By ROY I». JOHNSON Fargo Forum Staff the
1
TWENTY-FOUR THE FARGO FORUM Sunday Morning, March 25,1951 Rubinstein’s Greatest Delight Is Talking About Children Piano Virtuoso Describes His Ideals By ROY I». JOHNSON Fargo Forum Staff Writer Artur Rubinstein is first a piano virtuoso. But he also is a father and there is nothing that delights him more than to talk children. As he discussed coffee cup in the while in Fargo for eyes glistened.. At times he seemed sad at the thought that his concert tour keeps him separated from them. Like any proud father, he told of their accomplishments. Then he described the ideals he tries to implant in their minds. He told of the methods he used in teaching them how to become cultured members of the society they must live in. • • • It had been somewhat of a dis- appointment to him that none show an interest in music. That is, until last year. Not until then did he make the thrilling discovegty 'iti¿ñ= Johnny was crazjzy about music, and more impor'titant, the piano. If the pleased (father can make his dream come 5 true, there will be another greafet pianist named Rubinstein. "It was most deplorable,” Rubin- stein recalled. “Trhe children just did not care abot)ut music. "Paul was plairjnly bored. When- ever I played, h|e dozed off, fell fast asleep. Hfie liked boogie woogie, as most j boys do. "Eva lived for* the dance. She would become a a ballerina. • ♦ ♦ • "But Johnny, . . that was some- thing else. We > had brought the younger ones sor0nie of those chil- dren’s records. AX11 about Bozo and those characters,s, you know. “I was astoumnded at the in- terest he tookik in them. He played them ovtver and over. Once in a while he j would notice a passage similar ,r to those in the pieces I had I been rehearsing with. “ ‘Daddy, I hhave heard you playing that,’ heje said. "That was raather a promising sign. I brought irjn a few recordings of rny own playiying. ,J sit and listen in- d see that he en- was a great thrill about his four them over a Gardner hotel a concert, his ARTUR RUBINSTEIN is proud of his four children and of the photographic skill of his wife, Nela, who took this photograph last fall in their Beverly Hills, Calif., home. At the left is Paul, 16, holding Johnny, 4. Eva, 18, is next to her father, and beside her little Alina, who is 6. -- «1 ¡licking away at the piano. I am beginning to think we have a piano player on the way up.” « * • Sweet little Alina has not yet shown any particular bent beyond that of other girls of her age. It is the progress of Eva and Paul in which the father takes especial pride. Eva was born in Buenos Aires and Paul in Warsaw, for the parents always traveled together on concert tours in those days. The children had problems incident to travel and change of language which most youngsters escape. The parents speak Polish when together, and the two youngest had to learn a smattering of that, as well as French and Spanish. "I remember one day in Paris how hurt they were,” the father reminisced. "They were playing in a park. When they began talk- ing Polish, the French children made fun of them.” (The Rubin- stein home was in Paris when he last, was in Fargo). Good governesses helped and the children became fair linguists. Then they had to learn English when the Rubinstein family was permanently established in Cali- fornia not so many years ago. But rearing children has its problems, he said. Well known for his mimicry of others, the father gave an in- triguing demonstration of Paul’s uninhibited disdain for his father’s adherence to old world days. The old maestro stuck out his tongue and sounded off with a combina- tion of the raspberry. “I don’t disgusted, to show my respect for women by kissing their hands,” he said. "I don’t expect him to do that. I want him to just be an American and do things the way the Ameri- cans do. But as for Mrs. Rubin- stein and I, we are rather set in our ways. That is how we did it in the homeland.” (Rubinstein be- came an American citizen five years ago). * • • Rubinstein was rather disturbed over Paul. "I noticed something a little rough in him.” he said, jostling his arms to indicate an individual who might elbow his way about with- out concern for his neighbor’s rights. “He was not always careful of what he said to others. His actions were not right. "I have tried to teach him to treat everybody with the utmost courtesy. I want him to be the first to rise when a guest enters the room, and always say please, pardon me and thank you, and to I answer every question respect- fully. "The world has so much vio- lence, so much coarseness, so much unkindness and so much disregard for the happiness of others that I feel parents have a most important duty in teaching courtesy, kindness and respect. ♦ * • "If you see a boy or girl who is unkind, who is unthoughtful, who is discourteous and coarse, who elbows his or her way about, you can almost be sure the parents have neglected their task.” Paul had another disturbing habit that brought on a kindly and effective lecture from his father. He was careless about his clothes. "We have a beautiful home in ■Beverly Hills and we are all proud of it,” the father said. "One day I used our home and its furnishings to point a moral. "I have always insisted that the children put on something fresh and clean when we sit down to eat. "Paul began appearing at the table in soiled and wrinkled play clothes. I objected one day at din- ner. He objected because I ob- jected. Bronx cheer and the blame Paul for being but it is my custom » '4, waáw. ■ ' •* ••"» . •’> ■: • * * “ ‘Paul,’ I said, ‘do you see those beautiful paintings on the walls. They are by great masters and I paid thousands of dollars for them. Look at this fine table, how well it is made. It was the best I could buy. This silver, it is not some- thing common. This china, it is the finest money can get. That vase of flowers, look at it. “ 'This Is a wonderful room. It is filled with beautiful things. the entire school. Now he is at i the Cates school for boys in Santa Barbara. He has already been ad- mitted to the Sheffield school for engineers at Yale. After that he goes to the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology." Eva plans to become a writer. "At first we thought she would become a great dancer.” the father said. "She has made much progress and both Marko- vitch and Danilova said she had a promising future. “By the time she finished high school at 16, something happened. Eva won the first prize in school poetry given by Atlantic Monthly. So now she will become a writer and poet. "She is at Scripps college »n Pomona, Calif., and she is doing wonderfully.” Rubinstein’s life is a panorama of great things ahead to which he looks forward. One of the great- est events in the immediate future will be his reunion with his adored family May 9. His attractive blonde wife, the ormer Nela Mlynarski, usually al- ternates a month with the chil- dren and the next with her hus- band. She left him at Kansas City only a few days before he came to Fargo. They have been a happy cou- ple since their marriage in Lon- don in 1932. Many ambassadors attended the nuptials. Ruth Draper, the famous American actress and monologuist, gave the bride away. A few years ago Rubinstein was able to accomplish the almost miraculous feat of bringing his wife’s 73-year-old mother out of Poland. She now is a hapoy mem- ber of the family, spending her time puttering about their lovely garden and watching her grand- children grow up. Aside from his family, ftubin- THERE’S A GLEAM in a proud father’s eyes as Artur Rubinstein, the noted pianist, tells the story of his four clever children and his hopes for their future, while in Fargo to play a concert. (Fargo Forum Photo) stein looks forward to many other without its unpleasant moments, pleasant things, his fine home, his but he takes it in stride. A week five-acre garden, his swimming pool- and tennis court, and with especial joy, his visit to Israeli in Palestine next autumn. There he will play 20 concerts. "My life is very happy,” he said. “It was a great thing, that after 10 years we got two more chil- dren. It made a new man out of me. "I am happy too because everybody is always kind to me. Everywhere I go, simple, modest people and great people recog- nize my face and say kind things to me. It is nice to be among cultured people. "Elevator girls, bell boys, taxi drivers—all have a kind word to say. It is like living in a world filled with friends. “Of course there are rough and brusque people, who push and elbow their way, and who shout. Those I feel sorry for. How were they brought up?” Rubinstein does not plan to re- tire. Never. "My fondest hope is that when my time comes I may die on the concert stage,” he said. "Retire? No, that would be like going to the cemetery for me. Play golf? Sit around read? Not do anything? that’s not for me. "See what retiring does to nessmen. How long do they Three months? Six months? terrible to think of having noth- ing to do, of not being wanted, not being a part of life. "When I die, I want to die standing up before my audience.” Should he discern that his musician ship is deteriorating, Rubinstein believes he will force himself to work in the musical field, probably as a teacher. But retire . . . Never. Making a concert tour is not and No, busi- live? It is ago Saturday, he waded through snow to his knees for his re- hearsals in Minneapolis. After his concert in Fargo he was not able to get to bed until after 2 a. m. He had to drive 10 miles to Glyndon, Minn., to catch a train for Winnipeg. Sometimes getting into where he is was forced clutching his On one occasion, as he waited before a crowded auditorium door, a passerby remarked to him: "My God, what a crowd! Probably a wrestling match going on.” "That is right,” replied Rubin- stein. “I am going to wrestle a piano.” r * • » Rubinstein often worries about his pianos, viewing with horror the possibility that the large Steinway he uses has not arrived. Usually they are shipped into smaller communities for each con- cert. The $7,500 instrument used in Fargo came from Minneapolis. "It is too bad that I do not know anything but piano,” he remarked. "I should learn some other stunt.” The pianist was amazed to learn that Fargo-Moorhead has a sym- phony orchestra that has thrived 20 years, and that Leonard Shure would be its assisting artist April 1. „ , "That is simply wonderful,” he said. He is watching with interest the public reception of a new movie, "Of Men and Music,” in which he appears with Alina and Johnny in his home and plays the piano 30 minutes. "I play ‘Pop Goes the Weasel’ and we sing together," he said. "I think most people will enjoy it.” During his tours he whiles away he has difficulty the auditoriums to play. Once he to jump a fence, tails. his leisure time by seeing the best plays and films and visiting the art exhibits and museums. The long hours he spends on trains are devoted to reading. On his way to Fargo from Minne- apolis he read "Darkness at Noon.’’ Another book he recently enjoyed is "The Young Liars.” * * ♦ Rubinstein has a large library in his home. In it are many first editions, including a full set of Charles Dickens. He also has the original magazine version of Dickens’ stories as they first ap- peared in London, having acquired them at a sale. "The happiest life,” he said, “is that which one spends amid the worthwhile things In life . . . fine books, fine music, fine art and cultured people.” As for piano playing, "that I shall always adore," he said. "I think that if I could get no more than one man, and he deaf in one ear, I would play for him most happily if he would sit and listen.” I You come into It and you make it ugly with untidy clothes. “ ‘Take off those jeans. Put on a nice suit. Get a clean shirt and put on a tie.’ "I think Paul understood. We have had no further difficulty.” • • • Another time Rubinstein seized upon an excellent opportunity to teach Paul courtesy. The maestro often goes market- ing at the large Farmers market in Beverly Hills, a task which de- lights him. Paul was with him. Rubinstein had great difficulty finding a park- ing place. Thrice he drove around the block. Suddenly he spied a car back- ing out. At last a space was open. But looking into his rear view mirror, Rubinstein saw another car immediately behind him. Its occupa'nts were two perturbed women, also looking for a place to park. Rubinstein drove ahead. Then, quickly stepping out of his car. he greeted the women with a deep bow and a beaming smile, beckoning them into the vacant space. Paul was angry. "Why did you do that?” he pro- tested. "We’probably won’t find another spot in an hour.” “That is wfiat I mean by good manners, Paul,” said the father. His son will not forget. Paul has turned out a rather brilliant young mathematician and may distinguish himself some day, the father believes. "He was barely 16 when he fin- ished high school last June,” he said. “He led not his class, but
Transcript of By ROY I». JOHNSON Fargo Forum Staff the
TWENTY-FOUR THE FARGO FORUM Sunday Morning, March 25,1951
Rubinstein’s Greatest Delight Is Talking About ChildrenPiano VirtuosoDescribesHis Ideals
By ROY I». JOHNSONFargo Forum Staff Writer
Artur Rubinstein is first a piano virtuoso.
But he also is a father and there is nothing that delights him more than to talk children.
As he discussed coffee cup in the while in Fargo for eyes glistened..
At times he seemed sad at the thought that his concert tour keeps him separated from them. Like any proud father, he told of their accomplishments.Then he described the ideals he
tries to implant in their minds. He told of the methods he used in teaching them how to become cultured members of the society they must live in.
• • •It had been somewhat of a dis
appointment to him that none show an interest in music. That is, until last year.
Not until then did he make the thrilling discovegty 'iti¿ñ=Johnny was crazjzy about music, and more impor 'titant, the piano.
If the pleased (father can make his dream come 5 true, there will be another greafet pianist named Rubinstein."It was most deplorable,” Rubin
stein recalled. “Trhe children just did not care abot)ut music.
"Paul was plairjnly bored. Whenever I played, h|e dozed off, fell fast asleep. Hfie liked boogie woogie, as most j boys do.
"Eva lived for* the dance. She would become a a ballerina.
• ♦ ♦ •"But Johnny, . . that was some
thing else. We > had brought the younger ones sor0nie of those children’s records. AX11 about Bozo and those characters,s, you know.
“I was astoumnded at the interest he tookik in them. He played them ovtver and over. Once in a while he j would notice a passage similar ,r to those in the pieces I had I been rehearsing with.“ ‘Daddy, I hhave heard you
playing that,’ heje said."That was raather a promising
sign. I brought irjn a few recordings of rny own playiying.
,J sit and listen in- d see that he en- was a great thrill
about his four
them over a Gardner hotel a concert, his
ARTUR RUBINSTEIN is proud of his four children and of the photographic skill of his wife, Nela, who took this photograph last fall in their Beverly Hills, Calif., home. At the left is Paul, 16, holding Johnny, 4. Eva, 18, is next to her father, and beside her little Alina, who is 6.
--
«1
¡licking away at the
piano. I am beginning to think we have a piano player on the way up.” « * •
Sweet little Alina has not yet shown any particular bent beyond that of other girls of her age. It is the progress of Eva and Paul in which the father takes especial pride.
Eva was born in Buenos Aires and Paul in Warsaw, for the parents always traveled together on concert tours in those days. The children had problems incident to travel and change of language which most youngsters escape.
The parents speak Polish when together, and the two youngest had to learn a smattering of that, as well as French and Spanish."I remember one day in Paris
how hurt they were,” the father reminisced. "They were playing in a park. When they began talking Polish, the French children made fun of them.” (The Rubinstein home was in Paris when he last, was in Fargo).
Good governesses helped and the
children became fair linguists. Then they had to learn English when the Rubinstein family was permanently established in California not so many years ago. But rearing children has its problems, he said.
Well known for his mimicry of others, the father gave an intriguing demonstration of Paul’s uninhibited disdain for his father’s adherence to old world days. The old maestro stuck out his tongue and sounded off with a combination of the raspberry.
“I don’tdisgusted, to show my respect for women by kissing their hands,” he said."I don’t expect him to do that.
I want him to just be an American and do things the way the Americans do. But as for Mrs. Rubinstein and I, we are rather set in our ways. That is how we did it in the homeland.” (Rubinstein became an American citizen five years ago). * • •
Rubinstein was rather disturbed over Paul.
"I noticed something a little rough in him.” he said, jostling his arms to indicate an individual who might elbow his way about without concern for his neighbor’s rights.
“He was not always careful of what he said to others. His actions were not right.
"I have tried to teach him to treat everybody with the utmost courtesy. I want him to be the first to rise when a guest enters the room, and always say please, pardon me and thank you, and to
I answer every question respectfully."The world has so much vio
lence, so much coarseness, so much unkindness and so much disregard for the happiness of others that I feel parents have a most important duty in teaching courtesy, kindness and respect. ♦ * •
"If you see a boy or girl who is unkind, who is unthoughtful, who is discourteous and coarse, who elbows his or her way about, you can almost be sure the parents have neglected their task.”
Paul had another disturbing habit that brought on a kindly and effective lecture from his father. He was careless about his clothes.
"We have a beautiful home in ■Beverly Hills and we are all proud of it,” the father said."One day I used our home and
its furnishings to point a moral."I have always insisted that the
children put on something fresh and clean when we sit down to eat.
"Paul began appearing at the table in soiled and wrinkled play clothes. I objected one day at dinner. He objected because I objected.
Bronx cheer and the
blame Paul for being but it is my custom
»
'4, waáw.
■
' •* • •"» . •’> ■:
• * *“ ‘Paul,’ I said, ‘do you see those
beautiful paintings on the walls. They are by great masters and I paid thousands of dollars for them. Look at this fine table, how well it is made. It was the best I could buy. This silver, it is not something common. This china, it is the finest money can get. That vase of flowers, look at it.
“ 'This Is a wonderful room. It is filled with beautiful things.
the entire school. Now he is at i the Cates school for boys in Santa Barbara. He has already been admitted to the Sheffield school for engineers at Yale. After that he goes to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology."
Eva plans to become a writer."At first we thought she
would become a great dancer.” the father said. "She has made much progress and both Marko- vitch and Danilova said she had a promising future.“By the time she finished high
school at 16, something happened. Eva won the first prize in school poetry given by Atlantic Monthly. So now she will become a writer and poet.
"She is at Scripps college »n Pomona, Calif., and she is doing wonderfully.”
Rubinstein’s life is a panorama of great things ahead to which he looks forward. One of the greatest events in the immediate future will be his reunion with his adored family May 9.
His attractive blonde wife, the ormer Nela Mlynarski, usually al
ternates a month with the children and the next with her husband. She left him at Kansas City only a few days before he came to Fargo.
They have been a happy couple since their marriage in London in 1932. Many ambassadors attended the nuptials. Ruth Draper, the famous American actress and monologuist, gave the bride away.A few years ago Rubinstein was
able to accomplish the almost miraculous feat of bringing his wife’s 73-year-old mother out of Poland. She now is a hapoy member of the family, spending her time puttering about their lovely garden and watching her grandchildren grow up.
Aside from his family, ftubin-
THERE’S A GLEAM in a proud father’s eyes as Artur Rubinstein, the noted pianist, tells the story of his four clever children and his hopes for their future, while in Fargo to play a concert. (Fargo Forum Photo)
stein looks forward to many other without its unpleasant moments, pleasant things, his fine home, his but he takes it in stride. A weekfive-acre garden, his swimming pool- and tennis court, and with especial joy, his visit to Israeli in Palestine next autumn. There he will play 20 concerts.
"My life is very happy,” he said. “It was a great thing, that after 10 years we got two more children. It made a new man out of me.
"I am happy too because everybody is always kind to me. Everywhere I go, simple, modest people and great people recognize my face and say kind things to me. It is nice to be among cultured people."Elevator girls, bell boys, taxi
drivers—all have a kind word to say. It is like living in a world filled with friends.
“Of course there are rough and brusque people, who push and elbow their way, and who shout. Those I feel sorry for. How were they brought up?”
Rubinstein does not plan to retire. Never.
"My fondest hope is that when my time comes I may die on the concert stage,” he said.
"Retire? No, that would be like going to the cemetery for me. Play golf? Sit around read? Not do anything? that’s not for me."See what retiring does to
nessmen. How long do they Three months? Six months? terrible to think of having nothing to do, of not being wanted, not being a part of life.
"When I die, I want to die standing up before my audience.”
Should he discern that his musician ship is deteriorating, Rubinstein believes he will force himself to work in the musical field, probably as a teacher. But retire . . . Never.
Making a concert tour is not
and No,
busi- live? It is
ago Saturday, he waded through snow to his knees for his rehearsals in Minneapolis.
After his concert in Fargo he was not able to get to bed until after 2 a. m. He had to drive 10 miles to Glyndon, Minn., to catch a train for Winnipeg.
Sometimes getting into where he is was forced clutching hisOn one occasion, as he waited
before a crowded auditorium door, a passerby remarked to him: "My God, what a crowd! Probably a wrestling match going on.”
"That is right,” replied Rubinstein. “I am going to wrestle a piano.” r * • »
Rubinstein often worries about his pianos, viewing with horror the possibility that the large Steinway he uses has not arrived.
Usually they are shipped into smaller communities for each concert. The $7,500 instrument used in Fargo came from Minneapolis.
"It is too bad that I do not know anything but piano,” he remarked. "I should learn some other stunt.”
The pianist was amazed to learn that Fargo-Moorhead has a symphony orchestra that has thrived 20 years, and that Leonard Shure would be its assisting artist April 1. „ ,
"That is simply wonderful,” he said.
He is watching with interest the public reception of a new movie, "Of Men and Music,” in which he appears with Alina and Johnny in his home and plays the piano 30 minutes."I play ‘Pop Goes the Weasel’
and we sing together," he said. "I think most people will enjoy it.”
During his tours he whiles away
he has difficulty the auditoriums
to play. Once he to jump a fence, tails.
his leisure time by seeing the best plays and films and visiting the art exhibits and museums.
The long hours he spends on trains are devoted to reading. On his way to Fargo from Minneapolis he read "Darkness at Noon.’’ Another book he recently enjoyed is "The Young Liars.”* * ♦
Rubinstein has a large library in his home. In it are many first editions, including a full set of Charles Dickens. He also has the original magazine version of Dickens’ stories as they first appeared in London, having acquired them at a sale.
"The happiest life,” he said, “is that which one spends amid the worthwhile things In life . . . fine books, fine music, fine art and cultured people.”As for piano playing, "that I
shall always adore," he said."I think that if I could get no
more than one man, and he deaf in one ear, I would play for him most happily if he would sit and listen.”
I
You come into It and you make it ugly with untidy clothes.
“ ‘Take off those jeans. Put on a nice suit. Get a clean shirt and put on a tie.’"I think Paul understood. We
have had no further difficulty.”• • •
Another time Rubinstein seized upon an excellent opportunity to teach Paul courtesy.
The maestro often goes marketing at the large Farmers market in Beverly Hills, a task which delights him.
Paul was with him. Rubinstein had great difficulty finding a parking place. Thrice he drove around the block.
Suddenly he spied a car backing out. At last a space was open.
But looking into his rear view mirror, Rubinstein saw another car immediately behind him. Its occupa'nts were two perturbed women, also looking for a place to park.
Rubinstein drove ahead. Then, quickly stepping out of his car. he greeted the women with a deep bow and a beaming smile, beckoning them into the vacant space.Paul was angry."Why did you do that?” he pro
tested. "We’probably won’t find another spot in an hour.”
“That is wfiat I mean by good manners, Paul,” said the father. His son will not forget.
Paul has turned out a rather brilliant young mathematician and may distinguish himself some day, the father believes.
"He was barely 16 when he finished high school last June,” he said. “He led not his class, but
