My Many Years

by Arthur Rubinstein

Rubinstein's memoir is the continuation of his first earlier work which dealt with his childhood and early adult years. This work covers the year 1917 to 1980. It opens with an account of his South American tour, then goes on to tell of his brief time in New York. It then gives much space to his years in Paris in the 1920's and 1930's. It goes on to tell of his meeting his future wife Nela, their feeling the Gestapo in France and settling in Hollywood. As in Paris Rubinstein rapidly establishes himself as desired social figure and mingles with the social elite.Above all of course Rubinstein is a great master pianist. And he has much to say about the way an artist must use the gift which he has been given. This is a rich work and one most highly recommended.

Genres: Music, Biography, Memoir

626 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Artur Rubinstein was a Polish pianist who is widely considered as one of the greatest piano virtuosos of the 20th Century. He received international acclaim for his performances of Frédéric Chopin and Johannes Brahms and his championing of Spanish music.

Reviews

[Jelena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knjiga koja opisuje volju, borbu i bezuslovnu ljubav prema životu. Autor je svaki dan doživljavao kao novu avanturu, izazov i radost, pa se smatrao najsrećnijim čovjekom na svijetu.
"Život je bio i ostao bajka za mene; svakodnevno zahvaljujem proviđenju što mi je dozvolilo da budem deo te bajke."

[Dominika]

DNF 20%
Zaczęłam to z dupy od środka jego autobiografii tylko dlatego, żeby nie wyjść z pustymi rękami z biblioteki (i jeszcze zapłaciłam za przetrzymanie tej książki xd). Kiedyś, pewnie na stare lata wrócę, bo nie było takie złe, ale teraz Arturito mnie pokonał. 1:0 dla niego, ale to jeszcze nie koniec...

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

First all, a well written book. What I liked most about this book is the people he introduced me to, not to mention, well I am mentioning it, the pieces of music I would not have heard about if I had not written this book. I especially liked being introduced to Beethoven's, Archduke. I can't believe I had not ever been introduced to this incredible piece before. So glad it is part of my life.

[Banu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as fascinating as "My young years". To see how life of an artist is modeling with reputation...

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book. Reveals Rubinstein's rich life in music, art, food, friendship, and his love of life. He is one of the happiest person I ever heard of, his musical talent of being able to play piano pieces from the heart after 2-3 times of playing through the score serves him well. Thoroughly entertained with the dynamics of his friendship with various famous people like Picasso, Stravinsky, Chaliapin, Horowitz, Heifetz, and so on. You get the impression that his whole life consists of continuous party, travel, women, and good food, only interspersed with his duty of having to play the piano. That is only you also realize that he has such a huge repertoire that would put such a contrast with the young pianists of today, who Rubinstein would think of as being like race horses because of their narrow and focused repertoire and emphasis on right notes more than the intention of the composers. I find it very instructive how Rubinstein would deliberately leave out or simplify passages in difficult works just to accentuate the overall impression, the way choir accompanists sometimes do. You hear this in Rubinstein's recording of Stravinsky's Petrushka arrangement for solo piano, for instance. Of course, it is not a license to avoid technical difficulties in classic works, but I find such an outlook liberating somehow. There are many more interesting moments and anecdotes, highly recommended for music and art lovers.

[Featherpen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fascinating, enjoyable read. Rubinstein writes with such wit that every page of the nearly 500-page book is a page-turner. Granted, it was a little difficult to keep track of all of the names that come in and out of his life, but this book is so worth it for so many reasons. It's a gem for both it's historical and musical value. 100% recommend.

[Sigita San · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book. Having read both volumes of Arthur Rubinstein's autobiography, I am a huge fan.
This is a story of a man of an extreme talent, a sharp mind and a subtle wit. Not only it depicts in detail the great pianist's life, but also the era that is long gone.
The author vividly paints a picture of his life and times, taking its reader on a wonderous journey through time and world.

[Allan Wiener · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read

As a lover of classical music and the piano in particular, the life story of this great pianist is both heartwarming and illuminating. A must read for those who love life.

[Martha Rosemberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Except for his ego, the story is very interesting.

[Nikola Stojkovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nastavak divne autobiografije.

[Ivan Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a gifted musician! What an interesting life! What a marvelous storyteller!

[Avital · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this autobiography and then Liv Ulman's and Ingrid Bergman's, I realized I prefer biographies. Self-indulgence isn't fun for anyone but that self. That said, the life of Arthur Rubinstein was very interesting.