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.
October 24 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Noted as encores in the first of the attached reviews are a prelude by Rachmaninoff, and his transcription of Rimsky-Korskov's Bumblebee. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 25 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 27 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 29 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 30 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 1 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that ‘the entire proceed was given by Rachmaninoff to the Russian War charity’. The concert began at 2.30pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 4 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 9 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 13 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. Satina notes that the keys of the Chopin Mazurkas were not given, but they have been copied from other concerts where the program was essentially the same (and subsequently confirmed in the second attached review). Both attached reviews note a Hopak by Tchaikovsky as an encore (yet this could be mistaken for Rachmaninoff's arrangement of the work by Mussorgsky), along with the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, and the transcription of Rimsky-Korsakov's The Bumblebee. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 14 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The attached review notes a transcription of the cowboy song 'On the Lone Prairie' as an encore, along with Mussorgsky's Hopak and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2. There are no other known references to Rachmaninoff playing the first-named encore. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 16 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 24 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. Satina believed the interval was as noted, however the attached review appears to indicate it occurred after the Beethoven. Tchaikovsky's Troika and his own Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, are noted as encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 25 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 2 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The attached review indicates that Tchaikovsky's Troika, the transcription of Mussorgsky's Hopak, and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, were given as encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 9 1941
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The attached review notes a Chopin Mazurka, the transcription of Mussorgsky's Hopak, and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, were given as encores. The attached press clipping indicates that Rachmaninoff suffered a burn to one of his fingers at his hotel after this concert, resulting in the cancellation of a concert in Dallas, TX. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 12 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The attached reviews note that a Chopin Mazurka in A minor, Rachmaninoff's Humoresque and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, were given as encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 16 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. As both reviews note, Rachmaninoff began the concert playing The Star-Spangled Banner. Also indicated are the encores, which were the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, and the transcription of Mussorgsky's Hopak. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 19 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina believed that Liszt's Second Hungarian Rhapsody closed this concert, however the attached review indicates that it was his Eleventh. Also noted are the encores, which were Liszt's transcription of Schubert's 'Serenade', Tausig's transcription of Schumann's 'Kontrabandiste', and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 25 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: A Chopin mazurka and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, are noted as among three encores at the end of the recital. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 28 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: 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.
January 30 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. Satina notes that the keys of the Chopin Mazurkas were not given, but they have been copied from other concerts where the program was essentially the same. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 2 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. Satina indicates that a Chopin Waltz in A flat major was on the program, but does not note its exact placement. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 8 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina believed that the Bach-Liszt Organ Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543 opened this concert, however the attached review indicates that it was Mozart's Theme and Variations from the A major Sonata. 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, and the transcription of Mussorgsky's Hopak are noted as the encores in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 15 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 17 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: 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.
February 20 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While the key of the Schubert Impromptu was consistently listed as A flat minor, Martyn (p. 434) confirms it was D. 899, no. 4. Satina was unsure whether a Chopin waltz was included on the program, although this is confirmed in the attached press clipping. The Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, is noted as the final encore in the attached review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 22 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The first attached review indicates that works by Chopin and Rachmaninoff's Humoresque, op. 10, no. 5, were encores at the end of the recital. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 3 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: 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 12 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: While its number was not given in the program, the attached review from the Detroit Free Press indicates implicitly that the Etude-Tableau in A minor was op. 39, no. 6. The Liszt Sonetto del Petrarca was either no. 104 or no. 123. The Chopin Waltz was possibly op. 42, given that it was played in a similar program in Pittsburgh a few days later. A Chopin mazurka and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, are noted as the encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 16 1942
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The attached review from the Pittsburgh Press indicates clearly that the Etude-Tableau in A minor was op. 39, no. 6, despite its number not being given in the program, while the review in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette indicates that the Chopin Waltz in A flat major was op. 42. A Chopin mazurka and the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, are noted as the encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.