Diary entries

November 19 1886 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: The Glinka Museum has details of this concert. Whether the Prelude and Fugue is from Book I or II of the Well Tempered Clavier is not stated.

December 8 1886 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Threlfall and Norris list a possible performance on this date at the house of Nikolai Zverev.

May 1888 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia
Conservatory

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: Threlfall and Norris list this performance (II/11). The work is mentioned in 'Rachmaninoff's Recollections' by Oskar von Riesemann, a facsimile of which the composer copied from memory for the book in 1931.

November 21 1888 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia
Conservatory

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this was a student Concert ‘for the benefit of needy students’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 16 1890 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia
Conservatory

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina notes that this was a concert in honour of Anton Rubinstein, celebrating ‘the 50th year of artistic activity’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

February 24 1891 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia
Conservatory

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: Satina indicates that this was a student concert ‘for the benefit of the needy students’. Threlfall and Norris list a performance of Rachmaninoff’s Deus Meus also on this date at the Conservatory, the composer conducting. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

October 17 1891 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this was a concert given by students of the Moscow Conservatory. Threlfall and Norris similarly note this performance (II/23). LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 30 1892 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia
Vostriakov Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this was the first concert given by Rachmaninoff since receiving his 1891 diploma. She indicates that the details of the program were copied from a mimeograph owned by Alexander Goldenweiser. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

March 17 1892 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia
Small Hall, Conservatory

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina notes that this was a concert by students of the Conservatory, with ‘proceeds given to the needy students’. Satina also notes that because of the lack of some instruments in the orchestra, Rachmaninoff accompanied Avierno in the playing of the Vieuxtemps. Precise details of the works, including whether more than single movements were played, were not known by Satina. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

September 26 1892 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist

Notes: Satina indicates that this was the first performance of the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2. The concert was the ‘18th Symphony Concert' at the Electrical Exhibit in Moscow. Satina notes the exact order of the program remains unknown, and that the details of works were copied from a review published in the journal ‘Artist’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 28 1892 (Julian calendar)

Kharkiv, Ukraine
Gorodsky Dom Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina references a photo of the program in Apetian, p. 89. The following short paragraph is included in Satina’s notes: “В письме к М.А. Слонову от 14 декабря 1892г. Рахманинов посылает ему программу концерта в Харькове, 28 декабря 1892г. В письме перечислены вещи, которые будут испольняться Рахманиновым. Не зная, повидимому, что будет петь Слонов, Рахманинов под номером 2 пишет в шутку: "Мишка Слонов доказывает земли вращение". Под номером 5: "Мишка Слонов доказывает всю несостоятельность доводов Деруледа в Панамской пертурбации." (“In a letter to M.A. Slonov from 14 December 1892 Rachmaninoff sends him the programme for the concert in Kharkiv, 28 December 1892. The letter lists all the works to be performed by Rachmaninoff. Not knowing, apparently, what Slonov was going to sing, Rachmaninoff writes under piece number 2 as a joke: "Mishka Slonov demonstrates the Earth's rotation". Under piece number 5: "Mishka Slonov proves all the inconsistencies in Deroulède's arguments relating to the Panama perturbation.") Threlfall and Norris identified this performance, along with details of the venue. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 27 1893 (Julian calendar)

Kharkiv, Ukraine
Assembly of the Nobility, Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that Rachmaninoff’s Morceaux de fantaisie, op. 3, were repeated at the audiences request. Satina also notes that the details of this concert were copied from Apetian, p. 83-84. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 29 1893 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: The Glinka Museum has details of a ‘Music and Literary Evening’ on this date, noting also two works for cello and piano by Glazunov.

March 30 1893 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia
Bolshoi Theatre

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: The Glinka Museum has details of an ‘Evening Program’ on this date.

April 3 1893 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: The Glinka Museum has details of a ‘Literature and Musical Evening, Beneficiary Concert’ on this date.

April 17 1893 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: The Glinka Museum has details of a ‘concert with reading’ on this date.

October 18 1893 (Julian calendar)

Kyiv, Ukraine
Kyiv Opera House

Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor

Notes: Satina notes that this was Rachmaninoff’s first appearance as a conductor. Threlfall and Norris indicate that the first complete performance had been in Moscow, Bolshoi Theatre, April 27 1893, conducted by Ippolit Altani. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

October 21 1893 (Julian calendar)

Kyiv, Ukraine
Kyiv Opera House

Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor

Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 30 1893 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this was the first performance of this work, as was also confirmed by Threlfall and Norris. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 31 1894 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia
Assembly of the Nobility, Small Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist

Notes: Satina indicates that this was the first performance of Rachmaninoff’s op. 9, and the first performance of pieces from op. 10. Regarding Rachmaninoff’s piano works, Satina has added that the Elegy and Prelude from op. 3, and the Melody, Humorseque and Romance from op. 10 were performed, citing Apetian, p. 107. The concert would appear to be the first all-Rachmaninoff concert for the composer. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

February 7 1894 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia
Conservatory

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: The Glinka Museum has details of a ‘mixed concert’ on this date.

February 21 1894 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: Satina indicates that this incomplete program was from a concert in which Rachmaninoff also accompanied a singer. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

March 29 1894 (Julian calendar)

Moscow, Russia

Rachmaninoff's role: Piano Soloist and Chamber Musician

Notes: The Glinka Museum has details of a ‘Music and Literary Evening’ on this date. The performance was not listed by Satina, but could be the first performance of Rachmaninoff's op. 6.

November 7 1895 (Julian calendar)

Łódź, Poland

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. Satina cites Apetian, p. 126, for the details of cities played on this tour. Rachmaninoff left the tour, according to Satina, in Smolensk on 24 November, and the entry for that concert lists the further cities that were originally scheduled on the tour. The works performed with Tua have not been noted by Satina. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 9 1895 (Julian calendar)

Białystok, Poland

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. The works performed with Tua have not been noted by Satina. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 10 1895 (Julian calendar)

Grodno, Belarus

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. The works played by Tua have not been noted by Satina. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 12 1895 (Julian calendar)

Vilnius, Lithuania

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. The works played with Tua have not been noted by Satina. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 13 1895 (Julian calendar)

Kaunas, Lithuania

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. The works played with Tua have not been noted by Satina. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 15 1895 (Julian calendar)

Minsk, Belarus

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. The works played with Tua have not been noted by Satina. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 17 1895 (Julian calendar)

Mogilev, Belarus

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. The works played with Tua have not been noted by Satina. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.