Of a somewhat independent development from Liszt, although much
influenced by his personality and his method, was =Anton Rubinstein=,
born in 1829, died in 1894. He studied the piano at Moscow with
Villoing, who gave him so thorough a training that he had no other
teacher. From 1840, after concerts in Paris, he had universal
recognition as a pianist. Further European tours increased his fame.
He lived successively in Berlin and Vienna, and later returned to St.
Petersburg. In 1872-73, he made a remarkable tour through America,
arousing an enthusiasm only equalled in later years by Paderewski.
Although he passed most of his life in constant activity as a composer,
he directed the Russian Symphony Concerts in St. Petersburg. As
early as 1862 he founded the St. Petersburg Conservatory, which has
had a prominent place in Russian music. He was a complete master
of the piano, his technic was gigantic, although his vitality of
interpretation was so intense that details paled before it. His
historical recitals covering the entire literature of the piano were
his most conspicuous achievements as a pianist. He may be regarded as
second only to Liszt, and in some respects he even surpassed him. He
was disappointed at not being accorded high rank as a composer, as well
as a pianist.
His brother, =Nicholas Rubinstein=, born in 1835, died in 1881,
although not so distinguished a pianist, and a composer of slight
account, exerted almost as strong an influence on Russian music. A
pupil of Kullak, he founded the Russian Musical Society at Moscow, in
1859, and in 1864 the Moscow Conservatory, which has been exceedingly
active in Russian musical affairs. He directed the Moscow Conservatory
until his death; he was an intimate adviser of Tchaikovsky, while his
worth as a teacher may be guessed from the prominence of his pupils,
Karl Klindworth, Emil Sauer and Alexander Siloti, possibly the foremost
Russian pianist today.
=Mili Balakireff=, born in 1836, has been a considerable force in
Russian music, besides being a capable pianist. After studying physics
and mathematics at the University of Kazan, he turned to music. In
1862, he founded a Free School of Music in St. Petersburg. Among
his associates were César Cui, Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakoff, Alexander
Borodine and others. He has done much to aid the Neo-Russian school
of composition. His piano music is effective and highly colored,
especially his fantasy on Georgian themes, “Islamey.”
=Alexander Siloti=, undoubtedly the most widely-known of Russian
pianists, born at Charcow, 1863, was a pupil in piano playing of
Nicholas Rubinstein, at the Moscow Conservatory. From 1883-1886, he
studied with Liszt. His technic is enormous; while not intensely
magnetic, his intellectual grasp of music is remarkable. He made an
American tour in 1898, when he introduced much Russian piano music that
was new. Although Siloti has taught at the Moscow Conservatory, he has
lived of late years at Leipzig and Paris.
Among other Russian pianists are =Vassili Sapellnikoff=, born 1868, a
pupil of Kessler, Louis Brassin, Sophie Menter; =Vassili Safonoff=, a
pupil of Leschetizky and Zaremba in St. Petersburg, since 1887 director
of the Moscow Conservatory, and more lately a conductor; =Sergei
Rachmaninoff=, born 1873, a pupil of Siloti, not only a brilliant
pianist but also a composer of originality; =Alexander Scriabine=, born
1872, a pupil of Safonoff, who has made successful European tours, and
like Rachmaninoff, has composed much for his instrument.
Two German pianists, Henselt and Klindworth, were so associated with
Russian music as to warrant their mention here. =Adolph Henselt=, born
1814, died 1889, at one time a pupil of Hummel, was for the most part
self-taught. He passed most of his life in St. Petersburg, giving
lessons and playing frequently in public. He also had an official
position as music inspector. As a pianist, Henselt was exceedingly
eminent, and may be ranked next to Rubinstein and von Bülow, although
in later years nervousness prevented his playing in public. His etudes
are distinct additions to the technical resources of the piano, his
arrangements of Cramer etudes with second piano accompaniment are
praiseworthy.
=Karl Klindworth=, born 1830, was a pupil of Nicholas Rubinstein and
later, of Liszt. After living in London, he became professor of piano
playing at the Moscow Conservatory, from 1868-1884. Later he settled
in Berlin, became conductor of the Philharmonic Society, and opened a
conservatory with von Bülow, which was merged with that of Scharwenka
in 1893. Klindworth’s edition of Chopin is in some respects the best.
He has also edited Beethoven’s sonatas, and he prepared the piano score
of the entire “Ring of the Nibelung.”