Rachmaninoff 15� th
Who is Sergei Rachmaninoff ?
Born April 1 , 1873 in Russia , Sergei Rachmaninoff took up the piano at age four . Coming from a musical family , his talent excelled early on . Noticing his ability to reproduce passages from memory without a wrong note , his mother and grandfather began formal training for the budding pianist . To continue to nurture his natural talent , he enrolled in the Moscow Conservatory where he performed his first independent concert , premiering his Trio élégiaque No . 1 in January 1892 . Upon graduation , the Conservatory issued Rachmaninoff a diploma which allowed him to officially style himself as a “ Free Artist ”.
Despite composing several works after graduation , Rachmaninoff entered a severe decline following Tchaikovsky ’ s death , a long-time inspiration . It was during this years-long depression , his zeal for composition dissipated and he suffered from writer ’ s block , leaving him to compose almost nothing . From this , the now-distressed composer turned to conducting as a means to make money . During his time as assistant conductor of the Moscow Private Russian Opera , he reignited a spark that led to his return to composing . By 1899 , he ’ d composed and completed two piano pieces which he performed in London , Morceau de Fantaisie and Fughetta in F major , that
earned positive reviews .
Despite his success , Rachmaninoff ’ s depression worsened , leaving him unproductive and uninspired . The self-critical composer sought professional help to accelerate his recovery . By April 1901 , he finished his first fully completed work and arguably one of his most popular , Piano Concerto No . 2 — dedicated to Nikolai Dahl , the physician and amateur musician that treated
his depression . It was this
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF magnificent piece that solidified his professional success , going on to perform , compose and conduct in Germany and the United States .
During the 1909 – 10 concert season , he agreed to perform and
“ Interpretation demands something of the creative instinct … You can give their works color . That is the most important thing for me in my interpretations , color . So you make music live . Without color it is dead .”
conduct in the United States with conductor Max Fiedler and the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New York Symphony Orchestra , conducted by Gustav Mahler .
After years of political turmoil in Russia , Rachmaninoff opted to leave Russia and immigrate to the United States . Despite offers from both the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Symphony Orchestra , he set sail for New York City in 1918 . His arrival was met with a crowd of musicians , artists , and fans gathering outside his hotel . Rachmaninoff quickly sorted out his business affairs , one of them being his single , continued relationship with a piano manufacturer — Steinway , which continued throughout his life . By 1920 ,
RACHMANINOFF FESTIVAL
— concerts —
Rachmaninoff & Poe with The Cathedral Choral Society MARCH 19 Angel Blue and Rachmaninoff 2 MARCH 24 – 26 Marin Conducts Rach 3 APRIL 13 & 15
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto Rachmaninoff : Symphonic Dances
MAY 4 – 7
The BSO ' sRachmaninoff 150 Festival is made possible by
the major support of Judy and Scott Phares . www . bsomusic . org
he completed a successful tour and signed a recording contract with the Victor Talking Machine Company which began his longtime association with RCA . Rachmaninoff began a decades-long , rigorous tour schedule , oftentimes traveling between continents .
Rachmaninoff performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra in New York City alongside conductor Eugene Ormandy on November 26 and December 3 1939 , as part of the orchestra ’ s special series of concerts dedicated to the composer in celebration of the 30 th anniversary of his U . S . debut . After this concert , he began an extensive recording period , lasting between 1939 and 1942 , before relocating to California . These recordings included his Piano Concerto Nos . 1 and 3 and Symphony No . 3 at the Philadelphia Academy of Music .
Shortly after his performance at the Hollywood Bowl in July 1942 , Rachmaninoff suffered from lumbago and fatigue . He informed his doctor that the upcoming 1942 – 43 concert season would be his last . In February 1943 , he made his final appearances as a concerto soloist — Beethoven ’ s First Piano Concerto and his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Hans Lange . At the University of Tennessee , he gave his last recital , the program of which included Chopin ’ s Piano Sonata No . 2 in B-flat minor , or Funeral Sonata — sadly appropriate for the occasion . The following month , four days short of his 70 th birthday , the world lost one of the greatest pianists of all time .
Although gone , Rachmaninoff ’ s impressionable style as a pianist remains everlasting . Marked by such precision and rhythmic drive , his ability to maneuver through complex chords became the standard definition and clarity . The composer , conductor , and pianist ’ s work lives on , inspiring musicians generation after generation .
“ Interpretation demands something of the creative instinct . If you are a composer , you have an affinity with other composers . You can make contact with their imaginations , knowing something of their problems and their ideals . You can give their works color . That is the most important thing for me in my interpretations , color . So you make music live . Without color it is dead .”— Sergei Rachmaninoff
MAR-APR 2023 / OVERTURE 11