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.

March 23 1933

Troy, NY, USA

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: While Satina has indicated that the Nachstück is in F minor, it is possible that it is either no. 2 or no. 4: both are in F major, although no. 2 has an F minor section. It is believed that the Schubert Impromptu was op. 142, no. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

March 26 1933

Montreal, QC, Canada

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: While Satina has indicated that the Nachstück is in F minor, it is possible that it is either no. 2 or no. 4: both are in F major, although no. 2 has an F minor section. It is believed that the Schubert Impromptu was op. 142, no. 4. The Ballade no. 3 in A flat major, op. 47 was frequently played in recitals during this season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

April 29 1933

London, England
Queen’s Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: The Nachstück could have been either no. 2 or no. 4. Satina notes that this was the first European performance of the Variations, op. 42 Threlfall and Norris also confirm the performance of op. 42, along with the transcriptions. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

May 3 1933

Brussels, Belgium
Palais des Beaux Arts

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: The Nachstück could have been either no. 2 or no. 4. It is believed that the Schubert Impromptu was op. 142, no. 4. Satina notes that the ‘newspapers mentioned also the C sharp minor, op. 3, Prelude – perhaps this was given as an encore’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

May 5 1933

Paris, France

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: The Nachstück could have been either no. 2 or no. 4. It is believed that the Schubert Impromptu was op. 142, no. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 9 1933

Harrisburg, PA, USA

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 10 1933

Summit, NJ, USA
High School Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 11 1933

East Orange, NJ, USA
High School

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 13 1933

Philadelphia, PA, USA
Academy of Music

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: Satina was unable to locate details for this program, however a review indicates what was played. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 16 1933

Montgomery, AL, USA
Sidney Lanier Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 17 1933

Birmingham, AL, USA

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: Satina was advised by the ‘Director of the Department of Archives and History of Alabama’ that Rachmaninoff played Beethoven’s Sonata in G major, op. 31, no. 1 at this concert. Satina notes that Rachmaninoff’s wife questioned this, but that ‘we received later 3 printed programs from cities where this sonata has been played’. Failing evidence to the contrary, it might be that incorrect information was sent to venues and printed in programs. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 21 1933

Dayton, OH, USA

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 24 1933

Tulsa, OK, USA

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 27 1933

Minneapolis, MI, USA

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 1 1933

Muncie, IN, USA

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 3 1933

Chicago, IL, USA
Orchestra Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 5 1933

Kansas City, MO, USA
Convention Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 7 1933

Atlanta, GA, USA
Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 9 1933

New York, NY, USA
Carnegie Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 10 1933

Boston, MA, USA
Symphony Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 12 1933

Toronto, ON, Canada

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. Satina indicates that the Preludes by Rachmaninoff, and his transcription of the work by Mendelssohn, were not mentioned in the review, and therefore might not have been played. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 15 1934

St Louis, MO, USA

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. Satina indicates that the program she was sent is incomplete, and there is no mention of the works by Rachmaninoff. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 16 1934

Cincinnati, OH, USA
Emery Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 18 1934

Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Hill Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: Satina writes that instead of the Chopin group listed in the program (and as given in Cincinnati, OH, two nights earlier), Rachmaninoff played the Chopin Sonata ‘in memory of Albert Lockwood, who from 1900 to 1933 was Head of [the] Piano Department of the University School of Music, and who died 9 November 1933’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 22 1934

Detroit, MI, USA

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

February 8 1934

Brooklyn, NY, USA
The Academy of Music

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

February 9 1934

White Plains, NY, USA
Westchester County Centre Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: It is not clear which Rondo by Schubert this is. Potentially, it may be Dietrich’s piano solo arrangement of the Rondo for four hands, D. 608, or the final movement from the Sonata D. 850. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

February 11 1934

Hartford, CT, USA
Bushnell Memorial Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

February 25 1934

Buffalo, NY, USA
Elmwood Music Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

February 26 1934

Syracuse, NY, USA
Lincoln Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist

Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.