Sergei Vasilievich Rakhmaninov personal life. Sergei Rachmaninov: biography, video, interesting facts, creativity

Sergei Rachmaninov and Natalya Satina

Estate Ivanovka S. V. Rachmaninov, Tambov province

Rachmaninov and the Satin family in Ivanovka, 1890s

Standing, from left to right) Sofia Satina, Rachmaninov, Alexander Satin, Father Nikolai, Julius Kreytser, and Mikhail Bakunin

(sitting from left to right) Varvara Satina, Natalya Satina, Elena Kreytser

Very little time will pass, and Rachmaninov will dedicate love romances of amazing lyricism and beauty to Natalia Satina as a sign of farewell to his first youthful feelings and a meeting with the true love of his life.

S. V. Rachmaninov at the piano, early 1900s

We weren't married in a church

N. A. Satina in the Krasnenkoe estate (1899)

Sergei and Natalya submitted a petition to the highest name, but did not wait for an answer, they decided to get married at their own peril and risk. Their honeymoon was more like an escape: after church, the newlyweds drove home, quickly changed clothes and rushed to the station. We took tickets to Vienna, and from there we went to travel around Europe. They returned a few months later, the emperor’s answer: “What is united by God cannot be separated by people” meant that the storm had passed.

Relatives on both sides were quite surprised by the unexpected (for them, at least) decision of Natasha and Seryozha to get married, because, as they say, “nothing predicted it.” None of the inhabitants of Ivanovka noticed any special affection or spark between them. True, Natalya later admitted that she had passionately loved her cousin since childhood. Music spoke for Sergei Rachmaninov better than any words. He dedicated the charming romance “Don’t sing, beauty, in front of me” to his beloved.

With his cousins and brother Satin: S. A. Satina, S. V. Rachmaninov, N. A. Rachmaninova (née Satina) - wife of S. V. Rachmaninov, V. A. Satin (1902)

Despite such a “detective” and extraordinary beginning of the story, the marriage of composer Sergei Rachmaninov and Natalya Satina turned out to be strong and happy, which was recalled half a century later by people who knew their family closely: “Seryozha married Natasha. He couldn't have chosen a better wife. She loved him from childhood, one might say, she suffered for him. She was smart, musical, very informative. We were happy for Seryozha, seeing what good hands he was falling into..."

On the porch of the house on the Krasnenkoye estate: N. A. Satina, S. V. Rachmaninov, V. A. and S. A. Satin (1899-1900)

V. D. Skalon, N. A. Satina, S. A. Satina and S. V. Rachmaninov in Pogozheva’s house on Arbat, where the Satins lived (1890s)

You are my melody

Sergei Rachmaninov, 1901

At 18, Sergei was completely fascinated by their neighbor on the estate, the lovely Verochka Skala, who reciprocated the young musician’s feelings. She even sacrificed her beloved porcelain piggy bank to buy the poor young man a coat.

S. V. Rachmaninov with the Skalon sisters on the balcony at the Ignatovo estate (1897)

Although Rachmaninov belonged to an eminent noble family, “thanks to” his father, a brave guards officer who squandered not only his own fortune, but also that of his wife, he was as poor as a church mouse.

V. A. Rachmaninov is the composer’s father.

L.P. Rachmaninova is the composer’s mother.

L. P. Rachmaninova and A. D. Ornatskaya

That is why, according to a long-standing family tradition, he was not sent to the Corps of Pages; there was nothing to pay for training. But at the conservatory, a gifted boy who was compared to the young Mozart, which was by no means an exaggeration - Seryozha composed plays and piano concertos from the age of four, could play a piece of any complexity by looking at a sheet of music just once - was accepted with joy. Still, the Lord knows in whom to ignite the divine spark, and one way or another leads a person to the goal.

Lyubov Petrovna Rachmaninova with her son Sergei

Sergei Rachmaninov

Early 1880s

N. S. Zverev with his students: M. Presman, S. Rachmaninov and L. Maximov (1880s)

N. S. Zverev with his students (1888).

Sitting: A. N. Scriabin, N. S. Zverev, A. M. Chernyaev, M. L. Presman; standing: S. V. Samuelson, L. A. Maksimov, S. V. Rachmaninov, F. F. Koeneman

A. S. Arensky with his students graduated in 1892: L. E. Konyus, N. S. Morozov, A. S. Arensky, S. V. Rachmaninov

Verochka Skalon soon got married successfully. Their pure children's romance flared up, went out, but left quite serious “adult” “fruits” - beautiful music (romance for cello and piano, second part of the First Piano Concerto). By the way, dedicating musical works to the women with whom he enthusiastically fell in love became a kind of calling card of the composer. Rachmaninov wrote more than 80 romances, and behind almost every one of them there is a love story. The list of muses of the great composer includes Anna Lodyzhenskaya (the wife of his friend), the young singer Nina Koshits, the daughter of the famous Moscow psychiatrist Nikolai Dahl...

V. D. Skalon and N. A. Satina.

Photography from the 1890s

It should be noted that Natalya Alexandrovna was truly an extraordinary woman, of extraordinary spiritual beauty and greatness. One can only guess about what passions were boiling in her soul... She was the only one who allowed herself to show firmness and inflexibility. And this was connected precisely with Rachmaninov’s next heartfelt passion.

S.V. Rachmaninov (sitting) with participants in the first production of the opera Francesca da Rimini by G.A. Baklanov and N.V. Salina, 1906

Portrait of the composer Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov, Ilya Efimovich Repin

So this time he stood up at the controls, not too sober, “phlegmatically” defended, “phlegmatically” played, and, most importantly, absolutely did not understand the depth and scale of what was being performed. For Rachmaninov, this was a real shock, he fell into depression, did not sit down at the instrument, did not write a single note... The bride Natalya Alexandrovna (they were already engaged) did not calmly look at the groom’s mental anguish and almost by force forced Sergei to go to an appointment with Nikolai Dahl, a well-known psychiatrist in Moscow. I wish I knew what the “hypnosis sessions” would turn out for her...

The treatment turned out to be so successful that the inspired and inspired Sergei Rachmaninov wrote the Second Concerto, which became world famous. But visits to the doctor do not stop; on the contrary, they become more frequent. Soon it is no secret to anyone (including Natalya) that the reason is not health concerns, but the beautiful daughter of an aesculapian. And then another blow. Natalya Alexandrovna finds out that the dedicatory inscription for the concert does not contain her name (and this, as you understand, actually means a declaration of love for another). “You gave your word to marry me, if you don’t change your dedication, I will refuse to become your wife,” she calmly but firmly tells the groom. The name of the rival remained a mystery to history (the second concert is dedicated to Dr. Dahl), as well as the true meaning of Sergei’s visits to the doctor. The Master's future wife gracefully and forever veiled them under the legend of the composer's penchant for melancholy. They never had any more disagreements. The family of Sergei and Natalia Rachmaninov was ideal. Natalya never uttered a word of reproach and did not sort things out with her husband, and he was deeply and heartily attached to her.

Rachmaninov in Ivanovka

Requiem for a Dream

Natalia Rachmaninova

The composer, by the way, was a famous dandy; he ordered suits from the best tailors. And most importantly, only with her could he talk for hours about his Motherland, remember... To say that Rachmaninov was homesick is to say nothing. During his emigration, he did not write a single romance. “After leaving, I lost the desire to compose. .. I stopped listening to music..."

S.V. Rachmaninov

“I write the music that I hear inside myself. I am a Russian composer, and my Fatherland influenced both my temperament and my worldview. That’s why my music is Russian…” Natalya Alexandrovna did everything possible so that their connection with the Motherland would not be interrupted, at least spiritually, if not physically. Russian speech was heard in their house: the girls, the driver, the doctor, and the servants spoke Russian. The composer's family perceived the Second World War as a personal grief. Sergei Vasilyevich donated the money collected from one of his concerts to the USSR Defense Fund with the words: “From one of the Russians, all possible assistance to the Russian people in the fight against the enemy. I want to believe and believe in complete victory.”

He spent his last days in California, next to Rachmaninov were his faithful Teta and daughter Irina. Leaving was difficult. The composer smoked a lot all his life, practically never took a cigarette out of his mouth, the disease did not leave a chance.

“You hear, right? Are they playing my “Vespers” on the street? — consciousness returned to him for a few minutes, his gaze settled on his crying wife. A minute later, life left the great Sergei Rachmaninov. And eight years later, the one he called “the good genius of my whole life...” also left him.

S.V.Rachmaninov (1941)

Rachmaninoff's grave at Kensico Cemetery near New York

Monument to Rachmaninov in Moscow, on Strastnoy Boulevard

In the Foto: Irina, Sergei Vasilievich and Tatyana Rachmaninov.

Tair- a private publishing house organized under the financial patronage of Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov by his daughters Irina and Tatyana, with the goal of helping Russian writers in emigration. Books by A.M. Remizov and I.S. Shmelev were published here. The name is an abbreviation of the names Tatyana and Irina.

Back in 1908, S. Rachmaninov had the idea of establishing the Composers Self-Publishing Society in Moscow in order to free composers from exploitation by merchant publishers. Organizational and financial difficulties did not allow the plan to come true. However, a Russian music publishing house arose, owned by S. and N. Koussevitzky. It was headed by a council, the ideological leader of which was Rachmaninov, who treated the affairs of the publishing house with great interest and attention.

In exile in the early 1920s, Rachmaninov, wanting to involve his daughters in socially useful activities, organized a publishing house under the Tair brand in Paris, where they lived at that time. But Sergei Vasilyevich had to take on the main work in publishing. Z. Apetyan’s comments to the second volume of S. Rachmaninov’s “Literary Heritage” indicate that the Tair publishing house began to exist in 1925. Meanwhile, in the same source, the comments note that in 1924 in Paris, under the “Tair” brand, a piano transcription of S. Rachmaninov’s own romance “Daisies” was published.

Rachmaninov's main idea was the desire to publish talented works by Russian composers, which for one reason or another were not published in Russia. After some time, adjustments were made to the plans. Rachmaninov began to publish not only sheet music, but also books by Russian emigrant writers, introducing an element of charity into this. Here are a few lines on this subject from Sergei Vasilyevich’s letter: “I “sit in public” a lot... Every day there is a whole stream of letters and almost everyone, without exception, asks for help, for a personal meeting, etc.” In “Tair” S. Rachmaninov also published the works of playwrights (“Fear” by A. Rybakov), but for some reason refused N. Gumilev to publish his play “Poisoned Silence”.

Rachmaninov's Tair operated for 10 years and completed its work in 1935. There is an indication of this from Rachmaninov himself in a letter addressed to the joint-stock company of large music publishing houses. Thus, we can say with complete confidence that S. Rachmaninov’s publishing activities were not only of a charitable nature. It revealed to foreign readers the names of prominent figures of Russian culture - writers, playwrights, musicians.

Irina Sergeevna Volkonskaya, nee Rachmaninov (May 27, 1903, Moscow - June 20, 1969, New York, buried in Valhalla in the treasure trove of Kensico, New York). Cultural figure. Daughter of S.V. and N.A. Rachmaninov, sister of T.S. Konyus, wife of Prince P.G. Volkonsky. Since 1917 in exile. Lived in France. In 1931, member of the honorary committee of the Society of Friends of Mikhail Chekhov. Participated in evenings of the Russian Musical Society Abroad (RMOS) (1930s). Author of memoirs about his father. Left for the USA.

Tatyana Sergeevna Konyus, nee Rachmaninova (June 21/July 3, 1907, Ivanovka estate, Tambov province - July 28, 1961, Switzerland, buried in the cemetery in Meudon, near Paris). Pianist, teacher, public figure. Daughter of S.V. Rachmaninov, wife of B.Yu. Konyusa, mother of A.B. Konyusa. In 1918 settled with her family in New York. In the 1930s she moved to Paris. In 1938, he was the manager at the ball of the Association of Russian Writers and Poets. Member of the board of the Russian Musical Society Abroad (RMOS) (since 1947). Permanent vice-chairman of the Help Center Committee, which heads the Orphanage in Montgeron (near Paris) (since 1957). Organizer of the annual Christmas markets in favor of the Orphanage. She was a member of the Committee for organizing the evening in memory of V.A. Maklakova (1958).

The spring of 1890, 19-year-old Seryozha Rachmaninov, as usual, spent in Ivanovka - the estate of his paternal aunt. “Thin as a stick, black as a jackdaw, girl Natalka, I don’t feel sorry for you,” he kindly teases his young cousin Natasha. The 13-year-old girl is in tears, it seems that this slender, handsome man kissed by God does not take her seriously at all.
Very little time will pass, and Rachmaninov will dedicate love romances of amazing lyricism and beauty to Natalia Satina as a sign of farewell to his first youthful feelings and a meeting with the true love of his life.

We weren't married in a church

The morning of April 29, 1902 was cold and rainy. There were almost no people in the small church of the 6th Tauride Grenadier Regiment on the outskirts of Moscow. However, this was even beneficial for the wedding couple. The ceremony itself took place somewhat hastily, without the pomp expected of the event. The bride and groom had good reasons to hurry: they were close relatives of each other - cousins, and only the Emperor could give permission for such incestuous marriages. Sergei and Natalya submitted a petition to the highest name, but did not wait for an answer, they decided to get married at their own peril and risk. Their honeymoon was more like an escape: after church, the newlyweds drove home, quickly changed clothes and rushed to the station. We took tickets to Vienna, and from there we went to travel around Europe. They returned a few months later, the emperor’s answer: “What is united by God cannot be separated by people” meant that the storm had passed.

You are my melody

Loving a genius is both simple and difficult at the same time. A man endowed with talent invariably attracts women's attention; you must try very hard to make this treasure yours alone. Rumor brought rumors to Natasha about Rachmaninoff’s numerous novels. Before falling “into her reliable hands,” he fell in love, more than once. Tall, slender, with a noble appearance and manners, he was liked by both married ladies and young ladies like Natasha. At 18, Sergei was completely fascinated by their neighbor on the estate, the lovely Verochka Skala, who reciprocated the young musician’s feelings. She even sacrificed her beloved porcelain piggy bank to buy the poor young man a coat. Although Rachmaninov belonged to an eminent noble family, “thanks to” his father, a brave guards officer who squandered not only his own fortune, but also that of his wife, he was as poor as a church mouse. That is why, according to a long-standing family tradition, he was not sent to the Corps of Pages; there was nothing to pay for training. But at the conservatory, a gifted boy who was compared to the young Mozart, which was by no means an exaggeration - Seryozha composed plays and piano concertos from the age of four, could play a piece of any complexity by looking at a sheet of music just once - was accepted with joy. Still, the Lord knows in whom to ignite the divine spark, and one way or another leads a person to the goal.

At the age of 22, the young talented composer wrote a work that brought him world fame - the First Symphony. True, fame and recognition did not come immediately; the path to them turned out to be quite thorny. The premiere at the beginning of 1897 ended in resounding failure. The audience booed, the critics were angry: “The author is certainly talented. But if there was a conservatory in hell, then Rachmaninov would undoubtedly be one of its first students.” All the blame for the fiasco lay with the conductor Glazunov (he had a sin - he was greedy for the green serpent). So this time he stood up at the controls, not too sober, “phlegmatically” defended, “phlegmatically” played, and, most importantly, absolutely did not understand the depth and scale of what was being performed. For Rachmaninov, this was a real shock, he fell into depression, did not sit down at the instrument, did not write a single note... The bride Natalya Alexandrovna (they were already engaged) did not calmly look at the groom’s mental anguish and almost by force forced Sergei to go to an appointment with Nikolai Dahl, a well-known psychiatrist in Moscow. I wish I knew what the “hypnosis sessions” would turn out for her...

Requiem for a Dream

Natalya Alexandrovna became both the muse of the great composer, and the guardian angel of their family hearth, and a caring mother for two daughters. Life in exile, in forced separation from their homeland (Rachmaninov did not accept the October Revolution and left the country) only strengthened their bonds. For the last 17 years, Natalya Alexandrovna was everything to the composer: she accompanied her husband on all his tours, shared with him the hardships of long journeys, tiresome sleepless nights, protected him from drafts, watched how he ate and dressed. The composer, by the way, was a famous dandy; he ordered suits from the best tailors. And most importantly, only with her could he talk for hours about his Motherland, remember... To say that Rachmaninov was homesick is to say nothing. During his emigration, he did not write a single romance. “After leaving, I lost the desire to compose. .. I stopped listening to music..."

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov did not live to see the victory, did not learn that his beloved Motherland emerged from the bloody meat grinder of World War II as a winner. On March 8, 1943, the great composer, virtuoso pianist, and brilliant conductor passed away.
He spent his last days in California, next to Rachmaninov were his faithful Teta and daughter Irina. Leaving was difficult. The composer smoked a lot all his life, practically never took a cigarette out of his mouth, the disease did not leave a chance.

Lyubov Petrovna - mother of S.V. Rachmaninov.

Personal life

Love flared up in the heart of the great composer more than once, which prompted him to write beautiful lyrical romances.

While visiting Ivanovka in the summer, at the estate of his father’s sister, seventeen-year-old Sergei Rachmaninov met there with the three Skalon sisters, one of whom was Verochka, whom Sergei nicknamed “The Psychopath”. The girl fell in love with the young musician, and he reciprocated her feelings. It was pure youthful love. During that amazing summer for them in Ivanovka, he dedicated the romance “In the Silence of the Secret Night” (to the verses of A. Feta). Having left for Moscow, he wrote her touching, sublime letters, of which more than 100 were written. But almost at the same time, eighteen-year-old Sergei Rachmaninov recklessly falls in love with the wife of his friend Pyotr Lodyzhensky, Anna Lodyzhensky, a meek and affectionate woman with huge black eyes, the sister of a famous gypsy singer. He dedicated his romance “Oh no, I pray you, don’t go!” to her.

And besides the romance “In the Silence of the Secret Night,” Sergei left Verochka Skalon two more priceless gifts: a romance for cello and piano and the second part of his First Piano Concerto.

But already in 1893, he became interested in Natalya Alexandrovna Satina, in whose parents’ house he lived for several years and with whom he spent almost his entire adolescence. The 20-year-old composer dedicated the amazing romance “Don’t sing, beauty, in front of me” to her. On April 29, 1902 they got married.

On April 29, 1902, the wedding of Sergei Rachmaninov and Natalia Satina took place in the church of the 6th Tauride Grenadier Regiment on the outskirts of Moscow. It was raining heavily, there were almost no people in the church, and the ceremony was somewhat hasty. After the wedding, as soon as they went home to change clothes, the newlyweds left for the station and took tickets to Vienna, from where they went on to their honeymoon. A few months later they returned to Russia, but lived for some time in Ivanovka, where their first daughter was born. Why did everything happen this way? The fact is that Sergei and Natalya were cousins. Marriages between close relatives were prohibited, and their holding required personal permission from the Sovereign-Emperor of Russia, which was given in exceptional cases. The petition was sent, but the bride and groom did not wait for an answer from the king - and risked breaking the law, despite the threat of great trouble. Everything worked out, and the young couple returned to Moscow to their apartment on Vozdvizhenka. The couple lived together all their lives, but the poor health of their daughters and their constant illnesses were constant reminders of the consequences of incest.

On March 14, 1903, a daughter, Irina, was born into the Rachmaninov family, and a daughter, Tatyana, was born on June 21, 1907.

Lyudmila Rostovtsova, a distant relative of Sergei Rachmaninov, sister of Verochka Skalon, wrote half a century later: “Seryozha married Natasha. He couldn't have chosen a better wife. She loved him from childhood, one might say, she suffered for him. She was smart, musical and very informative. We were happy for Seryozha, knowing in what reliable hands he was falling...” Rumor ascribes many more novels to Sergei Rachmaninov. Tall, handsome, always elegant, he had many admirers. During his life, S. Rachmaninov wrote more than 80 romances, each of which was dedicated to a woman. So, in September 1916, in just two and a half weeks, he wrote six romances dedicated to the young 22-year-old singer Nina Koshits (her full name is Nina Pavlovna Porai-Koshits). In October, she held concerts, at which she was accompanied by Sergei Rachmaninov, then they went on tour to many cities in Russia. Rachmaninov did not hide his lovestruck enthusiasm, which gave rise to gossip. But the revolution and Rachmaninov’s emigration put an end to this story. While in exile, he did not write a single romance. For the last eighteen years, Sergei Vasilyevich was accompanied on his tours by his wife, who shared with him all the hardships of long journeys, numerous transfers and tiring sleepless nights. She protected him from drafts, monitored his rest, food, packed his things after concerts and, most importantly, supported him morally. Sergei Vasilyevich called his wife “the good genius of my whole life.”

Hobbies

Sergei Rachmaninov's main hobby (after music, of course) was technology. All guests of the luxurious villa "Senar", located near Lucerne and named after the first letters of the names of the owners - Sergei and Natalya Rachmaninov, were certainly shown an elevator, a vacuum cleaner and a toy railway. And for his invention - a muff with a heating pad inside to warm his hands before a concert - Sergei Rachmaninov even received a patent. Supported by the composer and helicopter designer - Sikorsky, so the US helicopter industry owes a lot to the Russian people - Sikorsky and Rachmaninov.

Rachmaninov's special passion was cars. The famous violinist Nathan Milstein recalled: “Rachmaninoff loved to drive a car. Every year Rachmaninov bought a new Cadillac or Continental because he didn’t like to bother with repairs.”

Almost every summer, while visiting Ivanovka, he gradually became interested, and then became very interested in agriculture. Having inherited a love of horses from his father, he rode superbly and loved to break young horses. He spent all his free hours in the field among the peasants, observing the progress of work. He often envied those who were freer than him and could devote more time to farming. In an effort to improve the economy, he spent a lot of money on improving equipment, breeds of livestock and putting in order the appearance of the estate with its large gardens and services. Any failure sincerely upset him. Successful sowing, good plowing, order in the stables, in the dairy farm greatly pleased him and always put him in a good mood.

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov, a hereditary Russian nobleman, a brilliant pianist and composer, became a symbol of Russian music throughout the world. After the October Revolution, he emigrated to America and lived there the last third of his life, but Rachmaninoff’s musical works were known throughout the world, not excluding the Soviet Union.

Five with three pluses

Sergei Rachmaninov was born in the Semenovo estate, Novgorod province (according to other sources, in the Oneg estate, Starorussky district, Novgorod province) in April 1873. The Rachmaninov family was very musical. My grandfather studied with the famous teacher and composer John Field in Russia, and several romances and piano pieces by him, published in the 18th century, have survived. His father, a hereditary Tambov nobleman, was also fond of music, but did not play professionally. Sergei Rachmaninov's first music teacher was his mother Lyubov Rakhmaninova, daughter of General Pyotr Butakov, director of the Arakcheevsky Cadet Corps.

When Sergei Rachmaninov was 8 years old, the family moved to St. Petersburg. In the fall of 1882, the boy entered the junior department of the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the class of Vladimir Demyansky. At first, the young musician was burdened by his classes and often skipped them. But later he met his cousin, the young but already famous Moscow pianist Alexander Ziloti. Ziloti listened to the boy's play and convinced his parents to send Rachmaninoff to Moscow to apprentice with Nikolai Zverev. The famous teacher ran a private boarding school for gifted students in his house and, under conditions of the strictest discipline, taught them six hours a day.

In 1888, Rachmaninov continued his studies at the senior department of the Moscow Conservatory in the class of Ziloti. He graduated from the conservatory as a pianist and composer, receiving a Grand Gold Medal for his graduation work - the one-act opera "Aleko". Tchaikovsky, who examined the young composer, gave the opera a rating of “five with three pluses” and recommended it for production at the Bolshoi Theater.

From the first symphony to the “symphonic dances”

Sergei Rachmaninov with his wife. Photo: clubintimlife.ru

Young Rachmaninov quickly became a favorite of the Moscow public: he was known as a talented pianist, composer and conductor. But in 1897, the musician suffered a real failure: composer Alexander Glazunov performed his First Symphony in St. Petersburg extremely unsuccessfully. The reviews were devastating. Rachmaninov's innovative work was not accepted by either critics or the public. The composer fell into depression and for almost four years did not compose anything and practically did not leave the house.

A new stage in his life and career began in 1901, when the composer completed his Second Piano Concerto. The composition returned Rachmaninov to the status of a famous Russian musician: he wrote a lot, conducted performances organized by Ziloti, and went with concerts to Europe, America and Canada. The composer took the position of conductor at the Bolshoi Theater, where he directed the entire Russian opera repertoire for several seasons, and headed the artistic council of the Russian Music Publishing House.

In 1902, Sergei Rachmaninov married his cousin, the daughter of a state councilor, Natalya Satina. They had two daughters - Tatyana and Irina.

Shortly after the 1917 revolution, the composer was invited to perform at a concert in Stockholm. Rachmaninov left Russia - together with his family, practically without a livelihood. The revolution, the death of imperial Russia, the destruction of foundations became a real tragedy for him. However, Rachmaninov had to provide for his family and pay off his debts, so he again began to play the piano and give concerts. The pianist captivated European audiences, and in 1918 he left for America, where he continued to give concerts. Critics and listeners recognized him as one of the greatest pianists and conductors of the era.

Sergei Rachmaninov. Photo: classicalarchives.com

Sergei Rachmaninov. Photo: meloman.ru

Sergei Rachmaninov. Photo: novostimira.net

For almost the entire first 10 years of emigration, Rachmaninov was unable to write: “After leaving Russia, I lost the desire to compose. Having lost my homeland, I lost myself...". He created his first composition - the Fourth Concerto and Russian Songs - only in 1926–1927.

Rachmaninov was intolerant of Soviet power, but was not indifferent to his former compatriots. During the Second World War, he transferred proceeds from concerts to the Red Army Fund and the USSR Defense Fund - with this money a military aircraft was built in Russia. “From one of the Russians, all possible assistance to the Russian people in their fight against the enemy. I want to believe, I believe in complete victory.", wrote the musician.

In the last years of his life, Rachmaninov created “Symphonic Dances,” which music researchers consider one of his best works. All this time he continued to perform - and gave his last concert 6 weeks before his death. The composer died in 1943; he was only a few days short of his 70th birthday. Rachmaninoff was buried in Kensico Cemetery in New York next to his wife and daughter.