Solo Pianist - Diary entries
Many of the initial performance details listed here were 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, especially substantial research that identified precise program details, 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), 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.
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.
April 19 1899
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was Rachmaninoff’s first appearance in England. The concert was the 3rd in the season of the Philharmonic Society of London. Satina indicates that the program was copied from the book ‘History of the Philharmonic Society of London: 1813-1912’, p. 462. The attached reviews indicate that Rachmaninoff's Prelude was repeated by request. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 14 1903
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: This concert was not listed by Satina, however a note regarding a concert in Vienna on January 9 indicated she was aware of its possibility. I am grateful to J. Falleyn for confirming the concert, and for supplying the translation of the attached review. The exact order of the program is at present unknown. Rachmaninoff played one of his Preludes as an encore, as noted in the review.
February 10 1903 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was a concert held under the auspices of the Ladies Committee for Prisoner Welfare. Satina cites Apetian, p. 221-222, as her reference. Threlfall and Norris note that this was the first performance of Rachmaninoff's op. 22. Keldysh (p. 205) indicates that N.I. Zabela-Vrubel sang some of Rachmaninoff's songs, along with Petrovna, which is supported by Martyn (p. 432), although the latter does not list the performance of Rachmaninoff's songs. Keldysh quotes from a review indicating that the Prelude in D major was played rather than the Prelude in B flat major. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 3 1903 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that Rachmaninoff included his Preludes in D minor and D major among the set. Keldysh (p. 205) notes only 5 preludes. Which concerto by Popper was played is not indicated. The concert began at 9pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 15 1903 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 3rd concert in the season of Alexander Siloti. Satina also notes that this was the first performance of the works by Goedicke and Rimsky-Korsakov. Keldysh (p. 201 and p. 206) indicates that Rachmaninoff played three preludes from op. 23 as encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 7 1907 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina has added this date in pencil, apparently as a consequence of a reference in materials of Zarui Apetian. Satina notes: ‘see Warsavsky Dnevnik, November 9, 1907, no. 309. Article by Zataevich, Apetian p. 339’. Satina indicates that Rachmaninoff had incorrectly identified the date of this concert as being in 1908, referring to his new ‘book’ for recording details of his concert activity. Zataevich's review indicates that as well as playing the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, after the concerto, at the end of the concert he played three more Preludes, including the one in G flat major, op. 23, no. 10. Keldysh (p. 283) refers to this concert according to the Julian calendar, as with the date of the review he cites. In the Gregorian Calendar, this date was November 20. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 7 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicated her belief that Rachmaninoff also played solos in this concert, and speculated that these works were likely from op. 3 and op. 23. I am grateful to J. Falleyn for the translation of the attached review, which confirms the performance of a number of Preludes (including op. 23, no. 3, op. 23, no. 5, and finally op. 3, no. 2, as an encore). LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 4 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: This was likely the first performance by Rachmaninoff of his First Piano Sonata, which Threlfall and Norris (citing Oskar von Riesemann) indicate occurred at the Moscow Conservatory. The Sonata had first been performed by Konstantin Igumnov. Satina notes that this was the 2nd Chamber Music Concert of the Quartet of the Imperial Russian Music Society in Moscow. A review by Grigory Prokofiev in the Russkoi Muzikalnoi Gazeti indicates the keys of the three Preludes. Vladimir Bakaleinikov, the violist in the quartet, would later conduct concerts in America with Rachmaninoff. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 7 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was Alexander Siloti’s 3rd Chamber Music Concert of the season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 4 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the first appearance of Rachmaninoff in the USA. Precise details of keys were not given, hence it is not possible to determine whether the Prelude in ‘D’ is op. 23 no. 3 or 4. Satina notes that ‘the Mason and Hamlin piano was used’, as was also noted for some other venues on this tour. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 16 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this concert commenced at 2.30pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 18 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Concert Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 20 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina noted that the keys of the first two preludes were not actually given in a review she had been sent, and that she had copied them from similar programs in Boston, Pittsburgh and Chicago. Her intuition was correct, as a copy of the program in the Carnegie Hall archive documents the keys of the preludes. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 27 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 26 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Solo Pianist
Notes: While the attached review does not mention Tchaikovsky's 1812, nor Karl Pohlig, the complete program is printed in the attached press clipping. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Review: Philadelphia Inquirer 1909.11.27 p. 15.
December 9 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 26 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 3 1910
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Apetian identified a program for this concert, indicating that it was the same as for Boston on January 10 but without the D minor Sonata. The attached press clipping names the artists and location (misidentified by Satina as the Hotel Astoria), but provides no details about the musical works. It is not known if Rachmaninoff also accompanied singers in his songs, as Satina and Apetian both believed. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 9 1910
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina noted that this was a ‘Grand Sunday Concert’, and that other singers also performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. According to Apetian, one of the songs was Spring Waters, op. 14. The first attached review indicates that Adamo Didur also sang two songs by Rachmaninoff, while the second review appears to indicate otherwise. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 10 1910
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina identified the location of this concert but was unable to identify a program. Apetian indicated that for this concert and for the concert in New York on January 3 the program comprised his usual solo works from concerts of the time, excepting the D minor Sonata, 'but with the addition of two romances by Rachmaninoff, in particular Spring Waters from op. 14.' However, this appears to be incorrect, as the attached review does not include songs by Rachmaninoff. According to the attached press clipping, Rider-Kelsey and Grimson were both accompanied in their repertoire by Jessie Davis. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Review: Boston Journal 1910.01.11 p. 14.
February 13 1910 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: The Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody is perhaps the orchestration of Hungarian Rhapsody no. 14 for piano. Satina notes that the Prelude was performed as an encore. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 12 1910
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this concert was part of the Leeds Festival. The attached review indicates that the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, was played as an encore after the Concerto. The image of the Leeds Mercury is used with kind permission of The British Library Board. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 11 1910
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: When Rachmaninoff played this concert, the city was known as Königsberg, Germany, and adhered to the Gregorian calendar. I am grateful to J. Falleyn for his translation of the attached review, which appeared in the Königsberger Hartungsche Zeitung the day after the concert. According to the review, the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, and two Preludes from the op. 23 set, were played as encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 23 1910
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: According to a review in the Neuester Anzeiger on November 24, Rachmaninoff played three of his Preludes as well as the concerto.
December 17 1910 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina records that, perhaps surprisingly given his concert career to date, this is the first complete solo recital given by Rachmaninoff in Russia. She was unable to provide other details of works on the program, but the concert three days later in Nizhny Novgorod likely offers a clue. Zarui Apetian believed that this concert occurred on December 19 (Julian), and that the Songs, op. 26, were also performed. It could be that there were two separate concerts. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 20 1910 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 5th concert of the season of the Imperial Russian Music Society. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 24 1911 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It could be presumed that other solo works by Rachmaninoff were included. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 27 1911 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Keldysh (p. 337) indicates that in addition to the sonata, some of the preludes from op. 32 were given for the first time, along with other small works. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 1 1911 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: When Rachmaninoff performed in this city it was known as Helsingfors. As part of the Grand Duchy of Finland at the time, the city was under Russian rule and adhered to the Julian Calendar; in the Western Calendar, the date of the concert was February 14. I am grateful to J. Falleyn for the translation of the attached review, which appeared in the Hufvudtadsbladet the day after the concert. According to the review, Rachmaninoff performed his Prelude in G minor, op. 23, no. 5, the Barcarolle, op. 10, no. 3, and the then-unpublished Prelude in G sharp minor, op. 32, no. 12, as encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.