Orders of Chivalry (Order of Merit and Order of the Companions of Honour) and the Royal Victorian Chain, which... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are...

Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance: The Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance has been awarded since 1959. ...

• Pierre Fournier, Arthur Rubinstein & Henryk Szeryng for Schubert: Trios Nos. 1 in B Flat, Op. 99 and 2 in E Flat, Op. 100 (Piano Trios) (Grammy Awards of 1976)
• Pierre Fournier, Arthur Rubinstein & Henryk Szeryng for Brahms: Trios (Complete)/Schumann: Trio No. 1 in D Minor (Grammy Awards of 1975)
• Arthur Rubinstein for Beethoven: Sonatas No. 21 in C (Waldstein) and No. 18 in E Flat (Grammy Awards of 1960)

Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra): Pierre Fournier (June 24, 1906 – January 8, 1986) was a French cellist who was called the aristocrat of cellists, on account of his elegant musicianship and majestic sound. ... Henryk Szeryng (September 22, 1918 – March 8, 1988) was a Polish-born Mexican violinist. ... Franz Peter Schubert (January 31, 1797 – November 19, 1828) was an Austrian composer. ... The 18th Grammy Awards were held in 1976, and were broadcast live on American television. ... Johannes Brahms. ... Robert Schumann (June 8, 1810 – July 29, 1856) was a German composer and pianist. ... The 17th Grammy Awards were held in 1975, and were broadcast live on American television. ... Beethoven redirects here. ... The 2nd Grammy Awards were held in 1960. ... The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra) has been awarded since 1959. ...

• Arthur Rubinstein for Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 18 in E Flat/Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 12 (Grammy Awards of 1978)
• Arthur Rubinstein for Beethoven: Sonatas No. 21 in C (Waldstein) and No. 18 in E Flat (Grammy Awards of 1960)

Beethoven redirects here. ... Robert Schumann (June 8, 1810 – July 29, 1856) was a German composer and pianist. ... The 20th Grammy Awards were held in 1978, and were broadcast live on American television. ... Beethoven redirects here. ... The 2nd Grammy Awards were held in 1960. ...

References

The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Biography and autobiography

• Rubinstein, a Life, Harvey Sachs, Grove Press 1995.
• My Young Years, New York 1973.
• My Many Years, New York 1980.

External links

• Profile of Arthur Rubinstein
• http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/homagetoarthurrubinstein/ "Homage to Arthur Rubinstein" A Yahoo! Group dedicated to the memory and artistry of Arthur Rubinstein.