Rubinstein’s playing had a massive strength, grandeur and monumentality, coupled with
simplicity and naturalness, although with excessive speed and uncontrollable outbursts of
temperament at times. Rubinstein stayed with Liszt at Weimar in 1870 when he met
Tausig and played music for two pianos with Liszt. Source: Sitsky.
Arthur Rubinstein
Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982), Polish-American pianist, (born Artur) was not related to
Anton Rubinstein. Like Claudio Arrau, Arthur Rubinstein had a very wide repertoire,
had an exceptionally long and celebrated career both as a concert and a recording artist,
and was an important link between the old and the modern schools, although it seems
neither of them ever practised melody-delaying or arpeggiata. Arthur Rubinstein became
principally known for his interpretations of the piano concertos and piano music of
Chopin although he performed and recorded Schumann, Liszt, Brahms and Grieg.
SAINT-SAENS
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) was a French pianist, organist and composer.
He wrote five piano concertos. Piano Concerto no. 2 in G minor opus 22 is his most
popular and the composer said that ‘it starts with Bach and ends with Offenbach’. Piano
Concerto no. 5 in F major opus 103 is known as the ‘Egyptian’, perhaps because of the
chugging of the River Nile boat to be heard in the final movement. Saint-Saëns also
wrote solo piano music, orchestral and chamber music, and an opera.
Saint-Saëns was a prolific composer and his music has a polished refinement. He
recorded a number of his own pieces on reproducing piano roll.
SAUER
Life
Emil von Sauer was born in Hamburg on 8 October 1862 and died in Vienna on 27 April
- He studied with Nicholas Rubinstein (Anton’s brother) at Moscow Conservatory
from 1876 to 1881, with Deppe, and with Liszt in 1884-85. He became court pianist to
the Kings of Saxony, Roumania and Bulgaria. He toured widely in Europe, appearing in
England in 1894 and in America in 1898-99. He performed the Liszt Sonata in the early
years of the twentieth century but never recorded it.
He was a noted teacher at the Vienna Conservatory from 1901 to 1907 and in Dresden.
His autobiography ‘Meine Welt’ was published in Stuttgart in 1901. Sauer appeared as
soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1908. He received the Royal Philharmonic
Society Gold Medal in 1910. He wrote two piano concertos, two piano sonatas and a
number of studies, and edited the complete piano music of Brahms and much of Liszt’s
piano music. His second wife, Angelica Morales, was a concert pianist who was
recorded on Columbia in the Beethoven Triple Concerto under Weingartner. She later