Questions about Sergei Rachmaninoff
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What caused Sergei Rachmaninoff's famous three-year depression?
The devastating premiere of Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1 on the 28th of March 1897 triggered a three-year depression. Critic Cesar Cui compared the work to a depiction of the seven plagues of Egypt, and other critics did not defend the performance, which was widely believed to have been poorly conducted by Alexander Glazunov. Rachmaninoff himself was deeply distressed that the symphony had not pleased him even at its first rehearsal.
How did Rachmaninoff recover from his depression and writer's block?
Between January and April 1900, Rachmaninoff underwent daily hypnotherapy and supportive therapy sessions with physician and amateur musician Nikolai Dahl for over three months. The sessions were specifically structured to improve his sleep, mood, appetite, and desire to compose. That summer he reported new musical ideas beginning to stir, and he completed his Piano Concerto No. 2 in 1901, dedicating it to Dahl.
Why did Rachmaninoff leave Russia and never return?
Rachmaninoff and his family left Russia on the 22nd of December 1917, using an invitation to perform piano recitals across Scandinavia as a pretext to obtain travel permits. He had returned to Ivanovka after the February Revolution to find his estate seized by members of the Social Revolutionary Party, and the turmoil of the October Revolution made life in Moscow untenable. The estate was later confiscated by communist authorities, and Rachmaninoff settled permanently in New York City in 1918.
How many compositions did Rachmaninoff complete after leaving Russia?
Rachmaninoff completed just six new works in the twenty-four years between his arrival in the United States in 1918 and his death in 1943. He attributed this sharp decline to the loss of his homeland, saying that by leaving Russia he left behind his desire to compose. His final work, the Symphonic Dances, was premiered by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in January 1941.
What was Rachmaninoff's relationship with the piano manufacturer Steinway?
Rachmaninoff chose Steinway as his piano partner after arriving in the United States for his 1918-19 concert season. Multiple manufacturers had offered him money to tour with their instruments. He selected Steinway specifically because it was the only one that did not offer payment. The association continued for the rest of his life.
Where was Sergei Rachmaninoff buried and why not in Russia?
Rachmaninoff was interred at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York. In his will he had expressed a wish to be buried at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, alongside Scriabin, Taneyev, and Chekhov, but his American citizenship, which he had received on the 1st of February 1943, made that impossible.