Chamber Musician - Diary entries

December 13 1903 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Chamber Musician

Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 16 1904 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina notes that this was a benefit concert held under the auspices of ‘the Society for the Aid of needy Medical Students – Attendants at the Old St Catherine’s Hospital’. Satina also indicates that this was the first performance of the work by Glazunov. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 18 1904 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina notes that this was the first appearance of Rachmaninoff in one of Kerzin’s concerts. Satina cites Apetian, p. 230, as her reference. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 28 1908 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

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.

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.

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 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.

January 9 1910

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina noted that this was a ‘Grand Sunday Concert’, and that other singers also performed with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. According to Apetian, one of the songs was Spring Waters, op. 14. The first attached review indicates that Adamo Didur also sang two songs by Rachmaninoff, while the second review appears to indicate otherwise. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

February 6 1910 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina notes that this was the 7th of Alexander Siloti’s Symphony Concerts of the season. Satina also indicates that the program previously announced had been changed: ‘Rachmaninoff’s concerto no. 3 was cancelled because the score and orchestral material did not come back in time from America. Same about the Isle of the Dead.’ The work by Bach in the ‘edition of Siloti’ is not precisely known, however it could be one of the Two Transcriptions of the Prelude from the Cantata by JS Bach for solo piano. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 4 1910

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Piano Soloist

Notes: Satina was unable to find details of the other performers, or of the piano solos, but these have been supplied according to a newspaper review. Translation of review: copyright J. Falleyn. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

February 10 1911 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina notes that this concert was arranged (perhaps by Siloti) in memory of Vera Komissarzhevskaya. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

October 18 1911

Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina notes that her information for this concert in the Felix Corbett series was sent to her by Mr J. Tillet. Satina further notes that in Rachmaninoff’s notebook he wrote that he played ‘only 2 piano solos’, but in a later typewritten comment pondered that it was ‘possible he meant he appeared twice’. While Satina noted the Schubert she didn't indicate Rachmaninoff's participation, yet from a review in the Teeside Weekly Herald from October 21 it is apparent that the performance of Schubert's Rondo in B minor for violin and piano was performed by him with Fritz Kreisler, which would seem to be both the first time the two played together, and the only known time they did so in a public concert. The exact order of the program is not known, and difficult to determine from the review, which also notes the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, was repeated as an encore. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 3 1912 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina notes that this was the 4th Symphony Concert of the Moscow Philharmonic Society. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 11 1912 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina notes that the proceeds were to be given ‘to the needy Students of the Moscow Women College’. Satina’s reference is Apetian’s collection of Rachmaninoff’s letters, p. 433, which included incomplete details of the program. Further details have been added from Keldysh (p. 343) and Martyn (p. 557), who note Rachmaninoff accompanied Nezhdanova in a group of his songs. The numeration of the orchestral Hungarian Rhapsody of Liszt corresponds with no. 14 in the piano version. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 7 1915 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Solo Pianist

Notes: Satina indicates that this was a chamber music concert, however she does not offer information on which chamber works by Rachmaninoff were played. However, Apetian recorded the works that are indicated, though also noting that it was not clear which of the Etudes-Tableaux were played. Keldysh (p. 403) notes that the violinist and cellist were local musicians. 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.

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.

March 10 1916 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: No details. Neither Satina nor Apetian record a concert on this date, yet Keldysh (p. 404) notes a performance with Koshetz. Citing a review in Muzika (1916, no. 250, p. 186), it appears that in one section of the concert Rachmaninoff accompanied Koshetz 'in the piano part of his songs'. Further details are not known at this stage. It is presumed the concert took place in Moscow.

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 30 1916 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that the same program was given here as in the concert in Moscow, October 24 1916, (and, therefore, Kyiv, January 20 1917), as is copied above. However, she also notes 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’. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 2 1916 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that the same program was given here as in the concert in Moscow, October 24 1916, (and, therefore, Kyiv, January 20 1917), which is also confirmed by Apetian. However, Satina also notes the addition of ‘How fair this spot’, op. 21, no. 7, and ‘When Yesterday we met’, op. 26, no. 13, ‘and possibly some others’. St Petersburg was known as Petrograd at this time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 17 1916 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicates that this was the same program as given in Kyiv on January 20 1917, and in Moscow on October 24 1916, as is copied above. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

20 January 1917 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina includes a photocopy of the program among her notes. The concert, which commenced at 8.30pm, was in the 'кипеческаго заль' (Kypecheskago Hall). LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

July 28 1917 (Julian calendar)

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician and Conductor

Notes: Marietta Shaginian records details of this concert in her recollection of Rachmaninoff (in 'Vospominania'). She notes that Rachmaninoff was not listed on posters for the concert, which occurred on the day of the 'Freedom Loan'. Koshetz at first sang with a different pianist, before Rachmaninoff appeared with her. It might be presumed that one or more songs from op. 38 were performed, given their concerts together the previous year. Shaginian further notes that Rachmaninoff conducted the Marseillaise in the second half of the concert. Boris Nikitin, in 'Two Lives' (p. 94), confirms these details, also noting that Rachmaninoff did not want to perform at the concert.

April 14 1919

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicated that this was a benefit concert, but she could find no further details. At present, no press material regarding an appearance by the two has been found, and some reports indicate that Casals may have been touring in Mexico at the time. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

April 7 1920

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Chamber Musician

Notes: Satina indicated that this was a Rachmaninoff Festival Concert. Instead of The Bells, which was to have been conducted by Rachmaninoff, Damrosch conducted the Spring Cantata. The first attached review notes that Rachmaninoff had 'neurosis' of the arm, although both also indicate that Rachmaninoff felt unable to both conduct and play in the same concert. One of the songs appears to have been 'Spring Waters', op. 14, no. 11, while a further fourth song, which is noted as an encore, could have been op. 4, no. 4. Royal Dadmun is noted as a late replacement for Georges Baklanov. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

April 28, 1925

Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician

Notes: This performance was not listed by Satina and, presumably, was therefore not included by Rachmaninoff in his notebook. Further doubt about Rachmaninoff's participation stemmed from him not being mentioned in the New York Times' review on April 29, and the noting of Paul Stassievitch appearing 'at short notice'; however it has been confirmed that Stassievitch replaced Alexander Siloti. Rachmaninoff performed two works with Auer in the first half of the concert.