Chamber Musician - Diary entries
Many of the performance details listed here have been 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 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 A Catalogue of the Compositions of S. Rachmaninoff by Robert Threlfall and Geoffrey Norris (Scolar Press: London, 1982), and from research undertaken at the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture, Moscow.
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.
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.
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: 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 in an online Parisian auction catalogue of materials relating to Rachmaninoff in March 2026, from which 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 with the title of 'Да, любитъ сна' ['Yes, Love Sleep'] has been identified in Medtner's catalogue.)
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 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.
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 'Зал купеческого собрания' (Hall of the Merchants' Assembly). 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.