Conductor - 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, pp. 532-562), A Catalogue of the Compositions of S. Rachmaninoff by Robert Threlfall and Geoffrey Norris (Scolar Press: London, 1982), and research undertaken at the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture, Moscow.
November 26 1905 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Kerzin’s Concert Series. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 18 1905 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Satina indicates that this symphony concert was a Benefit for the Mutual Aid Society, for the Members of the Orchestra. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 12 1906 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: This was Rachmaninoff's last appearance at the Bolshoi Theatre as an opera conductor.
May 26 1907
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 4th Russian Symphony Concert arranged by Sergei Diaghilev in Paris. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 26 1908 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Satina notes that this was Alexander Siloti’s Symphony Concert no. 8. Satina also notes that this was the first performance of Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 2 1908 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor, Concerto Soloist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 5th Symphony Concert of the Moscow Philharmonic Society, and that it was the first time Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony was heard in Moscow. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 14 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was a Symphony Concert of the Philharmonic Society, and that it was the first performance in Warsaw of Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 9 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina lists the concert on this date at this location, although Martyn lists it as occurring in Amsterdam noting only a performance of the Symphony no. 2. Martyn again lists a concert in Antwerp occurring on November 27, with the program as listed here. It is possible that both concerts took place with the same program. Satina, who relied on Rachmaninoff's notebook as her source, does not list any performance on November 27. It is not known who conducted the orchestra in Rachmaninoff's concerto. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 3 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this 9pm concert was the 6th Symphony Concert in the season of the Imperial Russian Music Society. Satina does not note who conducted Rachmaninoff’s Symphony, but it was perhaps the composer. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 15 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 5th Symphony Concert of the season for the Moscow Philharmonic Society. Rachmaninoff substituted for Arthur Nikisch, who was ill. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 18 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 6th Symphony Concert of the season for the Moscow Philharmonic Society, and that this was the first performance of Isle of the Dead. Rachmaninoff substituted for Arthur Nikisch, who was ill. Satina adds that ‘he accepted only two concerts and rushed back to Dresden’, which places doubt on whether Rachmaninoff similarly substituted for Nikisch in a third concert on April 27 (Julian calendar). Martyn lists the later concert; Satina did not. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 27 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Martyn indicates that this was a Gogol centenary concert. While this concert is listed by Martyn, Satina did not recognise it. Indeed, her note for the concert on April 18 states that Rachmaninoff substituted for Nikisch in only two concerts (April 15 and 18), after which 'he rushed back to Dresden').
November 27 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Solo Pianist
November 26 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Solo Pianist
Notes: The review does not mention Tchaikovsky's 1812, nor Karl Pohlig. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Review: Philadelphia Inquirer 1919.11.27 p. 15.