Diary entries
January 11 1906 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: This was the premiere performance of both operas.
February 12 1906 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: This was Rachmaninoff's last appearance at the Bolshoi Theatre as an opera conductor.
May 26 1907
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 4th Russian Symphony Concert arranged by Sergei Diaghilev in Paris. Keldysh (p. 280) and Martyn (p. 547) indicate that Chevillard also conducted works by Glazunov, Balakirev, and Mussorgsky. Satina believed that Rachmaninoff's The Rock, op. 7, was performed at this concert, yet neither Keldysh nor Martyn noted it, nor is it mentioned in the translation of the attached review. I am grateful to J. Falleyn for confirming details of the this concert, and for supplying the review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 7 1907 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina has added this date in pencil, apparently as a consequence of a reference in materials of Zarui Apetian. Satina notes: ‘see Warsavsky Dnevnik, November 9, 1907, no. 309. Article by Zataevich, Apetian p. 339’. Satina indicates that Rachmaninoff had incorrectly identified the date of this concert as being in 1908, referring to his new ‘book’ for recording details of his concert activity. Zataevich's review indicates that as well as playing the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, after the concerto, at the end of the concert he played three more Preludes, including the one in G flat major, op. 23, no. 10. Keldysh (p. 283) refers to this concert according to the Julian calendar, as with the date of the review he cites. In the Gregorian Calendar, this date was November 20. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 23 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 26 1908 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Satina notes that this was Alexander Siloti’s Symphony Concert no. 8. She also notes that this was the first performance of Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony. Martyn confirms that Rachmaninoff conducted only his Symphony and the Grieg Concerto (p. 548). LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 2 1908 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor, Concerto Soloist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 5th Symphony Concert of the Moscow Philharmonic Society, and that it was the first time Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony was heard in Moscow. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 3 1908 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 7th of Kerzin’s Concerts. Ms Satina’s reference is Apetian, p. 322. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. There are references both to 'Pavlovna' and 'Pavlova' for one of the singers.
March 14 1908 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina noted that this was a Symphony Concert of the Philharmonic Society, and that it was the first performance in Warsaw of Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony. I am grateful to J. Falleyn for providing the translation of the attached review, which has clarified confusion regarding the date (likely stemming from the misattribution of Gregorian and Julian Calendars) and matters relating to the program. Martyn provided a different order of the works to Satina and, like Keldysh (p. 286), included a performance of Lisa's aria from Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades, also noting that Rachmaninoff accompanied two of his songs (p. 548), 'Spring Waters' and 'By My Window' (the review confirms Rachmaninoff's songs but does not mention Tchaikovsky's aria). Martyn believed that the second pianist in the Suite was Aleksander Mikhaiłowski, however Keldysh and the attached review confirm it was Henryk Melcer. In the Gregorian Calendar, the date of this concert was March 27. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 9 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concerto Soloist
Notes: There has been confusion about the date of this concert: in her Library of Congress materials, Satina listed it for November 9, although Martyn listed a concert in Amsterdam on this date, noting only a performance of the Symphony no. 2. Martyn listed a concert in Antwerp on November 27, with the program as outlined here. Satina, who relied on Rachmaninoff's notebook as her source, did not list any performance on November 27. Adding further to the confusion, Satina contradicted herself in 'Vospominania', noting a concert on November 9 in Amsterdam. Recent advice based on newspaper reviews indicates that November 9 is the correct date for this concert in Antwerp. It is not known who conducted the orchestra in Rachmaninoff's concerto. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 2 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: The performance of the Piano Trio was part of a chamber music concert given by the Czech Quartet.
December 7 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicated her belief that Rachmaninoff also played solos in this concert, and speculated that these works were likely from op. 3 and op. 23. I am grateful to J. Falleyn for the translation of the attached review, which confirms the performance of a number of Preludes (including op. 23, no. 3, op. 23, no. 5, and finally op. 3, no. 2, as an encore). LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 8 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that Rachmaninoff also played solos in these concerts, and speculated that these works were likely from op. 3 and op. 23. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 10 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that Rachmaninoff also played solos in these concerts, and speculated that these works were likely from op. 3 and op. 23. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 12 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that Rachmaninoff also played solos in these concerts, and speculated that these works were likely from op. 3 and op. 23. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 13 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that Rachmaninoff also played solos in these concerts, and speculated that these works were likely from op. 3 and op. 23. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 18 1908
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that Rachmaninoff also played solos in these concerts, and speculated that these works were likely from op. 3 and op. 23. While Satina believed that the orchestra was again the Concertgebouw, Keldysh (p. 288) indicates it was the Cäcilien-verein. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 3 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this 9pm concert was the 6th Symphony Concert in the season of the Imperial Russian Music Society. She does not note who conducted Rachmaninoff’s Symphony, but Martyn confirms it was the composer (p. 549). LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 4 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: This was likely the first performance by Rachmaninoff of his First Piano Sonata, which Threlfall and Norris (citing Oskar von Riesemann) indicate occurred at the Moscow Conservatory. The Sonata had first been performed by Konstantin Igumnov. Satina notes that this was the 2nd Chamber Music Concert of the Quartet of the Imperial Russian Music Society in Moscow. A review by Grigory Prokofiev in the Russkoi Muzikalnoi Gazeti indicates the keys of the three Preludes. Vladimir Bakaleinikov, the violist in the quartet, would later conduct concerts in America with Rachmaninoff. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 7 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was Alexander Siloti’s 3rd Chamber Music Concert of the season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.