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.
February 2 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is likely that the Schubert Impromptu was op. 90, no. 4. Satina indicates that a Chopin Waltz in A flat major was on the program, but does not note its exact placement. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 8 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is likely that the Schubert Impromptu was op. 90, no. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 15 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 17 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is likely that the Schubert Impromptu was op. 90, no. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 20 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is likely that the Schubert Impromptu was op. 90, no. 4. Satina indicates that a Chopin Waltz in A flat major was on the program, but does not note its exact placement. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 22 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 3 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is likely that the Schubert Impromptu was op. 90, no. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 12 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina does not provide further information, but the Etude-Tableau in A minor could have been no. 2 or no. 6. The Liszt Sonetto del Petrarca could have been no. 104 or no. 123. The Waltz by Chopin could have been either op. 42, or op. 64, no. 3, or op. 69, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 16 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina does not provide further information, but the Etude-Tableau in A minor could have been no. 2 or no. 6. The Liszt Sonetto del Petrarca could have been no. 104 or no. 123. The Waltz by Chopin could have been either op. 42, or op. 64, no. 3, or op. 69, no. 1. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 20 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Waltz by Chopin could have been either op. 42, or op. 64, no. 3, or op. 69, no. 1, and the Etude-Tableau in A minor could have been either no. 2 or no. 6. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 22 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Liszt Sonetto del Petrarca could have been no. 104 or no. 123. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 25 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina does not provide further information, but the Etude-Tableau in A minor could have been no. 2 or no. 6. The Liszt Sonetto del Petrarca could have been no. 104 or no. 123. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 28 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina does not provide further information, but the Etude-Tableau in A minor could have been no. 2 or no. 6. The Liszt Sonetto del Petrarca could have been no. 104 or no. 123. Satina also adds that at this concert is appears only three Etudes-Tableaux were played, although there is no indication of which of the above was left off; yet the concerts in Paterson, Elgin and Milwaukee might offer a clue. Rachmaninoff also played his Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, in this bracket. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 30 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Liszt Sonetto del Petrarca could have been no. 104 or no. 123. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 2 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Waltz by Chopin could have been either op. 42, or op. 64, no. 3, or op. 69, no. 1, and the Etude-Tableau in A minor could have been either no. 2 or no. 6. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 4 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Waltz by Chopin could have been either op. 42, or op. 64, no. 3, or op. 69, no. 1, and the Etude-Tableau in A minor could have been either no. 2 or no. 6. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 7 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina does not provide further information, but the Etude-Tableau in A minor could have been no. 2 or no. 6. The Liszt Sonetto del Petrarca could have been no. 104 or no. 123. Satina also notes that ‘the entire proceed of this concert was given by Rachmaninoff to the American and Russian War Charities’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 15 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 22 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 1 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 3 1943
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 5 1943
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert began at 8.30pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 15 1943
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that from different reviews the program is not entirely clear. It could be that Chopin’s Scherzo no. 3 in C sharp minor, op. 39, was also played, along with Liszt’s Valse oubliée. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 17 1943
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this concert, commencing at 8.15pm, was the last that was given by her brother-in-law. Satina also indicates that the concert in Knoxville had been planned two months earlier (along with a concert in Chatanooga), hence, one imagines, Rachmaninoff’s willingness to return to perform here. A press clipping advertising the concert, originally scheduled for November 9, is included with this entry. Poignantly but quite plainly, Satina writes ‘all the concerts which were listed after – Orlando, Houston, San Antonio, Dayton, Pasadena, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach, etc. – were cancelled.’ LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.