Pavel Pabst
Encyclopedia
Paul Pabst Russ: Pavel (15 May 1854 - 9 June 1897) was a pianist, composer
, and Professor of Piano at Moscow Conservatory
.
, capital of East Prussia
. The young Pabst had a fortuitous meeting with Anton Rubinstein
when the great pianist/composer travelled to Koenigsberg as overseer of cultural programmes there. Pabst moved to Russia
as a most accomplished pianist in 1878. In the autumn of that year he accepted an invitation from Nikolai Rubinstein to teach at the Moscow Conservatory.
Peter Tchaikovsky frequently attended concerts given by Pabst, and used to refer to Pavel, as he was now known, as "a pianist of divine elegance", and "a pianist from God". Pabst was considered the greatest Professor of Piano at the Conservatory, and his students carried the great tradition of Russian romanticism into the 20th century. Pabst was considered one of the greatest pianists of his day, admired even by the great Franz Liszt
. He and the young Sergei Rachmaninov performed many concerts together.
Until now Pabst has been known as a composer only for his piano transcriptions of the music for the ballet and opera by Tchaikovsky. He also fingered the piano concerto by Arensky, and was the soloist at its premiere. Pabst’s piano transcriptions were loved by the most outstanding pianists of the time, and were considered to be on a par with those by the great Franz Liszt
himself.
Paul Pabst died suddenly in 1897 in Moscow and was buried at Vvedenskoye Cemetery. His funeral wreath from the Russian Musical Society contained the epitaph: To Honored Artist - Indefatigable Professor - Hardly simply a man.
, with Pabst as soloist, and with Anton Rubinstein
conducting. The score was then lost, but has recently been discovered.
Both Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov dedicated works to Pabst. Pabst was in illustrious company, and this is reflected in his Piano Concerto. It is an exquisite romantic work in three movements, lasting 33 minutes, full of wonderful tunes and a fiendishly difficult but lyrical solo part. On 19 April 2005, 120 years after its premiere, Pabst's 'Lost Concerto' was performed by Panagiotis Trochopoulos at a concert given in Minsk
by the Belarusian State Academic Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marius Stravinsky
. A live recording was also made.
This live recording was used for the world premiere CD release of Pavel Pabst's Piano Concerto on Cameo Classics CC9021CD.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and Professor of Piano at Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
.
Life and career
Pabst was born Christian Georg Paul Pabst in 1854, into a family of highly gifted musicians in KönigsbergKönigsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
, capital of East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
. The young Pabst had a fortuitous meeting with Anton Rubinstein
Anton Rubinstein
Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein was a Russian-Jewish pianist, composer and conductor. As a pianist he was regarded as a rival of Franz Liszt, and he ranks amongst the great keyboard virtuosos...
when the great pianist/composer travelled to Koenigsberg as overseer of cultural programmes there. Pabst moved to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
as a most accomplished pianist in 1878. In the autumn of that year he accepted an invitation from Nikolai Rubinstein to teach at the Moscow Conservatory.
Peter Tchaikovsky frequently attended concerts given by Pabst, and used to refer to Pavel, as he was now known, as "a pianist of divine elegance", and "a pianist from God". Pabst was considered the greatest Professor of Piano at the Conservatory, and his students carried the great tradition of Russian romanticism into the 20th century. Pabst was considered one of the greatest pianists of his day, admired even by the great Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
. He and the young Sergei Rachmaninov performed many concerts together.
Until now Pabst has been known as a composer only for his piano transcriptions of the music for the ballet and opera by Tchaikovsky. He also fingered the piano concerto by Arensky, and was the soloist at its premiere. Pabst’s piano transcriptions were loved by the most outstanding pianists of the time, and were considered to be on a par with those by the great Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
himself.
Paul Pabst died suddenly in 1897 in Moscow and was buried at Vvedenskoye Cemetery. His funeral wreath from the Russian Musical Society contained the epitaph: To Honored Artist - Indefatigable Professor - Hardly simply a man.
Orchestral work
In 1885 he wrote his only orchestral work, the Piano Concerto in E-flat major. Its first performances were in St. Petersburg and MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, with Pabst as soloist, and with Anton Rubinstein
Anton Rubinstein
Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein was a Russian-Jewish pianist, composer and conductor. As a pianist he was regarded as a rival of Franz Liszt, and he ranks amongst the great keyboard virtuosos...
conducting. The score was then lost, but has recently been discovered.
Both Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov dedicated works to Pabst. Pabst was in illustrious company, and this is reflected in his Piano Concerto. It is an exquisite romantic work in three movements, lasting 33 minutes, full of wonderful tunes and a fiendishly difficult but lyrical solo part. On 19 April 2005, 120 years after its premiere, Pabst's 'Lost Concerto' was performed by Panagiotis Trochopoulos at a concert given in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
by the Belarusian State Academic Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marius Stravinsky
Marius Stravinsky
Marius Stravinsky is a British conductor. He was born in Alma-Ata in Kazakhstan and is the son of pianists Povilas Stravinsky and Eleonora Nakipbekova.- Studies :...
. A live recording was also made.
This live recording was used for the world premiere CD release of Pavel Pabst's Piano Concerto on Cameo Classics CC9021CD.