Diary entries
March 26 1898 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: This date was not noted by Satina, however Val'kova (vol. 1, p. 216) includes it. Val'kova cites an entry in Taneyev's Diaries that outlines the performance and Rachmaninoff's participation, referring to it as an 'evening of Russian composers'. She states that it was not possible to find a program for the concert, and no press notices are cited.
September 16 1898 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Rachmaninoff's travels to Crimea with Chaliapin and other singers are noted in various sources, however specific details of performances are recorded by Val'kova (vol. 1, pp. 222-224). While she notes that Rachmaninoff's name was not mentioned in any of the press notices about concerts, she cites other press and biographical sources that conclusively place him with the group of Russian Private Opera singers. The concerts on September 16, 18 and 21 are supported by notices in the Crimean Courier, and are listed here, however it seems likely that other concerts planned for Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa and Alupka also took place.
September 18 1898 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Val'kova (vol. 1, p. 223) cites a press notice in Crimean Courier on September 17 to verify this performance.
September 21 1898 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Val'kova (vol. 1, p. 223) cites a press notice in Crimean Courier to verify this concert, also indicating that Malinin's name was not mentioned in regard to this event.
April 19 1899
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina noted that this was Rachmaninoff’s first appearance in England. The concert was the 3rd in the season of the Philharmonic Society of London. Satina indicated that the program was copied from the book ‘History of the Philharmonic Society of London: 1813-1912’, p. 462. The attached reviews note that Rachmaninoff's Prelude was repeated by request. The aria by Borodin ('Медленно день угасал') is from Act 2 of the opera. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 15 1899 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina provided the complete program, noting that Rachmaninoff accompanied Chaliapin and Bremsen. Val'kova (vol. 1, p. 243) includes part of the program. The concert was held under the auspices of the Ladies’ Committee for Prisoner Welfare. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 17 1900 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Chamber Musician
Notes: Details of this concert are in the Russian National Museum of Music (formerly known as the Glinka Museum). Neither Satina nor Martyn list the event. Songs and arias with Chaliapin could be similar to works performed in concerts on March 9 and December 2 later this year.
March 9 1900 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina cites Apetian, p. 183, and notes that it was the first performance of ‘Fate’. Satina believed there was a possibility that dates have been mixed with this concert, and it could have occurred on September 3 1900, yet the date of March 9 is confirmed by Keldysh (p. 167). Martyn (p. 435) lists 'Aus meines Tränen spriessen' from Dichterliebe in place of 'Ich hab' im Traum geweinet'. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 2 1900 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was a symphony concert held under the auspices of the Ladies’ Committee for Prisoner Welfare. Satina also notes that the order of compositions performed is unknown. This was the first performance of the two movements from the Second Piano Concerto. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
October 27 1901 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the first performance of the complete Concerto. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 24 1901 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina indicated that this was the 3rd concert of the season of the Philharmonic Society, citing Apetian (p. 197) as her reference. This was the first performance of Rachmaninoff’s Suite no. 2. A review in Novosti Dnya on November 26 indicates that songs by Tchaikovsky, Davidov, and Rimsky-Korsakov were performed by Barsukov. The exact order of the program is unknown at present. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 2 1901 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina noted that this concert, held under the auspices of the Ladies’ Committee for Prisoner Welfare, was the first performance of Rachmaninoff’s Sonata for piano and cello, op. 19. Keldysh (p. 172) notes Ysaÿe's performance of the Vieuxtemps concerto, citing a review indicating Rachmaninoff's accompaniment 'exceptionally compensated' for the absence of an orchestra. The review would appear to be from Moskovskiye Vedomosti on December 4, which seems to suggest that a Romance by Beethoven was also performed by Ysaÿe and Rachmaninoff. The order of the program is unknown. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 3 1902 (Julian Calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: While neither Satina nor Apetian note this concert, Keldysh (p. 200) indicates this was an 'open concert' for the Evenings of Contemporary Music.
March 11 1902 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Threlfall and Norris note the first performance of Rachmaninoff's cantata 'Spring', op. 20, on this date, but indicate that Siloti conducted. Yet Keldysh (p. 203) believed that the composer conducted, citing press reviews. Specifically, from Moskovskiye Vedomosti on March 13: 'Despite Rachmaninoff's confident conducting, noted in the press reviews, it [the performance of 'Spring'] was not entirely successful'. It might be that Siloti conducted the other works on the program.
March 26 1902 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Satina cites Apetian, p. 207, as her reference. Martyn, p. 536, indicates that Siloti conducted the symphonic works on the program. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 9 1903
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: This date was not recorded by Satina in her list of European concerts, although a later note in the archive indicates she was aware of its possibility. In the note, she also questions the possibility of a concert in Prague directly afterwards - 'probable the same concert was repeated in Prague'. That concert - on January 14 - has been verified more recently by a newspaper review. The details for this program are supplied from the website of the Vienna Symphony. At the time, the orchestra was known as the Wiener Concertverein. An attached review from Deutsches Volksblatt, p. 11, on January 10, provides further information. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 14 1903
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist
Notes: This concert was not listed by Satina, however a note regarding a concert in Vienna on January 9 indicated she was aware of its possibility. I am grateful to J. Falleyn for confirming the concert, and for supplying the translation of the attached review. The exact order of the program is according to the attached press clipping. Rachmaninoff played one of his Preludes as an encore, as noted in the review. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 9 1903 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina noted that this mixed concert was held under the auspices of the ‘Society for Improving the Conditions of Teacher’s Life in Moscow Public Schools’, and that V. Petrovna, Antonina Nezhdanova, and Leonid Sobinov also took part. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
February 10 1903 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist and Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was a concert held under the auspices of the Ladies Committee for Prisoner Welfare. Satina cites Apetian, p. 221-222, as her reference. Threlfall and Norris note that this was the first performance of Rachmaninoff's op. 22. Keldysh (p. 205) indicates that N.I. Zabela-Vrubel sang some of Rachmaninoff's songs, along with Petrovna, which is supported by Martyn (p. 432), although the latter does not list the performance of Rachmaninoff's songs. Keldysh quotes from a review indicating that the Prelude in D major was played rather than the Prelude in B flat major. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
March 3 1903 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina indicates that Rachmaninoff included his Preludes in D minor and D major among the set. Keldysh (p. 205) notes only 5 preludes. Which concerto by Popper was played is not indicated. The concert began at 9pm. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
November 15 1903 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Concerto Soloist and Solo Pianist
Notes: Satina notes that this was the 3rd concert in the season of Alexander Siloti. Satina also notes that this was the first performance of the works by Goedicke and Rimsky-Korsakov. Keldysh (p. 201 and p. 206) indicates that Rachmaninoff played three preludes from op. 23 as encores. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
December 13 1903 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor and Chamber Musician
Notes: LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 16 1904 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was a benefit concert held under the auspices of ‘the Society for the Aid of needy Medical Students – Attendants at the Old St Catherine’s Hospital’. Satina also indicates that this was the first performance of the work by Glazunov. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
January 18 1904 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Chamber Musician
Notes: Satina notes that this was the first appearance of Rachmaninoff in one of Kerzin’s concerts. Satina cites Apetian, p. 230, as her reference. LoC, Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, ML31.R33, Papers of Sophie Satin, boxes 82-89.
September 3 1904 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Keldysh (p. 210) notes that while Rachmaninoff was scheduled to have conducted the season-opening performance of Glinka's 'A Life for the Tsar', delays in that production meant that this was his first appearance conducting opera at the Bolshoi Theatre.
September 17 1904 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Keldysh (p. 213) notes Chaliapin in the role of Galitsky in this performance.
September 21 1904 (Julian calendar)
Rachmaninoff's role: Conductor
Notes: Keldysh (p. 213) provides details of this entirely new production of Glinka's opera, which sought to restore the composer's original intentions, and quotes numerous and highly laudatory reviews of Rachmaninoff's conducting.