Pianists: That Civilized Man

He looked, as always, as if he had just risen from a sumptuous and civilized dinner with dear old friends. And, as always, the banquet was just about to start. Striding onstage to his Steinway, he turned to his devoted audience at Manhattan's Philharmonic Hall with the suave little bow that he has made on more stages than any other pianist in history. Then Artur Rubinstein addressed himself to the feast: both of the Brahms concertos, either one of which is more than a good night's labor. But his strength and sureness only grew as he...