Concerto Soloist - 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 Barrie Martyn’s book Rachmaninoff: Composer, Pianist, Conductor (Scolar Press: London, 1990), and A Catalogue of the Compositions of S. Rachmaninoff by Robert Threlfall and Geoffrey Norris (Scolar Press: London, 1982).
February 2 1912 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this 1.30pm was one of Kerzin’s concerts for the Society for the Lovers of Russian Music. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 12 1912
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 15 1912
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 22 1912
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 14 1913 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that, while the program for this concert is not known, he played his own works. While Satina did not have further details, Apetian has recorded a performance of Rachmaninoff’s Concerto no. 2 on this occasion. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 30 1913
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina cites as her reference for details of this concert Apetian, p. 480. While Poland had abandoned the Julian calendar at this time, Satina has listed the date as 17 October. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 18 1913 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was the 4th Symphony Concert of the season of the Moscow Philharmonic Society. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 21 1913 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was the 4th Symphony Concert of the season of the Moscow Philharmonic Society. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 23 1914
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 27 1914
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was a concert of the Liverpool Philharmonic Society. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 29 1914
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 1 1914
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 22 1914 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that the exact order of the program is unknown. Satina also indicates that ‘the proceeds are given to help the wounded soldiers’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 24 1914 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina writes that ‘the proceeds are given to help the wounded soliders’. Satina also cites a reference to Apetian, p. 454. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 26 1914 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that the order of the program is unknown. Satina also indicates that ‘the proceeds are given to help the wounded soldiers’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 27 1914 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina writes that ‘the proceeds are given to help the wounded soliders’. Satina cites a reference to Apetian, p. 454, also noting that Apetian’s date for this concert was incorrect, referencing instead ‘Rachmaninoff’s booklet’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 8 1914 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that owing to Rachmaninoff’s illness this concert, which was announced for December 3, was postponed to December 8. Satina also indicates that the previously announced work by Borodin – the unfinished ballet ‘Mlada’ – was not given. She concludes: ‘All proceeds will go to the All Russian union of Cities for supplying warm clothing to the Army.’ LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 10 1914 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 4th Symphony Concert in Koussevitzky’s season, starting at 8.30pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 6 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 8 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
September 26 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this ‘extra’ concert in Alexander Siloti’s season was dedicated to the memory of Alexander Scriabin. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 12 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was the first concert of a Scriabin Cycle, and that it was held as a benefit in aid of Scriabin’s children. Satina also indicates that, due to the war, audience members were allowed to listen to the final rehearsal on the previous day, October 11, for a small fee, the money raised being donated to ‘wounded men’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 26 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina’s notes indicate that she was unsure about which Rachmaninoff concerto was played, but that she concluded it was no. 2. There are no further details available about the ‘Mr Pyshnov’ that Satina indicates conducted this concert, however it is conceivable that it was the pianist, Lev Pouishnoff, who had studied conducting, and was still in Russia at this time. Apetian refers to the conductor as 'L. N. Pishnov', the initials further suggesting this man. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 21 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. Satina notes that this was one of Siloti's Symphony Concerts. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 30 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 3rd Symphony Concert of the season. As encores, Rachmaninoff played his Prelude in G sharp minor, op. 32, no. 12, and Prelude in G minor, op. 23, no. 5. Satina also indicates that, due to the war, audience members were allowed to listen to the final rehearsal on the previous day, November 29, for a small fee, the money raised being donated to ‘wounded men’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 12 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this ‘Great Concert-Performance’ was a performance for the ‘benefit of the Polish Committee to help the Refugees’. Along with performances by the Bolshoi Ballet, the event included Verses on Poland, read by M. Ermolova and T. Shepkina-Koupernik, Verses, read by Mrs Gzovskaya, and excerpts from poems by Mickiewicz. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 18 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was an ‘extra Symphony Concert’, for the ‘benefit of the All-Russian Cities Union’, intended to help supply the Army with materials. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 30 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of Siloti’s season. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 22 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time.
October 29 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time.