Sergei Rachmaninov

Birth: April 1, 1873 in Semyonovo, Novgorod, Russia Death: March 28, 1943 in Beverly Hills, California, USA

Russian Composer,Pianist and Conductor(1873 – 1943)

Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.“I am a Russian composer,” -wrote Sergei Rachmaninov,-“and my Motherland has left its work on my character and on my outlook. My music is the fruit of my character therefore it is Russian music.”

Genius

He is thought to be one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. As a composer he is one of the greatest musicians who composed in the Romantic style, although most of his adult life he lived in the 20th century. His music has wonderful tunes that are easily remembered.

His name is spelt in different ways in English “ Sergey” or “Sergei” , and “ Rachmaninoff”, “ Rachmaninov”, “ Rakhmaninoff” or “ Rakhmaninov”.

Sergei Rachmaninov was born in 1873 in the country estate Semyonovo just outside of Novgorod in the north-west region of Russia .

Birthplace of S. Rachmaninov

Relatives

His father, Vasily, was descended from the Tambov province noble family of the Rachmaninovs. He was an army officer. S. Rachmaninov’s mother, Lubov, was descended from a wealthy family of the Butakovs, which lived in Novgorod.

There are many places in Novgorod region linked with the name of Sergei Rachmaninov and with the name of his maternal relatives –the Butakovs, who had 5 estates outside of Novgorod. His vacations for nearly three years were spent in Novgorod by his grandmother, S.A.Butakova.

Child’s memories about Novgorod

“ My cheerest memory of early childhood was associated with four musical notes of the big bells of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral which were heard on festive days when grandmother and I went around the city. The bell –ringers were real masters. …”

( from the book of Bertenson and Leida).

Family trait

Sergei was the forth out of six children. The talent for music was a family trait of the Rachmaninovs. His father was a brilliant pianist. He performed in the charitable concerts and musical saloons. His father was not good with money and ended up loosing many of their estates. Relations between his mother and father were also not excellent and were speculated to be violent. The family moved to St. Petersburg because of financial difficulty.  

Music studies

At the age of nine he enteredthe Conservatory in St. Petersburg. Because of his natural gift, Sergei did not bother to study. To solve his discipline problem Rachmaninov moved to Moscow to live with Nikolai Zverev and study in the Moscow Conservatory. Zverev was one of the leading music teachers in Russia at that time. It was the strict regime of the Zverev home. Zverev would make his students practice for several hours a day as well as cultural outings such as the Historical Recitals.

Rachmaninov’s immigration

Rachmaninov and his family left their home for Stockholm in December of 1917 because of the Russian Revolution. Rachmaninov never returned to Russia and soon moved to New York in November of 1918.

In 1902 Rachmaninov married his second cousin Natalia Satina, it came to some difficultly under the Eastern Orthodox Church and its rules on marrying cousins.

S. Rachmaninov’s life abroad

Abroad Rachmaninov did not compose much because of the demand to perform and the need to support his family. He felt that his inspiration was left at his home in Russia. The difference being 39 compositions from 1892-1917 in Russia to only 6 compositions until he died in America.

He could play extremely difficult music and had very large hands so that he could play chords with large stretches.

He was acknowledged as one of the best composers, players and conductors in the world.

Rachmaninov’s piano music is extremely difficult to play.

Burial place

Rachmaninov died on March 28th, 1943, in Beverly Hills, California, just a few days before his 70th birthday. He was later buried in Kensico Cemetery, New York. In final hours of his life, he was said to have heard music off in the distance and after being told that there was no such thing, he said: “Then it is in my head.”

S. Rachmaninov and Velikiy Novgorod nowadays

Velikiy Novgorod keeps our national historical memory of the great creator. The centre of Music Culture, our municipal music school , College of Music Art and College of Arts where children and young people have their classes are named after Sergei Rachmaninov. All of them have museums devoted to Sergei Rachmaninov and his relatives. In 2009 the Monument to S.Rachmaninov was erected in the centre of Novgorod.

International Children’s Festival in Velikiy Novgorod

For some years at the birthplace of Sergei Rachmaninov - in Velikiy Novgorod -the International Children’s Festival of Russian Classical Music named after him is held once in two and a half years. This festival has become the considerable event in the world of music art. It has found many supporters both in Russia and abroad, and has revealed many young talents. What is important - Rachmaninov’s festival has really continued national traditions in music.

Considerable landmark

This festival is a very considerable landmark in a young pianist’s life. Young foreign pianists from Canada, the United States, Japan, Norway, England, Germany, France, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and other countries participate in the Festival. It is a certain important step to perfection of creative work, to the better understanding of the Russian land’s beauty and harmony.

S. Rachmaninov’s descendents

Descendents of great Russian composer, pianist and conductor S. Rachmaninov wished to restore the family estate of Oneg where the composer spent his childhood. The descendents, great-grand daughter-Natalie Wanamaker- Xavier with her husband and her son, live in Costa - Rica. Visiting Novgorod she handed over to public earlier unpublished photos of Sergei Rachmaninov and the family members’ documents and letters in the original and in copies. The great-grand daughter made big donation to the prize fund of the International S. Rachmaninov competition of young pianists held in Velikiy Novgorod. She and her husband are honorary jury members of the competitions to be held in V. Novgorod.

S. Rachmaninov’s mother’s grave

Lubov Rachmaninova, Sergei’s mother was buried at the Rozhdestvenskoe Cemetry in Novgorod. For many years the Novgorodian musicians keep the burial place of Lubov Rachmaninova. They themselves placed there a modest tombstone with the inscription:” To the mother who had bestowed the world a Genius”, where funeral services are held twice a year.

Music works

A short opera Aleko Some piano pieces called preludes

(A Prelude in C sharp minor The Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini)

Symponies Piano concertos Choral music Pieces for choir and orchestra (The Bells) Religious works (The All-Night Vigil)

( the Vespers) Cello sonata

 

Tasks

Why is the International Children’s Festival of Russian Classical Music named after S. Rachmaninov held in Velikiy Novgorod?