163 Lady Annabelle Weidenfeld, who lived with Arthur Rubinstein in Paris and Geneva until he died in 1982 recalls: 1975 was incredible: It began with a big American tour during which the "Recital for Israel" was filmed at Ambassador College, Pasadena, California, on January 15. The organizer, Herbert Armstrong, was crazy about him. Rubinstein did not know it was being filmed. They were putting very bright lights on the keyboard to help him see. He wasn't comfortable at all during that recital. He wasn't happy. He played Beethoven, Schumann, Mendelssohn (Spinnerlied), Debussy (Prélude and La plus que lente), and Chopin (Nocturnes, Scherzo No.3, Two Études, Waltz, Op. 64, No.2, Polonaise 'Heroic', and Ballade No. 4). He was already having problems with his eyesight, which were particularly challenging in those early days, and it wasn't his best, but many people say they think it was wonderful. This was followed by a Spanish tour during which he was practicing hard his Beethoven concerti, particularly the first two which he had played less in public, as they were to be recorded immediately afterwards in London with Daniel Barenboim and the London Philharmonic. He did two video recordings with André Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra: SaintSaëns' second concerto and Chopin's second concerto in Fairfield Hall in Croydon. He came to Jerusalem and played Beethoven's Emperor Concerto with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and Alexander Schneider. On May 30, 1975, he performed in his hometown of Łódź with the Łódź Philharmonic under Henryk Czyż, featuring Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Beethoven’s "Emperor" Concerto, as well as the Chopin Polonaise in A-flat Major as an encore. He also recorded in Israel Brahms’ first piano concerto with Zubin Mehta and the IPO. It was while giving concerts in the USA during the Autumn that he was suddenly unable to read his review. Macular degeneration was diagnosed. The last year that he was performing, 1976, at the age of 89, started with his last tour to America. Concerts in Spain followed. There was his final recital at Wigmore Hall, London on May 31st. After that there was a performance of Schumann’s Piano Concerto at the Festival Hall, London with Charles Groves conducting and shortly after that he gave his last concert with the Schumann concerto in Strasbourg, with the Philharmonic under Alain Lombard. He reported to me afterwards that he had missed some notes at the end of the second movement leading into the last. Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) Rondo in C Major for Two Pianos, Op. 73 (posth.) Chopin wrote most of his works for the piano. Many pieces - such as his waltzes, nocturnes, preludes, mazurkas, and polonaises - were intended for performance in intimate home concerts. Over time, these works became popular and are now performed in concert halls worldwide. Chopin composed the Rondo in C Major in 1828 while studying at the Warsaw Conservatory. The piece offers a fascinating perspective into the style of the composer at age eighteen. Although it was assigned a high opus number (published posthumously), it was actually written before his two piano concerti and prior to his final departure for Paris. Opening Event
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