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 17 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While Satina was unable to find any details for this concert, two attached press clippings outline an almost complete program. They are given tentatively for now, until either a review or actual program can be found. Programmatic similarities can be noted in groupings of works with preceding recitals, and it would seem likely the concert opened with the Bach-Tausig Toccata, and closed with the Dohnányi Etude-Caprice.
March 18 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While Satina was unable to find details for this concert, the program can partially be reconstructed from the attached review in the Birmingham Gazette. The review from the Evening Despatch offers fewer details, but confirms the main works. Two Scarlatti sonatas are also noted at the concert the following day in Newcastle.
March 19 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: There is no complete program, however Satina indicates that works by Beethoven and Chopin were played in the first half, and that Scarlatti Sonatas (D major and either D minor or F minor - she notes a possible misprint for the latter), Brahms’ Ballade, op. 118, no. 3, Dohnányi’s Etude-Caprice, and works by Rachmaninoff were played in the second half. The attached press clipping from the Evening Chronicle the previous day indicates that all tickets for the concert had been sold. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 29 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 8 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina was unaware of the majority of items on this program, however the attached reviews have provided some further details. The program remains incomplete. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 10 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina was unable to assemble a program for this concert, however her notes include some of the works indicated here. I am grateful to J. Falleyn for sending translations of the two attached reviews, which confirm works played, however the program remains incomplete. It could be that the complete program included the works played in other European concerts at this time, such as in London on March 2. It is possible that the concert took place in the Teatro Principado, as the Teatro Campoamor was damaged in 1934. Tchaikovsky's Troika is noted as one of two encores played. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 12 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: I am grateful to J. Falleyn for sending me a translation of the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 15 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicated that the program was incomplete, and that a work by Liszt likely concluded the concert. This has been confirmed, with information about these works supplied by J. Falleyn. The concert was sponsored by the Association of Musical Culture. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 19 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Nachtstück by Schumann could be either no. 2 or no. 4. Satina appears to have a doubt about the work by Strauss-Tausig, noting that it could have been ‘Wahlstimmen’. The attached review does not provide clarity, but notes that a Chopin Waltz and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, were given as encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 21 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Nachtstück by Schumann could be either no. 2 or no. 4. Satina appears to have a doubt about the work by Strauss-Tausig, noting that it could have been ‘Wahlstimmen’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 23 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Nachtstück by Schumann could be either no. 2 or no. 4. Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, is noted as one of the encores in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 25 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Nachtstück by Schumann could be either no. 2 or no. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 28 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina appears unsure about the work by Strauss-Tausig, noting that it could also have been ‘Wahlstimmen’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 30 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: A transcription of a Schubert song (likely Liszt's of Das Wandern) and Rachmaninoff's transcription of the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream, are noted as encores in the attached reviews. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 31 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 2 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Rachmaninoff's transcription of the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream, and Liszt's transcriptions of a Schubert song (likely Das Wandern) and Wagner's Spinning Song, are noted as encores in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 4 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Rachmaninoff's transcription of the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream, Liszt's transcription of Schubert's Das Wandern, and a Chopin mazurka are noted as the encores in the attached reviews. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 6 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Five encores are noted in the attached review: Liszt's transcription of Schubert's Wandern, a Chopin Mazurka in A minor (likely op. 68, no. 2), Rachmaninoff's transcription of Mussorgsky's Hopak, a Waltz in A flat major of Chopin, and the transcription of Rimsky-Korsakov's Bumble Bee. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 10 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, is noted as the first of four encores in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 11 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 13 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Liszt's transcription of Wagner's Spinning Song, and Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, are noted as encores in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 19 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 22 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Rachmaninoff's transcriptions of Kreisler's Liebesleid and Rimsky-Korsakov's Bumble Bee are noted as encores in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 24 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert began at 3pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 26 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 1 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 3 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The review of the Buffalo Times refers to the Chopin mazurka as being in the key of G sharp minor, however given the mistake in referencing the Ballade of Brahms this is perhaps in error. Liszt's transcription of Schubert's Wandern, Rachmaninoff's transcriptions of Kreisler's Liebesleid and Rimsky-Korsakov's Bumble Bee, and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, are noted as the encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 6 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, is noted as the last in a group of encores in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 8 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The attached review appears to indicate that two sonatas by Scarlatti were played, along with the Pastorale and Capriccio. The transcription of Kreisler's Liebesleid is noted as the encore. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 10 1935
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The transcriptions of Rimsky-Korsakov's Bumble Bee and Kreisler's Liebesleid, along with the Prelude in C sharp minor, are noted in the attached reviews as among five encores given. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.