Rubin, Marcel

(b Vienna, 7 July 1905; d Vienna, 12 May 1995). Austrian composer and music critic. He studied at the Vienna Music Academy with Franz Schmidt (theory), among others, and privately with Milhaud in Paris (1925--31). He also completed the doctorate in law (1933) at the University of Vienna. After emigrating to France in 1938, he moved to Mexico City (1942), where he was a repetiteur at the opera house, as well as an active piano accompanist and conductor of his own works. On his return to Austria in 1947, he worked as a music critic for Die Volksstimme and composed music for the theatre; he served as president of the Gesellschaft der Autoren, Komponisten und Musikverleger Osterreichs from 1975 to 1984. His awards include the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art, the Austrian State Music Prize, the city of Vienna's Grand Music Prize and an honorary membership in the Musikfreunde.

Rubin's musical language shows the influence of 'Les Six'. In his works tonality and harmony are explored to their limits, and melody retains its importance despite a strong rhythmic emphasis; orchestration is given equal attention to these traditional pillars of musical composition. Other characteristic features include textures made up of multiple voices and clear formal structures. In his later works, Rubin's musical discourse was increasingly placed in the service of humanitarian and spiritual ideas; as a consequence, his musical language gained intensity and scope.

WORKS

stage
Die Stadt (ballet, E. Canetti, after M. Gorki), 1933, rev. 1980; Kleider machen Leute (komische Oper, prol., 4, Rubin, after G. Keller), 1966--9, Vienna, 1973, orch suite, 1973

instrumental
Syms.: no.1, 1927--8, rev. 1957; no.2, 1937, rev. 1974; no.3, 1939, rev. 1962; no.4 'Dies irae', 1943--4, rev. 1972; no.5, 1964--5; no.6, 1973--4, rev. 1983; no.7, 1976--7; no.8, 1980; no.9, 1984 [after A. Silesius]; no.10 'Hommage a Chartres', 1986
Other orch: Ballade, 1948; Musik zu einer Nestroy-Posse, 1958; Rondo-Burleske, 1960; 3 Komodianten, 1963; Sinfonietta, str, 1965--6; Sonatine, 1965; Db Conc., 1970; Pastorale, str, 1970; Tpt Conc., 1971--2; Bn Conc., 1976; Variationen uber einen Bach-Choral, 1978; Hymnen an die Nacht, 1982 [after Novalis]; Triptychon, 1984; Pf Conc., 1992; Concertino, vc, chbr orch, 1993--4; Sinfonia concertante, vn, tpt, bn, chbr orch, 1993; Conc., fl, str, 1994
Chbr and solo inst: Str Qt no.1, 1926, rev. 1961; Sonatine, ob, pf, 1927; Str Trio, 1927, rev. 1962; Sonata, vc, pf, 1928; Divertimento, pf trio, 1966--7; Serenade, wind qnt, 1971; Sonata, vn, pf, 1974; Concertino, 12 vc, 1975; Variationen uber ein franzosisches Revolutionslied, cl, bn, hn, tpt, trbn, perc, str qt, db, 1976; Petite serenade, gui, 1977; Variationen uber ein Schubert-Thema, cl, bn, hn, str qt, db, 1979; 4 Impressionen, 8 vc, 1981 [after A. Rimbaud]; Der Schneider im Himmel (J.L.C. and W. Grimm), spkr, wind qnt, str qt, db, 1981; Str Qt no.2, 1981; Cl Qnt, 1985; Str Qt no.3, 1989--90; Str Qt no.4, 1990; Str Qt no.5, 1990--91; Str Qt no.6, 1991; Duo, vn, vc, 1994; Serenade, pf qnt, 1994
Kbd: Sonata no.1, pf, 1925, rev. 1974; Sonata no.2, pf, 1926--7; Sonata no.3, pf, 1928; Tageszeiten, 4 pieces, pf, 1955; Variationen uber einen Bach-Choral, org, 1980; Klaviermusik 94, pf, 1994; Sonata no.4, pf, 1994

vocal
Choral: Die Albigenser (N. Lenau), spkr, A, T, B, chorus, orch, 1957--61; O ihr Menschen (Ein Heiligenstadter Psalm) (orat, L. van Beethoven, Bible), Bar, chorus, orch/chbr orch, 1977; Auferstehung (orat, Bible, A. Silesius, M. Claudius), S, A, T, B, chorus, orch, org, 1986; Licht uber Damaskus (orat, Bible, P. Gerhardt, C.F.D. Schubart, R.M. Rilke), S, A, T, B, chorus, orch, org, 1987--8; 4 Lieder aus Des Knaben Wunderhorn, chorus, 1991
Other vocal: 6 chansons (C. Marot), high v, pf, 1927; 5 Gedichte (G. Apollinaire), Bar, pf, 1928; 4 Gedichte (A. Rimbaud), high v, pf, 1936; Gegenwart (J.W. von Goethe), 6 lieder, high v, pf, 1938 [orchd, 1970]; 4 Gedichte (F. Villon), Bar, pf, 1939--40, rev. 1966; Lieder von unterwegs (J. Soyfer, O. Lysohorsky), 3 lieder, medium v, pf, 1940; 3 Marienlieder nach Des Knaben Wunderhorn, high v, pf, 1940, rev. 1971; 5 Gedichte (Goethe), Bar, pf, 1941; In den Bergen (C.F. Meyer), high v, pf, 1956; Dorfbilder (A. Grun), 6 lieder, medium v, pf, 1957; Nocturnes (J. Luitpold), 7 lieder, Bar/B, pf, 1962; Licht ist Liebe (C. Morgenstern), 7 lieder, high v, (fl, str qt)/pf, 1979; 5 Gedichte (F. Holderlin), B-Bar, pf, 1984; Nachtgedanken (Li Bai [Le Tai-Po]), medium v, pf, 1987; 7 Gedichte (H. Hesse), medium v, pf, 1990; 4 Gedichte (Lenau), high v, pf, 1991; Die 13 Monate (E. Kastner), medium v, fl, b cl, vn, va, vc, 1991--2; Mein Gluck (F. Nietzsche), 4 lieder, high v, pf, 1993; 7 Gedichte (Silesius), S, A, T, B, str qt, 1994
Principal publisher: Doblinger

BIBLIOGRAPHY
H. Krones: Marcel Rubin: eine Studie (Vienna, 1975, suppl. 1989)
H. Krones: 'Die Harmonik im Oeuvre Marcel Rubins', OMz, xlv (1990), 245--54
 

HARTMUT KRONES