A Life in Music

PhiliP S. Taylor

INDIANA

INDIANA University Press Bloomington & Indianapolishttp://iupress.indiana.edu

1-800-842-6796

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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, explor- ing his rise from humble origins in Bessarabia to staggering international fame, as well as his subsequent rapid decline and marginaliza-tion in later musical culture. Taylor provides a balanced account of Rubenstein’s life in three key areas of activity: his career as a piano vir- tuoso 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 equiva-lent cultural icon, he performed with most leading musicians of the day, including Liszt himself, Joachim, Clara Schumann, Vieux-temps, Wieniawski, Saint-Saëns, and Ysaÿe. 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 compila-tion 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 Lon- don, and is a member of the Institute of Trans- lating and Interpreting, U.K .

Jacket illustration: Postcard of Anton Rubinstein ca. 1880s. Courtesy Alexander Rabinowitch.

MuSic • biograPhy

ruSSian MuSic SerieSMalcolm hamrick Brown, Founding Editor

“in this timely and well-researched book, [Philip Taylor] has given the russian maestro his due after years

of comparative neglect. bravo!”—edward garden, Professor of Music

(emeritus), Sheffield university