Sergei Rachmaninoff

Born: 1873-04-01

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist and conductor of the late Romantic period, some of whose works are among the most popular in the Romantic repertoire. Born into a musical family, Rachmaninoff took up the piano at age 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 therapy allowed him to complete his enthusiastically received Piano Concerto No. 2 in 1901. For the next sixteen years, Rachmaninoff conducted at the Bolshoi Theatre, relocated to Dresden, Germany, and toured the United States for the first time. Following the Russian Revolution, Rachmaninoff and his family left Russia; in 1918, they settled in the United States, first in New York City. With his main source of income coming from piano and conducting performances, demanding tour schedules led to a reduction in his time for composition; between 1918 and 1943, he completed just six works, including Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Symphony No. 3, and Symphonic Dances. By 1942, his failing health led to his relocation to Beverly Hills, California. One month before his death from advanced melanoma, Rachmaninoff was granted American citizenship. In Rachmaninoff's work, early influences of Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev, Mussorgsky, and other Russian composers gave way to a personal style notable for its song-like melodicism, expressiveness and rich orchestral colors.[3] Rachmaninoff often featured the piano in his compositions, and he explored the expressive possibilities of the instrument through his own skills as a pianist.


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The Golden Twenties

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1950-04-08

Feature-length compilation of 1920s newsreel footage, with commentary about news, sports,...

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Coisa Mais Linda - Histórias e Casos da Bossa Nova

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2005-01-01

Documentary about the birth of bossa-nova, in Brazil, and the major stars of this musical style.

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Great Russian Composers

as uncredited
Released: 1993-01-11

These biographical drama documentaries explore the lives and careers of Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky,...

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Rachmaninoff: The Harvest of Sorrow

as Archive Footage
Released: 1998-01-01

Tony Palmer tells the life story of Sergei Rachmaninoff through the use of home movies, concert...

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Rachmaninoff: Symphonies Nos 1-3, Symphonic Dances

as Composer
Released: 2018-04-20

This box set brings together Valery Gergiev’s acclaimed cycle of the complete Rachmaninoff...

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