Arthur Rubinstein

The acclaimed Jewish concert pianist Arthur Rubenstein once said, "When I was young I divided my time impartially among wine, women and song. I deny this categorically. Ninety percent of my interests were women." In later life Rubinstein was a notorious philanderer and his passion for the opposite sex was only exceeded by his passion for playing the piano during a career which lasted eight decades. He became one of the world's most famed concert pianists and although he had a very wide repertoire he will always be remembered for his outstanding interpretations of the works of Chopin. Although a confirmed agnostic, Rubinstein was nevertheless extremely proud of his Jewish heritage and maintained a long association with the Israel Pilharmonic Orchestra. Having lost family members in the holocaust he bitterly resented Germany's conduct in the Second World War, so much so that when asked to play a concert with the Chicago Symphony he refused on the grounds that the conductor was Wilhelm Furtwängler, a well known German composer. Rubinstein's criticism of Furtwängler overlooked the fact that the composer was a critic of the Nazi party and a keen advocate of Jewish musicians. During his life Rubenstein was outspoken on the subject of practice and often stated that too much practice was detrimental to a musician's ability to perform in a fresh and interesting way. After being a prominent force in classical music for almost all his adult life Rubinstein died peacefully in his sleep in 1982 aged 95.

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