Rubinstein, Anton

Preface

Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein
(28 November [O.S. 16 November] 1829, Vykhvatintsy, Podolia, Russia
[now in the Transnistria borderland of Moldavia] – 20 November [O.S. 8 November] 1894, Beverly Hills, California, USA)

Adagio and Scherzo pour orchestre
Deux Morceaux ajoutés à la Symphonie Océan, op. 42
added for the 1863 version of Rubinstein’s Symphony No. 2 in C Major “Ocean”
(originally composed in 1851-57 and published in 1858).

First performance of Symphony No. 2:
1857, Königsburg, conducted by the composer
I. Allegro maestoso in C major
II.Adagio non tanto in E minor
III. Allegro in G major
IV. Adagio in C minor; Allegro con fuoco in C major

New Adagio and Scherzo composed: 1862-1863

First performance of Symphony No. 2
with added movements: March 31, 1873, New York,
Theodore Thomas’ Orchestra, conducted by the composer
I. Allegro maestoso in C major
II. Adagio in D major
III. Adagio non tanto in E minor
[sometimes appearing as Adagio assai in concert programs]
IV. Allegro in G major
V. Scherzo: Allegro in F major
[sometimes Presto in concert programs]
VI. Adagio in C minor; Allegro con fuoco in C major

Final/complete version of Symphony No. 2 (1884)
I. Moderato assai in C major [original first movement]
II. Lento assai in A minor; Con moto moderato in A major [1884 “Storm scene”]
III. Andante in D major [1873 Adagio in D major]
IV. Allegro in G major [original third movement]
V. Andante in E minor [original second movement]
VI. Scherzo: Allegro in F major [1873 Scherzo: Allegro]
Trio: Moderato assai in B-flat major
VII. Andante in C minor; Allegro con fuoco in C major [original fourth movement]

Publication: Bartholf Senff (Leipzig) published the 94-page, six movement, full score in 1864.
Arranged for four hands by Richard Kleinmichel.
Best known as the founder of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Anton Rubinstein was one of the great nineteenth-century keyboard virtuosos. The summit of his performing career was a series of seven consecutive “Historical Recitals” covering the history of piano music. He presented these throughout Eastern Europe and the United States as a “Steinway artist,” receiving as much as 200 dollars (in gold) per concert, plus all expenses. Each recital could feature as many as eight full piano sonatas, plus encores: they made powerful impressions on fellow pianists from Clara Schumann to the young Sergei Rachmaninoff. The first recital of each series included selections by Byrd, Bull, Couperin, Rameau, Scarlatti, and Bach: these contrapuntal and melodically-dominated pieces demanded a contrasting touch that Rubinstein became known for. In addition to virtuosity and an encyclopedic memory, he was praised for his tone, sensuous style of playing, and stamina: he gave a total of 215 American concerts in 239 days (some times as many as three per day), and invested the proceeds in real estate near Saint Petersburg. …

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