Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein and his Russian Publishers

The article presents a focused look at the professional relations of the composer and pianist Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829—1894) with his main Russian publishers — V.V. Bessel and P.I. Jurgenson. The article is based on musical and historical research concerning the history of the Bessel and Jurgenson publishing houses, works on copyright, A.G. Rubinstein’s epistolary, and archival documents from the Russian National Museum of Music. For the first time in music science, there are revealed some pages of the history of personal and business contacts of the three named persons, primarily the conflicts related to the rights to publish the composer’s works in Russia. The first documented contract for the publications of A.G. Rubinstein was received by P.I. Jurgenson (for op. 82, 1868). However, the contract of A.G. Rubinstein with the trading house “Bessel and Co.”, concluded in 1871 (though Rubinstein’s first work had been published by Bessel two years earlier), was much more extensive and significant. Under this contract, it was supposed to publish more than fifty A.G. Rubinstein’s works of various genres, so in the 1870s, V.V. Bessel became the main Russian publisher of the composer. However, in 1879, A.G. Rubinstein unexpectedly changed his main publisher in Russia. This position was taken by P.I. Jurgenson, whose trading house also published an extensive list of Rubinstein’s compositions, as well as his literary works. This is evidenced by several notarized contracts, stored in the Russian National Museum of Music, between Rubinstein and “P.I. Jurgenson” company. Thus, the two leading Russian publishers of A.G. Rubinstein legally formalized their relations with the composer, which allows us to follow, in a reasoned and substantive way, the process of maturation of the institution of copyright for music publications in Russia in the last third of the 19th century.

Using the example of A.G. Rubinstein, in comparison with the position of M.A. Balakirev, the article also raises the issue of granting copyright to a publisher not only in Russia, but also “forever and for all countries”. The comparative analysis of publications of the same composer by different publishing companies is also new to Russian musicology, this helps identify certain accents that publishers put in popularizing A.G. Rubinstein’s works. The publication of the composer’s works by various publishers also highlights new aspects in his creative process, in the history of the creation, receipt of the opus number, and the titles of some of his works.

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39. Act of Transfer from A.G. Rubinstein to P.I. Jurgenson of the Rights to the Publications: “Children of the Steppes”, “Feramors”, “Nero”, “Merchant Kalashnikov”, “Babel”, “Paradise Lost”. Moscow, 1879, July 22, Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 914 (in Russ.).

40. Act of Transfer from A.G. Rubinstein to P.I. Jurgenson of the Rights to the Publications: op. 3, 4, 5, 26, 30, 44, 45, 50 and 20 romances. Moscow, 1886, January 14, Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 918 (in Russ.).

41. Act of Transfer from A.G. Rubinstein to P.I. Jurgenson of the Rights to the Publications: 1. Opera “Goryusha”. 2. Averkiev’s Libretto to It. 3. The Orchestral Score of the Opera “Goryusha”. 4. “Maria Polka”. Moscow, 1889, February 21Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 919 (in Russ.).

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43. Act of Transfer from A.G. Rubinstein to P.I. Jurgenson of the Rights to Publish the Composition “Conversations about Music”. Moscow. 1891, September 4, Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 922 (in Russ.).

44. Act of Transfer from A.G. Rubinstein to P.I. Jurgenson of the Rights to the Publications: 1. Waltz for Piano, 2. op. 61, 3. op. 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71. Moscow, 1891, September 4, Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 923 (in Russ.).

45. Act of Transfer from A.G. Rubinstein to P.I. Jurgenson of the Rights to the Publications of op. 118. Peterhof, 1894, June 28, Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 924 (in Russ.).

46. Act of Transfer from A.G. Rubinstein to P.I. Jurgenson of the Rights to Publish the Suite for Orchestra. St. Petersburg, 1894, November 4, Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 925 (in Russ.).

47. Act of Transfer from A.G. Rubinstein to P.I. Jurgenson of the Rights to Publish the Overture for the Opening of the Building of the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Moscow, 1899, September 7, Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 928 (in Russ.).

48. Letter from V.V. Bessel to P.I. Jurgenson of September 28, 1895, Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 926 (in Russ.).

49. Letter from V.V. Bessel to P.I. Jurgenson of November 9, 1898, Russian National Museum of Music, coll. 94, no. 927 (in Russ.).