In 1912, Neuhaus attended a concert in Berlin in which Arthur Rubinstein premiered Szymanowski’s Piano Sonata No. 2 , and left a suicide note saying that the concert had made clear to him that he would never be successful as a composer or a pianist and that he could not go on living, and was going to Florence in Italy to die. Szymanowski and Rubinstein hastily followed Neuhaus to Florence and tracked him down to a hospital, where he was safe and recovering after cutting his wrist in a hotel.
^^^^ That time in his life wasn’t a happy one. Here are two photos from 1911 and 1919 which appear to have been a time of trouble and searching for him
Da Leche-Tits-Key certainly had da habit of being romantically involved with his female students…
I’d say the main characteristic of his teaching was that he had NO particular method. He adjusted his teaching to the indivual needs of each students, and succeeded often in bringing out the best in them while preserving their own style. The hallmark of a great teachah.
n da Leschetizky
himzelf
