Diary entries
November 16 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that the complete program for this concert is unknown, but in later notes has indicated that included were the Prelude in G flat major, op. 23, no. 10, the Prelude in G major, op. 32, no. 5, and the Etudes-Tableaux in F minor and G minor from op. 33. Encores included the Barcarolle, op. 10, no. 3, the Polichinelle, op. 3, no. 4, and the transcription of ‘Lilacs’, op. 21, no. 5. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 18 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: A review in Utro Russi on November 19 indicates that Rachmaninoff played Scriabin's Etude in D sharp minor, op. 8, no. 12, as an encore. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 21 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. Satina notes that this was one of Siloti's Symphony Concerts. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 24 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 26 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina believes that the program also included a Moment musical, op. 16, six Etudes-Tableau from op. 33, and six Preludes from op. 23 and op. 32. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 30 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina noted that this was the 3rd Symphony Concert of the season. As encores, Rachmaninoff played his Prelude in G sharp minor, op. 32, no. 12, and Prelude in G minor, op. 23, no. 5, which is confirmed by a review in Russkiye Vedomosti on December 3. Satina also indicated that, due to the war, audience members were allowed to listen to the final rehearsal on the previous day, November 29, for a small fee, the money raised being donated to ‘wounded men’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 3 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was an all-Scriabin recital program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 5 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina writes: ‘A printed program of this concert has been given to Rachmaninoff by a Russian refugee in Europe. This rare copy is added at present to section 5 of the Rachmaninoff Archive’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 9 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was an all-Scriabin recital program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 10 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina wrote that this recital was given to students of the Conservatory in the morning. She indicated that only Rachmaninoff and Scriabin works were on the program, which itself is of interest, as up to this point in his current tours Rachmaninoff was either exclusively playing his own works, or those of Scriabin, in recitals. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 12 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this ‘Great Concert-Performance’ was a performance for the ‘benefit of the Polish Committee to help the Refugees’. Along with performances by the Bolshoi Ballet, the event included Verses on Poland, read by M. Ermolova and T. Shepkina-Koupernik, Verses, read by Mrs Gzovskaya, and excerpts from poems by Mickiewicz. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 13 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 14 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that the complete program for this concert is unknown, but in later notes has indicated that included were the Prelude in G flat major, op. 23, no. 10, the Prelude in G major, op. 32, no. 5, the Etudes-Tableaux in F minor and G minor from op. 33. Encores included the Barcarolle, op. 10, no. 3, the Polichinelle, op. 3, no. 4, and the transcription of ‘Lilacs’, op. 21, no. 5. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 16 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 18 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 21 1915 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Piano Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was a concert arranged by Rachmaninoff, with Anatoly Brandukov assisting, in the ‘Hall of the Nobility Girl Institution’. Further, that it was for ‘the benefit of the All Russian Nobility Union’, with the money being sent to ‘the Division on the front’. Keldysh (p. 404) indicates that the concert took place at the Noble Women's Institute. While Satina indicated only that it was an all-Rachmaninoff program, Apetian notes the pieces indicated here. The name of the violinist is not known. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 10 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was an all-Rachmaninoff recital program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 18 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was an ‘extra Symphony Concert’, for the ‘benefit of the All-Russian Cities Union’, intended to help supply the Army with materials. Shaginian, in Vospominania (vol. 2, p. 161), indicates that Rachmaninoff played his Moment musical in E flat minor, op. 16, no. 2, as an encore. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 24 1916 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Neither Satina nor Apetian noted this concert, in which Rachmaninoff's role was limited to accompanying some of his songs in an encore. The concert was the 6th of Koussevitzky's season, and is mentioned by Keldysh (p. 404) in regard only to Nezhdanova's participation, without providing further program details. Keldysh indicates that Rachmaninoff's role in the concert was not advertised, and that the audience was surprised when he seated himself at the piano to accompany Nezhdanova's encores. The review by Yury Engel in Russkiye Vedomosti on January 27 notes: 'В псполненных ею сверх программы романсах Рахманинова аккомпанировал сам композитор, так совершенно, как только он умеет' ['In the Rachmaninoff romances performed by her in addition to what was listed on the program, the composer himself was accompanying, so perfectly as only he is able to']. It is not known which songs were performed in the encore.
January 28 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that this was a concert for the benefit of the All-Russian Cities Union, and included Scriabin’s Piano Sonata no. 5, op. 53, and ‘Ten Preludes’, along with unknown works by Rachmaninoff. Keldysh (p. 401) believes that the Scriabin program performed on November 24 and December 16 at the end of the previous year was given again here, which would appear to exclude works by Rachmaninoff. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 30 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was part of Siloti’s season. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 3 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that this concert was for the benefit of the All-Russian Cities Union, and that it comprised an all-Rachmaninoff program. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 10 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber musician
Notes: Satina indicates that this was a chamber music concert. Apetian also notes the concert but was unable to name the program or the other performers. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 15 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was an all-Rachmaninoff recital program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 10 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Neither Satina nor Apetian recorded a concert on this date, yet Keldysh (p. 404) noted a performance with Nina Koshetz, citing a review in Muzika (1916, no. 250, p. 186). An image of the program was published online in an auction of materials relating to Rachmaninoff in Paris in March 2026, from which the details have been taken. Vera Epaneshnikova accompanied Koshetz in the songs by Grechaninov, Bagrinovsky and Medtner, while Rachmaninoff accompanied his own songs. Both 'Dissonance', op. 34, no. 13, and 'He Took Everything From Me', op. 26, no. 2, were mentioned in the review referenced by Keldysh. (No song of the title of 'Да, любитъ сна' ['Yes, Love Sleep'] has been identified in Medtner's catalogue.)
October 22 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 24 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was the first performance of the complete series of songs, op. 38, which is dedicated to Nina Koshetz. Satina also indicates that the program – which contained three parts – appears to be the same as performed in Kyiv on January 20 1917, which is confirmed by Apetian. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 29 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 30 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina indicated that the same program was given here as in the concert in Moscow, October 24 1916, (and, therefore, Kyiv, January 20 1917), however in noting the possible addition of ‘How fair this spot’, op. 21, no. 7, and ‘When Yesterday we met’, op. 26, no. 13, ‘and possibly some others’ she likely realised there was an issue with her assertion. Asafiev, in a review in Muzikalny Sovremennik, 1916, no. 5/6, p. 14, notes both of these songs, thereby confirming their inclusion. His review does not mention 'Arion', op. 34, no. 5, 'What Happiness', op. 34, no. 12, or 'Dissonance', op. 34, no. 13. Timofeev, in his review in Rech on November 1, notes that both Koshetz and Rachmaninoff performed eighteen songs in total, and at present it is not possible to know which of the songs not named by Asafiev made up the numbers. Timofeev also indicates that Koshetz and Rachmaninoff performed 'наизуст' ['by heart', i.e., without music]. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 29 1916 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the first performance of the Etudes-Tableaux, op. 39, although only 8 were included in the set. While the manuscripts for nos. 5 and 9 bear the date 1917, Threlfall and Norris claim that no. 5 was performed. Keldysh (p. 407) indicates that both nos. 5 and 9 were performed, explaining their manuscript dates as due to later polishing, and states that no. 8 (D minor) was written only in early 1917. Keldysh cites reviews that mention specifically Etude-tableau no. 5. Satina indicates that she constructed the program from a review of both this concert and one on December 1, and that it’s not possible to ascertain if Rachmaninoff played 6 Preludes from op. 23 and 6 Preludes from op. 32, or only 6 in total. She also indicates that the Variations on a Theme of Chopin, op. 22, might have been performed at this concert. Keldysh indicates that the program was repeated in St Petersburg on December 1, 8, and 10, although Satina has no record of the last of these dates. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.