Chamber Musician - Diary entries
Many of the performance details listed here have been compiled from Zarui Apetian’s important research, published in Literaturnoye Nasledie [Collected Literature] (Sovietskii Kompozitor: Moscow, 1980, vol. 3, pp. 439-467). These details have been subsequently cross-referenced and checked with the many itineraries and other corroborating materials collected by Rachmaninoff’s sister-in-law, Sophia Satina, housed in the Rachmaninoff Archive of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C (LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R22, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89). Further information has been gathered from A Catalogue of the Compositions of S. Rachmaninoff by Robert Threlfall and Geoffrey Norris (Scolar Press: London, 1982), and from research undertaken at the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture, Moscow.
December 8 1886 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Threlfall and Norris list a possible performance on this date at the house of Nikolai Zverev.
November 21 1888 (Julian calendar)
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.
March 12 1889 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Keldysh (p. 36) indicates that a review in 'Teatr i Zhizi' (Theatre and Life) on March 14 noted the 'remarkable ensemble' of the musicians. Satina notes a performance of this work with Maximov on November 21, 1888.
November 16 1890 (Julian calendar)
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.
October 17 1891 (Julian calendar)
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). Keldysh (p. 47) notes the movement from Arensky's First Suite, yet perhaps inadvertently references the date as November 17. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 30 1892 (Julian calendar)
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. It seems likely that the Liszt Waltz with which the concert ended was the transcription from Gounod's 'Faust', which concurs with Martyn (p. 426). Details regarding keys and opus numbers for other works are according to Martyn, although they were not known to Satina. Martyn was unsure about when Chopin's Etude in A flat major, op. 25, no. 1 was first played, although he suggests that the Etude in A flat major, op. 10, no. 10 was played at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 17 1892 (Julian calendar)
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, although Goldenweiser in his reminiscence of the composer wrote that only the first movement of Rachmaninoff's concerto was performed, as was also confirmed by Keldysh (p. 78). LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 28 1892 (Julian calendar)
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. Details regarding key and opus number for certain works are according to Martyn, although they were not known to Satina. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 27 1893 (Julian calendar)
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. Further details regarding keys and opus numbers are according to Martyn, although Satina was unaware of these. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 30 1893 (Julian calendar)
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. Keldysh (p. 89) notes a positive review of the concert in Moskovkiye Vedomosti. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 31 1894 (Julian calendar)
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.
March 29 1894 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: The Russian National Museum of Music (formerly known as the Glinka Museum) has details of a ‘Music and Literary Evening’ on this date. The performance was not listed by Satina, however Keldysh (p. 91) confirms that it was the first performance of Rachmaninoff's op. 6.
November 7 1895 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: This concert was the first part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. Satina cites Apetian, p. 126, for the details of cities played on this tour. According to Satina and later sources who relied on her information, Rachmaninoff left the tour in Smolensk on 24 November, however various Russian sources quote reviews and other materials to indicate that Rachmaninoff stayed with the tour until the second concert in Riga on December 5 (the Diary entry for that concert lists the further cities that were originally scheduled). The works performed with Tua have not been noted by Satina, although Martyn indicates that Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata, and pieces by Vieuxtemps and Sarasate were played (p. 373). Martyn notes further solo piano pieces, as does Keldysh (p. 95), which at various concerts were: Chopin's Berceuse, op. 57, Nocturne in C minor, op. 48, no. 1, a Waltz, Liszt's Waldesrauschen and Valse-Impromptu, Rubinstein's Barcarolle, Arensky's Barcarolle, the Tchaikovsky-Pabst Concert Paraphrase on 'Eugene Onegin', op. 81, the Liszt-Gounod Waltz from 'Faust', and Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, Melody, op. 3, no. 3, Polichinelle, op. 3, no. 4, and Serenade, op. 3, no. 5. Also noted in a review was Balakirev's transcription of Glinka's 'The Lark'. The order of the programs (both solo and chamber works) is not known. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 9 1895 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 10 1895 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 12 1895 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 13 1895 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 15 1895 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 17 1895 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 18 1895 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of a tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 24 1895 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina believed that Rachmaninoff left the tour with the violinist, Teresina Tua, after this concert, an error that was repeated by Bertensson and Leyda (p. 67) and Harrison (p. 67). Various Russian sources confirm that Rachmaninoff continued on the tour as far as the second concert in Riga on December 5. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 26 1895 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina believed that Rachmaninoff had left the concert tour with Teresina Tua by this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 28 1895 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina believed that Rachmaninoff had left the concert tour with Teresina Tua by this time. A review of the concert by A. Jacobs appeared in Rizhsky Vestnik on November 29, 185, no. 264, noting that Rachmaninoff played Rubinstein's Barcarolle, Chopin's Berceuse, Liszt's Waldesrauschen, the Tchaikovsky-Pabst Concert Paraphrase on Onegin, as well as Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, and Polichinelle, op. 3, no. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 30 1895 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina believed that Rachmaninoff had left the concert tour with Teresina Tua by this time. Liepāja was known as Libava in 1895. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 2 1895 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina believed that Rachmaninoff had left the concert tour with Teresina Tua by this time. Vilnius was known as Vilno at the time of the concert. A review in Vilensky Vestnik on December 9, no. 266, notes Rachmaninoff playing Glinka's 'The Lark' in Balakirev's arrangement, Liszt's Waldesrauschen, the Gounod-Liszt Waltz from 'Faust', and Liszt's Valse-Impromptu, the last of which was repeated as an encore. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 3 1895 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina believed that Rachmaninoff had left the concert tour with Teresina Tua by this time. Daugavpils was known as Dvinsk at the time of the concert. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 5 1895 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina believed that Rachmaninoff had left the concert tour with Teresina Tua by this time, however this was in fact the final concert in which Rachmaninoff played. Claiming that his contract with the tour promoter, Heinrich Langewitz, was void through non-payment of fees, Rachmaninoff did not proceed to concerts planned in Jelgava/Mitava (December 6), St Petersburg (December 8), Tartu/Derpt (December 10), Tallinn/Revel (December 11), St Petersburg (December 13), Pskov (December 15), Nizhny Novgorod (December 27). LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 15 1899 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that Rachmaninoff accompanied Chaliapin and Bremsen. It is not clear what music was played by Goldenweiser, and it is possible that Satina only copied the works from the program in which Rachmaninoff performed. She did not note who sang the bracket of songs by Rimsky-Korsakov. Satina also indicates that this concert was held under the auspices of the Ladies’ Committee for Prisoner Welfare. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 17 1900 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Chamber Musician
Notes: Details of this concert are in the Russian National Museum of Music (formerly known as the Glinka Museum). Neither Satina nor Martyn list the event. Songs and arias with Chaliapin could be similar to works performed in concerts on March 9 and December 2 later this year.
March 9 1900 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina cites Apetian, p. 183, and notes that it was the first performance of ‘Fate’. Satina believed there was a possibility that dates have been mixed with this concert, and it could have occurred on September 3 1900, yet the date of March 9 is confirmed by Keldysh (p. 167). Martyn (p. 435) lists 'Aus meines Tränen spriessen' from Dichterliebe in place of 'Ich hab' im Traum geweinet'. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.