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.
January 19 1917 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes an all-Rachmaninoff program at this concert. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 26 1917 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina noted that this was the 6th Concert of the season of the Rostov Branch of Russian Music Society, also indicating that the program included some earlier compositions, including the Polichinelle, op, 3, no. 4. A review in Priazovskiy Krai on January 28 notes that a series of popular pieces were played as encores, including the Polichinelle and the Polka de W.R. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 27 1917 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicated that this was an all-Rachmaninoff program. The information regarding the name of the concert hall is taken from the Taganrog Bulletin of January 27. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 28 1917 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was an all-Rachmaninoff program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 29 1917 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicated that this was an all-Rachmaninoff program, also that it was an afternoon concert. A review published in Yuzhniy Krai on January 31 writes of the program of the 'final concert' (presumably this concert, not the day before), likely indicating that different programs were given over the two days. Further details about keys (or opus numbers) of the Preludes and Etudes-Tableaux are not given in the review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 31 1917 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was an all-Rachmaninoff program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 21 1917 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes Apetian’s claim that Rachmaninoff added one more Etude-Tableau, op. 33, to the program, and that only 4 Preludes were played, citing p. 472-473. While this is the first programmatic reference to the complete set of 'nine' Etudes-Tableaux, op. 39, with many programs over the previous month unknown it cannot be ascertained when the complete set was first performed. Satina indicates that 50% of the proceeds from the concert were given ‘to the Russian Musician Fund to help the needy Composers and their families’. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 26 1917 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that ‘50% of the money received will be given to the All-Russia Union of Cities, to help the sick and wounded soldiers’. Satina also indicates that the performance took place at the ‘Zimin Opera House’, which might be a reference to the Nikitsky Theatre. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 22 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was an all-Rachmaninoff program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 18 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina appears to have had incomplete details for the concert, as the attached review indicates that four Preludes were also performed. The Etude-Tableau in G minor, op. 33, appears to have been one of those indicated by Satina. The exact order of the program is at present unknown. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 22 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 24 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 26 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The ordering of the two Etudes-Tableau in E flat minor, and in C minor, could be different, although Rachmaninoff frequently played the E flat minor op. 33 work before the E flat major op. 33 work, both prior to this concert and later. In hand-written notes, Satina appears unsure whether one or two Moments musicaux were played. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
May 2 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina noted that beyond the inclusion of Rachmaninoff's two preludes, the Barcarolle and the Polka, the rest of the program was unknown to her, but also that it included ‘songs’ sung by ‘Madame Skalontz’. Bertensson and Leyda confirmed this concert, also noting that Skilondz sang songs by Rachmaninoff. While publicity and reviews of Rachmaninoff at this time in Sweden used his preferred orthography, in this instance his name was spelled 'Rachmaninow' and 'Rachmaninov'. The attached press clipping and review supply the further information about the concert. The exact order of the program, which the review notes included 'Russian arias and romances', is unknown. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
September 18 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that Tchaikovsky’s Romance might not have been played. A piano made by Hornung & Møller is noted. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
September 19 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While the attached program clearly sets out what was to be played, without further comment the attached review indicates that the first movement of Mozart's Sonata in A major, K. 331, and Beethoven's Sonata in D major, op. 10, no. 3, were performed. As these works appeared in other concerts at the time, it is possible that the program was changed. No mention is made in the review of the later works on the program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
September 27 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
September 30 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 1 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 2 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 3 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 4 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 7 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While the Elegy, op. 3, no. 1, was listed on the program, a direct line through it in the copy in the Library of Congress would appear to indicate that it wasn't performed. The program image indicates the concert was held in the Ballroom of the House of the Good Templars. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 9 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The program image indicates the concert was held in the Gymnasium [Turnhallen]. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 10 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 13 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 16 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The program image indicates the concert was held in the Horten Ballroom [Avholdslokalet]. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 18 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 8 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that in Providence a program misprint had stated that the Chopin Nocturne was in A minor. She also notes that this was Rachmaninoff’s first appearance in the USA since 1910. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 15 1918
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the concert began with ‘the American Hymn’ ('The Star-Spangled Banner'). LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Review: Boston Herald 1918.12.16 p. 11.