RUBINSTEIN “A YOUTHFUL 75"

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30480, 30 June 1964, Page 10

RUBINSTEIN “A YOUTHFUL 75"

Artur Rubinstein, who has been described as a “youthful 75” and as a legend of the concert platform, will give a piano recital in Christchurch on Thursday, July 18. Mr Rubinstein’s playing today wins more critical approval than it did 25 years ago. “At an age when the coordination of most instrumentalists is gone, Mr Rubinstein seems to play with everinereasing steadiness,” Harold C. Schonberg, music critic of the “New York Times,” wrote in January. When he played in the New York Philharmanic Hall in February he shared the stage with well over 100 listeners. “It was ever thus at Rubinstein concerts —at least for the last 25 years or so. Mr Rubinstein refuses to defer to age. He does not find it necessary to pick his programme with special care, and last night’s was one of virtuoso calibre. Indeed, professionals in the audience looked at each other

when they noted the ‘Moonlight’ Sonata as the opener. . . .”

Until recently Mr Rubinstein played over 100 performances a year. When he was 64 he gave a concert cycle in New York, playing 17 concertos in five concerts spread over 12 days. That was nothing compared to his famous feat in 1961, when he gave 10 Carnegie Hall concerts in one season. Youngest Of Seven

Mr Rubinstein was born in 1889 in Lodz, Poland. The son of a hand-loom manufacturer, he was the youngest of seven children. He first displayed Signs of musical talent at the age of three. At six he had already performed at a charity copcert in Warsaw. At 11, young Artur made his formal debut in Berlin under the baton of ' the venerable Joachim, who had assumed responsibility for his musical future. By the time he was 15 his reputation had spread throughout Europe, and he had earned the praise of Saint-Saens, Pederewski and Max Bruch. Two years later, in 1906, he paid his first visit to the United States where he played 75 concerts in three months.

In America his first notices were nothing to write home about. “Half-baked: not a pre* digy; not an adult” was the printed opinion of one Bosttn critic. Two Million Miles. Rubinstein returned to Europe to begin concert tours which have since covered more than two million miles and taken him to every country except Germany and Tibet. His first visit to Spain took place in 1916. Scheduled for four recitals, he remained to give 120. He became the adopted son of all Spanish; speaking countries, and one’ of the foremost interpreters of their music. Though Rubinstein’s appearances in the United States were many up until 1927 he did not visit the country until' a decade thereafter.

He married Aniela Mlynarski, the daughter of the Polish conductor and founder of the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Emil Mlynarski, in 1932. They have four children.

Shortly after the Germans entered Paris during the Second World War the Jewish Rubinstein family settled in Hollywood. In 1954 he finally recovered his Paris home, looted by the Germans of books, paintings and art treasures. He also bought an apartment in New York and Mr Rubinstein now divides his time between the two cities. In 1964 the pianist became an American citizen. Many Honours

Mr Rubinstein has many triumphs. The French Government has awarded him the title of Officer of the Legion of Honour. In 1949 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of music by Northwestern University. In June, 1958, Mr Rubinstein returned to his' native Poland after a 20-year absence and won from a weeping audience in Warsaw the second standing ovation in Polish history. (The first went to Paderewski.) He has more than 50 recordings on the current American catalogue and for many years has been among the world’s best-sellers and has sold more than one million recordings.