Anton Rubinstein Quotes

Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein was born to Jewish parents in the village of Vikhvatinets in the district of Podolsk, Russia, on the Dniestr River, about 150 kilometers northwest of Odessa. He was a Russian pianist, composer and conductor who became a pivotal figure in Russian culture when he founded the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. As a pianist, Rubinstein ranks amongst the great 19th-century keyboard virtuosos. He became most famous for his series of historical recitals—seven enormous, consecutive concerts covering the history of piano music. Rubinstein played this series throughout Russia and Eastern Europe and in the United States when he toured there. Although best remembered as a pianist and educator, Rubinstein was also a prolific composer throughout much of his life. He wrote 20 operas, the best known of which is The Demon.