Solo Pianist - Diary entries
Many of the initial performance details listed here were 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, especially substantial research that identified precise program details, 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), A Catalogue of the Compositions of S. Rachmaninoff by Robert Threlfall and Geoffrey Norris (Scolar Press: London, 1982), and research undertaken at the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture, Moscow.
November 20 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: A mazurka by Chopin in C sharp minor, Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, and his transcriptions of Schubert's 'Wohin?' and Rimsky-Korsakov's Bumble Bee, are noted as encores in the attached reviews. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 22 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: A Chopin waltz, Liszt's Liebestraum no. 3, and Rachmaninoff's transcription of Schubert's 'Wohin?' are noted as encores in the attached reviews. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 27 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 28 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 30 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 7 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina had a different ordering of the Chopin group to that outlined in the attached reviews, hence her indication of key for the Mazurka could be mistaken. The Waltz in A flat major, op. 42, was played two nights later, so was perhaps performed here. Liszt's transcription of 'Die Forelle' and 'two Russian numbers' are noted as encores in the reviews. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 9 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina was not aware of the inclusion of the Waltz in A flat, op. 42, in the Chopin group. Rachmaninoff's transcriptions of Schubert's 'Wohin?', Mussorgsky's Hopak, and Rimsky-Korsakov's Bumble Bee are noted as encores in the attached reviews. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 12 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 13 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that in this program the Beethoven sonata that appeared in Exeter and Norwalk on the days either side was not played, but rather the Chopin Waltz and Ballade were added. However, Satina does not indicate the exact placement of these works, thus where they were added cannot be indicated with certainty. The Liebestraum similarly replaced the Liszt Sonetto. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 15 1937
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 14 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is likely that the Chopin Mazurka was op. 63, no. 3, given that Rachmaninoff played it in other concerts this season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 16 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is likely that the Chopin Mazurka was op. 63, no. 3, given that Rachmaninoff played it in other concerts this season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 20 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: A note in Satina's files indicates that brief details of the concert were found in the journal 'l'Eclaireur'. Works by Bach-Liszt, Bach, Chopin, Debussy, and two of Rachmaninoff's compositions were performed. The works noted appear similar to a program Rachmaninoff gave on February 28 in Vienna.
February 28 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that she has copied the keys and opuses of these works from the same program that Rachmaninoff played in Newcastle a few weeks later. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 4 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 12 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 13 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Tchaikovsky's Troika and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, are noted as encores in the attached reviews. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 15 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The transcription of Kreisler's Liebesleid and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, are noted as encores in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 17 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 19 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 21 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, is noted among the encores in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 22 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that the Chopin Nocturne listed in the program was in D flat major, op. 27, no. 2, but was replaced by the Nocturne in F major. The attached review notes Tchaikovsky's Troika as among the encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 26 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The attached review does not mention the Paganin-Liszt Etude, although it appears in the attached press notice. The D flat major Nocturne was, according to the review, substituted for the advertised Nocturne in F major, op. 15, no. 1. The review also indicates the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, a Chopin Waltz in A flat, and a Liszt transcription were given as encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 28 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is likely that the Chopin Mazurka was op. 63, no. 3, given that Rachmaninoff played it in other concerts this season. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 24 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not clear which work by Rameau is indicated, but it could be the Gavotte and Variations (Gavotte et six doubles) from the Suite in A minor, RCT 5. While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was constantly listed as A flat minor, it is likely that the work was op. 90, no. 4. The Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, a Chopin mazurka, and the transcription of Mussorgsky's Hopak are noted as encores in the attached reviews. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 28 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not clear which work by Rameau is indicated, but it could be the Gavotte and Variations (Gavotte et six doubles) from the Suite in A minor, RCT 5. While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 30 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not clear which work by Rameau is indicated, but it could be the Gavotte and Variations (Gavotte et six doubles) from the Suite in A minor, RCT 5. While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. An etude by Chopin is noted as the encore in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 1 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not clear which work by Rameau is indicated, but it could be the Gavotte and Variations (Gavotte et six doubles) from the Suite in A minor, RCT 5. While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. The Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, is noted as the encore in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 9 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not clear which work by Rameau is indicated, but it could be the Gavotte and Variations (Gavotte et six doubles) from the Suite in A minor, RCT 5. Satina notes that this was a concert for the benefit of the ‘Boston School of Occupational Therapy’. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 10 1938
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: It is not clear which work by Rameau is indicated, but it could be the Gavotte and Variations (Gavotte et six doubles) from the Suite in A minor, RCT 5. While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.