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 4 1930
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 5 1930
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 10 1930
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 23 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not known which of the two C minor op. 39 etudes-tableaux was played. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 25 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 26 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the key of Rachmaninoff’s Etude-Tableau was not given in the review, although one of the two in C minor was played in other programs at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 30 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz was either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 1 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 4 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz was either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42. Satina also indicates that there was no mention of the Chopin Nocturne in the review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 6 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz was either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that there was no mention of the Chopin Nocturne in the review. Satina also states the Organ Chorale Prelude ‘Now Comes the Gentile’s Saviour’ of Bach-Busoni was added to the concert, possibly played first as other recitals this season opened with it, yet doesn't note if it replaced the listed works. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 8 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 10 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz was either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 14 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 24 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that the Scriabin Etude from op. 42 was probably in C sharp minor. Satina also indicates that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 25 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates uncertainty about the last number on the program, stating and that it could have been the Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody no. 9 with which Rachmaninoff was also ending programs during this season. She notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 26 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 1 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 3 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 5 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 7 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that the Scriabin Etude from op. 42 was probably in C sharp minor. Satina also indicates that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 9 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 20 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 21 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina wondered whether the Chopin Waltz might not have been played, and that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been either op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. Satina was also unsure if the Bach-Tausig opened the concert, or the Bach-Busoni Chorale Prelude, which opened other concerts during this season, yet the attached review indicates the Bach-Tausig. The E flat minor Etude-Tableau may have been dropped, as it is not mentioned in the review. It is of interest to note that Rachmaninoff's transcription of Flight of the Bumblebee was played as an encore, as it appears never formally to have been included in a program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 24 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 26 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 27 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Waltz could have been either op. 64, no. 3, op. 69, no. 2, or op. 42, and that Medtner’s Fairy Tale in B minor could have been op. 20 or op. 34, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 12 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the first performance of the Variations, op. 42. It is not clear which Gavotte by Gluck arranged by Ernst Pauer was played here: two are possible (one in D from the ballet Don Juan, and one in G from the opera Paris and Helena), and there is also a Gavotte from Pauer’s Alte Tänze, which Rachmaninoff added to a program later this season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 15 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not clear which Gavotte by Gluck arranged by Ernst Pauer was played here: there appear to be two (one in D from the ballet Don Juan, and one in G from the opera Paris and Helena). There is also a Gavotte from Pauer’s Alte Tänze, which Rachmaninoff added to a program later this season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 18 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not clear which Gavotte by Gluck arranged by Ernst Pauer was played here: there appear to be two (one in D from the ballet Don Juan, and one in G from the opera Paris and Helena). There is also a Gavotte from Pauer’s Alte Tänze, which Rachmaninoff added to a program later this season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 19 1931
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not clear which Gavotte by Gluck arranged by Ernst Pauer was played here: there appear to be two (one in D from the ballet Don Juan, and one in G from the opera Paris and Helena). There is also a Gavotte from Pauer’s Alte Tänze, which Rachmaninoff added to a program later this season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.