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Sergey Vassilievich Rachmaninoff

Sergey Vassilievich Rachmaninoff

Born: 1st April 1873, Starorussky Uyezd

Died: 28th March 1943, Beverly Hills

Nationality: Russian

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the late Romantic period. The influence of Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev, Mussorgsky, and other Russian composers is seen in his early works, later giving way to a personal style notable for song-like melodicism, expressiveness and rich orchestral colours.

Born into a musical family, Rachmaninoff took up the piano at the age of four. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1892, having already composed several piano and orchestral pieces. In 1897, following the negative critical reaction to his Symphony No. 1, Rachmaninoff entered a four-year depression and composed little until successful supportive therapy allowed him to complete his enthusiastically received Piano Concerto No.

Further Reading: Rachmaninoff

  • John Wilson completes his cycle of Rachmaninoff symphonies

    John Wilson and Sinfonia of London present the third and final album in their survey of Rachmaninoff’s symphonies, offering a dramatic reading of the early Symphony No. 1 (notoriously a disaster at its first performance in 1895) alongside an exquisite account of the Symphonic Dances.

  • Sergei Babayan on Rachmaninoff for Two

    The Armenian-American pianist talks about the art of transcription, late nights with Martha Argerich, recording with his former pupil Daniil Trifonov - and why he believes that teachers can learn as much from their students as vice versa...

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