Gramophone Recording Artist - Diary entries
Details of Rachmaninoff’s acoustic recording sessions have been compiled from Barrie Martyn’s book, Rachmaninoff: Composer, Pianist, Conductor (Scolar Press: London, 1990, pp. 453-497). Martyn’s useful codification was indicated by: the letter “m” for when a take was approved for mastering; with “m*” when approved but later re-recorded and not released; and the letter “h” when a take was held over for possible release. These details have been incorporated here. All of Rachmaninoff’s first 10 recordings for Edison were given release. Later ones, unless indicated, were recorded by Victor.
December 31 1923
Rachmaninoff's role: Gramophone Recording
Notes: Recorded at Trinity Church.
January 3 1924
Rachmaninoff's role: Gramophone Recording
Notes: Recorded at Trinity Church.
December 22 1924
Rachmaninoff's role: Gramophone Recording
Notes: Recorded at Trinity Church. Gregor Benko, in his notes for the 1973 'The Complete Rachmaninoff' RCA release, notes that no usable take of the final section of the first movement survived. He indicates that the posthumous publication of the 1924 recording was 'filled out' with a section from the later 1929 electrical recording of the concerto by the same artists.
December 30 1924
Rachmaninoff's role: Gramophone Recording
Notes: Details of Rachmaninoff's recording sessions have been compiled from Barrie Martyn's book 'Rachmaninoff: Composer, Pianist, Conductor' (Scolar Press: London, 1990), pp. 453-497.
December 14 1925
Rachmaninoff's role: Gramophone Recording
Notes: The Schubert Impromptu in A flat was no. 4 from D. 899. While frequent mistaking of the key of this work in programs, and Satina frequently expressed her frustration at identifying it, it is presumed that this work was the one played in concerts. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.