Diary entries
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.
January 10 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina dated this concert as January 1, yet placed it in her list after a concert on January 7. It is therefore presumed that the initial listing was a typographical error. Satina indicated that this was the 6th of Alexander Siloti’s Symphonic Concerts. The works by Noren, Sibelius and Glazunov are noted with the word ‘manuscript’, likely indicating that the works were yet to be published. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 16,1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina noted that Rachmaninoff played solos at this concert, and the program confirms the performance of three preludes. I'm informed that a review in the Dresdner Nachrichten lists the preludes as F sharp minor, F sharp (which perhaps can be read as G flat major), and G minor, with the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, given as an encore. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 15 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 5th Symphony Concert of the season for the Moscow Philharmonic Society. Rachmaninoff substituted for Arthur Nikisch, who was ill. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 18 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 6th Symphony Concert of the season for the Moscow Philharmonic Society, and that this was the first performance of Isle of the Dead. Rachmaninoff substituted for Arthur Nikisch, who was ill. Satina adds that ‘he accepted only two concerts and rushed back to Dresden’, which places doubt on whether Rachmaninoff similarly substituted for Nikisch in a third concert on April 27 (Julian calendar). Martyn lists the later concert; Satina did not. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 27 1909 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Martyn and Keldysh (p. 293) indicate that this was a Gogol centenary concert, yet Satina did not include it in her materials. Indeed, her note for the concert on April 18 states that Rachmaninoff subsequently 'rushed back to Dresden'. Keldysh notes the inclusion of M.N. Ermolova and A.I. Yuzhin, not mentioning Dobrovolsky, but nevertheless stating that the 'biggest stars of the Moscow drama and opera theatre took part'. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 4 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the first appearance of Rachmaninoff in the USA. Precise details of keys were not given, hence it is not possible to determine whether the Prelude in ‘D’ is op. 23 no. 3 or 4. Satina notes that ‘the Mason and Hamlin piano was used’, as was also noted for some other venues on this tour. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 8 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Press: Philadelphia Inquirer 1909.11.07 p. 9.
November 10 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 13 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was Rachmaninoff’s first appearance in New York. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 15 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 16 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this concert commenced at 2.30pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 18 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Concert Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 20 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina noted that the keys of the first two preludes were not actually given in a review she had been sent, and that she had copied them from similar programs in Boston, Pittsburgh and Chicago. Her intuition was correct, as a copy of the program in the Carnegie Hall archive documents the keys of the preludes. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 26 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Solo Pianist
Notes: While the attached review does not mention Tchaikovsky's 1812, nor Karl Pohlig, the complete program is printed in the attached press clipping. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Review: Philadelphia Inquirer 1909.11.27 p. 15.
November 27 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 28 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the world premiere performance of the Third Piano Concerto. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 30 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 3 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concert Soloist
Notes: Satina noted that this was an afternoon concert. The attached review indicates the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, was given as an encore. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 4 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was an evening concert. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 9 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 17 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 18 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Concerto Soloist
Notes: Review: Boston Journal 1909.12.18 p. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 26 1909
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 3 1910
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Apetian identified a program for this concert, indicating that it was the same as for Boston on January 10 but without the D minor Sonata. The attached press clipping names the artists and location (misidentified by Satina as the Hotel Astoria), but provides no details about the musical works. It is not known if Rachmaninoff also accompanied singers in his songs, as Satina and Apetian both believed. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.