phrases of 'Semiramide,'
'Tancredi,' and the 'Barber.'" There is scarcely a number of the "Stabat
Mater" which might not be detached from it and reset in one of Rossini's
operas without doing violence to whatever of the real religious style it
may be supposed, or was intended, to have. The "Stabat Mater" music would
be captivatingly beautiful in any setting.

RUBINSTEIN.

Anton Gregor Rubinstein was born, Nov. 30, 1829, at the village of
Wechwotynetz, in Russia. His parents, who were in moderate circumstances,
moved to Moscow during his infancy, and in that city he received his
first musical instruction. His mother gave him lessons at the age of
four, with the result that by the time he was six she was unable to teach
him anything more. He then studied the piano with Alexander Villoing, a
pupil of John Field. His first composition appeared in his twelfth year,
and soon his songs and two and four hand piano-pieces began to attract
the attention of musicians. In 1840 Villoing took him to Paris and placed
him in the Conservatory, where he attracted the attention of Liszt,
Chopin, and Thalberg. He remained in that city eighteen months, devoting
himself to unremitting study, and then made some professional tours, in
which he met with extraordinary success, particularly in England. From
that country he went to Holland and Sweden, everywhere meeting with an
enthusiastic reception. In 1844 his parents removed to Berlin, and he was
placed under Dehn, the famous contrapuntist, to study composition, his
brother Nicholas being a companion in his work. The father dying in 1846,
the mother and Nicholas returned to Russia, leaving Anton alone. During
the next two years he taught music in Pressburg and Vienna, and in the
latter part of 1848 went back to Russia. About this time he received an
honorary musical appointment from the Grand-Duchess Helene. For eight
years he studied and wrote in St. Petersburg, and at the end of that time
had accumulated a mass of manuscripts destined to make his name famous
all over Europe, while his reputation as a skilful pianist was already
world-wide. He visited England again in 1857, and the next year returned
home and settled in St. Petersburg, about which time he was made Imperial
Concert Director, with a life-pension. At this period in his career he
devoted himself to the cause of music in Russia. His first great work was
the foundation of the Conservatory in t