Concerto Soloist - 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 Barrie Martyn’s book Rachmaninoff: Composer, Pianist, Conductor (Scolar Press: London, 1990), and A Catalogue of the Compositions of S. Rachmaninoff by Robert Threlfall and Geoffrey Norris (Scolar Press: London, 1982).

October 21 1936

Sheffield, England
City Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: Satina noted that this concert was given in the evening. A separate concert in the afternoon, which opened the Sheffield Festival, included a performance of Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, however the composer did not take part in that concert. A press clipping in the Sheffield Independent indicates Rachmaninoff was among the audience. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

November 27 1936

St Louis, MO, USA
Municipal Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

November 28 1936

St Louis, MO, USA
Municipal Building

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

December 2 1936

Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Syria Mosque

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: The attached reviews note that, atypically, Rachmaninoff played an encore after the concerto, performing the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 5 1937

New York, NY, USA
Carnegie Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert began at 8.45pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 6 1937

Newark, NJ, USA
Mosque Theater

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: While Satina lists the Dvořák Symphony as no. 5, the attached review confirms that it was no. 9. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

January 8 1937

Philadelphia, PA, USA
Academy of Music

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

January 9 1937

Philadelphia, PA, USA
Academy of Music

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

January 12 1937

Washington, DC, USA
Constitution Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

January 13 1937

Baltimore, MD, USA
Lyric Theater

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

January 15 1937

Minneapolis, MI, USA
Northrop Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

January 23 1937

Seattle, WA, USA
Civic Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

February 25 1937

Detroit, MI, USA
Orchestra Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: Satina notes that the concerto was played after interval. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

October 23 1937

New York, NY, USA
Carnegie Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert, which began at 8.45pm, was a ‘Special Concert for the Benefit of American Federation for Blind and for Pension Fund for the Orchestra’, and that Helen Keller was introduced in a brief interview undertaken by Dr J Finely. She also notes that the work by Rameau replaced the programmed Jeu des cartes of Stravinsky, and that the symphony by Brahms replaced Sibelius’ Symphony no. 5. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

October 29 1937

Cincinnati, OH, USA
Music Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

October 30 1937

Cincinnati, OH, USA
Music Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

November 4 1937

Cleveland, OH, USA
Severance Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

November 6 1937

Cleveland, OH, USA
Severance Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

November 23 1937

Chicago, IL, USA
Northwestern University Auditorium

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

December 2 1937

Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Syria Mosque

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

December 3 1937

Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Syria Mosque

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

December 24 1937

Boston, MA, USA
Symphony Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert began at 2.30pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

December 25 1937

Boston, MA, USA
Symphony Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: Satina indicates that this concert began at 8.15pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

March 10 1938

Manchester, England
Free Trade Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

April 2 1938

London, England
Queen’s Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

October 5 1938

London, England
Royal Albert Hall

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: Satina notes that this concert was Sir Henry Wood’s Jubilee. The details of the program, which appear not to have been known to her, along with the attached image are taken from the program collection of the Royal Albert Hall. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

October 8 1938

The Hague, Netherlands

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

October 9 1938

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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

October 21 1938

Philadelphia, PA, USA
Academy of Music

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

Notes: Satina was unaware of the works on this program, except for the concerto. According to the attached review, the Symphony no. 3 was a substitution for the Symphony no. 2. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.

October 22 1938

Philadelphia, PA, USA
Academy of Music

Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist

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