Anton Rubinstein - A Life in Music 22
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sian archives would greatly enhance our understanding of his life in Russia, and would throw considerable light on his relations with the Russian court and the origins and nature of the opposition toward him from the conservative press. In her recent article, The Disowning of Anton Rubinstein, Marina Frolova- Walker has rightly suggested that its causes were complex and anti-Semitism was only one factor. 8 His Jewish origins were undoubtedly an impediment to at- taining proper recognition in Russia and certainly account for the anti-Semitic attacks on him, particularly during the reign of Alexander III. But an even greater barrier existed for him, particularly at the start of his career, and that was the problem of class in a country where social standing was in¤nitely more important than talent or ability. Born the son of a merchant, he did not achieve elevation to the hereditary dvoryanstvo [gentry] until 1877. Publicly he ap- peared to disdain such honors, but privately he coveted them. A ¤ercely proud man, Rubinstein probably felt that his talent placed him in a class outside the norm. When he was ¤nally awarded the rank of Privy Counselor in 1888, for instance, he declared: “Before I was a king, and for many a god. Now I am a general, so that, properly speaking, means a demotion for me. But in our coun- try a person without a title even to this day is a nothing.” 9 An attitude such as this was bound to ruf®e imperial feathers, and Rubinstein’s irascible tempera- ment and outspoken manner would earn him many enemies. * * * The appendixes contain a list of Rubinstein’s works, the programs of the His- torical Concerts, a genealogical table, and selections from Gedankenkorb [A basket of thoughts] (a sort of diary Rubinstein began in the 1880s and con- tinued to write until his death, except during the years when he was preoccupied with other literary works). He gave authorization for it to be published post- humously, and the book eventually appeared in Leipzig in 1897. It consists of 470 entries, or aphorisms, of which a small number are translated in the appen- dix under rubrics rather than in the random manner of the original. Translating the whole of A Basket of Thoughts would take up far too much space, but even the limited selection given here will provide the reader with a vivid insight into Rubinstein’s aesthetics and the breadth and scope of his interests in art, morality, religion, history, and politics. The entries may raise a smile of amusement, or a frown of disapprobation, but rarely are they devoid of interest. Whether cynical, paradoxical, true, thought-provoking, prophetic, or false, they make for fasci- nating and stimulating reading. Introduction xxv
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Transcript of Anton Rubinstein - A Life in Music 22
sian archives would greatly enhance our understanding of his life in Russia,and would throw considerable light on his relations with the Russian court andthe origins and nature of the opposition toward him from the conservativepress. In her recent article, The Disowning of Anton Rubinstein, Marina Frolova-Walker has rightly suggested that its causes were complex and anti-Semitismwas only one factor.8 His Jewish origins were undoubtedly an impediment to at-taining proper recognition in Russia and certainly account for the anti-Semiticattacks on him, particularly during the reign of Alexander III. But an evengreater barrier existed for him, particularly at the start of his career, and thatwas the problem of class in a country where social standing was in¤nitely moreimportant than talent or ability. Born the son of a merchant, he did not achieveelevation to the hereditary dvoryanstvo [gentry] until 1877. Publicly he ap-peared to disdain such honors, but privately he coveted them. A ¤ercely proudman, Rubinstein probably felt that his talent placed him in a class outside thenorm. When he was ¤nally awarded the rank of Privy Counselor in 1888, forinstance, he declared: “Before I was a king, and for many a god. Now I am ageneral, so that, properly speaking, means a demotion for me. But in our coun-try a person without a title even to this day is a nothing.”9 An attitude such asthis was bound to ruf®e imperial feathers, and Rubinstein’s irascible tempera-ment and outspoken manner would earn him many enemies.
* * *
The appendixes contain a list of Rubinstein’s works, the programs of the His-torical Concerts, a genealogical table, and selections from Gedankenkorb [Abasket of thoughts] (a sort of diary Rubinstein began in the 1880s and con-tinued to write until his death, except during the years when he was preoccupiedwith other literary works). He gave authorization for it to be published post-humously, and the book eventually appeared in Leipzig in 1897. It consists of470 entries, or aphorisms, of which a small number are translated in the appen-dix under rubrics rather than in the random manner of the original. Translatingthe whole of A Basket of Thoughts would take up far too much space, but eventhe limited selection given here will provide the reader with a vivid insight intoRubinstein’s aesthetics and the breadth and scope of his interests in art, morality,religion, history, and politics. The entries may raise a smile of amusement, or afrown of disapprobation, but rarely are they devoid of interest. Whether cynical,paradoxical, true, thought-provoking, prophetic, or false, they make for fasci-nating and stimulating reading.
Introduction xxv
