Diary entries
January 21 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The attached reviews indicate Rachmaninoff's Barcarolle, op. 10, no. 3, and Polichinelle, op. 3, no. 4, were played as encores at the end of the recital, and that a 'Scherzo, op. 31' of Beethoven was played after the sonata. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 23 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the first time the inclusion of Rachmaninoff’s cadenza was mentioned in the program, and that the Polka de W.R. was performed 'by request'. This concert was given under the auspices of the Society for Prevention and Relief of Tuberculosis. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 28 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina states that this was the first performance of the revised version of the concerto. The concert was the 3rd Subscription Concert of the Russian Symphony Orchestra Society of the season, starting at 8.15pm. According to the program, the work by Scriabin appears not to have been scheduled, yet the reviews indicate it was performed. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 29 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: The concert began at 3pm. According to the program, the work by Scriabin was not scheduled, yet it is mentioned in the review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 31 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: The concert began at 2.30pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 1 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: The concert began at 8pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Review: Boston Herald 1919.02.02 p. 11.
February 2 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 3 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: The concert began at 4.30pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 4 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: The concert began at 8.15pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 5 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Review 2: Philadelphia Inquirer 1919.02.06 p. 10.
February 7 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: The concert began at 8.15pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 9 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 19 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 22 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The concert commenced at 2.30pm. It is not indicated whether the 2nd or 3rd piece from Medtner's op. 7 was performed. The second attached review indicates that the Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, was given as an encore at the end. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Review: Boston Herald 1919.02.23 p. 11.
February 23 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the first time Rachmaninoff played an all Russian recital program in New York. It is not indicated whether the 2nd or 3rd piece from Medtner's op. 7 was performed. The third attached review notes that among the audience were Nellie Melba and Geraldine Farrar, and that Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 3, no. 2, was one of a small group of encores at the end. The fourth attached review indicates that 'The Star-Spangled Banner' was played at the beginning. Regarding Rachmaninoff's Variations, op. 22, the first attached review indicates: 'As played yesterday it was in a form somewhat changed from that in which it first was published ten or more years ago. Some six of the original variations were left out yesterday, one, new, was substituted and a bravura finale is now set as a quiet mood.' LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 27 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: The concert commenced at 8.15pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 1 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 4 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The concert commenced at 8.15pm. The first attached review notes Rachmaninoff began by playing 'The Star-Spangled Banner', and that the Polichinelle, op. 3, no. 4, was one or two encores at the end. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 7 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The concert commenced at 8.15pm. The first attached review notes that Rachmaninoff began by playing 'The Star-Spangled Banner', and that Tchaikovsky's Troika and Rachmaninoff's Polichinelle, op. 3, no. 5, were played as encores. As the attached press clipping indicates, the program was different to what was advertised in relation to Rachmaninoff's own works. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 9 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 13 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The concert commenced at 4.30pm. Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G minor, op. 23, no. 5, is noted as an encore, along with Tchaikovsky's Troika, a Nocturne perhaps by Field, and a Chopin waltz. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 23 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: The attached reviews indicate a Chopin Waltz in A flat major was played as an encore after the Strauss-Tausig works, while Tchaikovsky's Troika was given at the end. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 28 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: The Symphony no. 2 in E minor was presumed by Satina to be Rachmaninoff's but was in fact by Rabaud. According to the reviews, the symphony was conducted by the concertmaster, Thaddeus Rich, as Stokowski became indisposed. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89. Review 2: Philadelphia Inquirer 1919.03.29 p. 10.
March 29 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
April 7 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Piano Roll Recording
Notes: From the attached copy of a page from Ampico's ledger of recordings by individual artists, it is clear that Rachmaninoff recorded reproducing piano rolls of his Second Concerto (the complete ledger is viewable at the online Digital Repository of Stanford University Library). His recording of the orchestral reduction ('2nd piano') of the slow movement was, apparently, not unusual: as with Hofmann's recording of Chopin's E minor concerto, the accompaniment would have been recorded during playback of the solo part, with the intention that the two rolls would be amalgamated in production. There are references to the solo roll of the second movement being played in public, such as in Chicago in 1983, as Barrie Martyn notes in his book (p. 499). The attached article from the Chicago Tribune muddies the water through its reference to the 'first movement', however all other sources indicate that the roll of the second movement was in fact played. The unpublished rolls for reproducing piano should not be confused with the existence of player piano rolls of the same concerto, one of which is believed to have been created in Dresden in 1908 and published by Aeolian in 1910. It seems doubtful that this roll was 'hand played', yet it has been suggested that Rachmaninoff was involved (see, for example, the article by Rex Lawson on pianola.org). Gregor Benko, in liner notes to the 1973 Complete Rachmaninoff recordings release, writes about Satina recalling Rachmaninoff 'gleefully' pedalling through these player piano rolls at Ivanovka in the years before emigrating to the West (i.e., prior to 1917).
April 8 1919
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was a Gala Concert of the Vacation Association Inc., and that 'maestro Bambuschek' accompanied Geraldine Farrar. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
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.