The History of Music Composer Rachmaninoff
By Amanda L.
Rachmaninoff’s family had a musical and military background. At the age of 4, he began piano and music lessons with his mother, then with a professional piano teacher, Anna Ornatskaya. His father, who originally wanted him to pursue a military career, fell into debt and they moved to St Petersburg, where the 10-year-old entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. He then transferred to the Moscow Conservatory in 1885 due to his parents separation, and studied under Anton Arensky, Alexander Siloti, and the strict Nikolai Zverev.
In 1892, Rachmaninoff’s final year at the conservatory, he wrote Aleko for his exams, a one-act opera based on the narrative poem The Gypsies. He believed the piece to be a failure, but it was highly successful and earned him a Great Gold Medal and the highest mark. In his debut as a pianist, he premiered his Prelude in C-sharp Minor, one of his most popular pieces. However, in 1897, the premiere of his First Symphony, conducted by Alexander Glazunov was a failure and highly critized. The lackluster performance of the orchestra is believed to be the effect of Glazunov’s incompetence. He fell into a depression following this event and did not compose for 3 years.
Rachmaninoff gradually recovered and composed his Second Piano Concerto in C minor, a piece that would become one of his most celebrated works. He then toured the United States and Europe after composing his third piano concerto and premiering it in New York. He emigrated to the US with his family due to political reasons, focusing on performance. He composed the renowned piece Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in 1934, and his last major work — the Symphonic Dances in 1940.
Rachmaninoff was one of the greatest pianists of the time, with strenghts in precision, clear textures and rhythm. He had extremely large hands, making it easy to play even the most complex chords. He recorded some of his works, which can be still be found today. He was both a pianist and a conductor, but decided to focus on piano after he left russia. His compositions was originally influenced bu Tchaikovsky. After his First Symphony, he had the style of highly expressive melodies and chromatic counterpoint. The melodies in his later works are often described melancholy and nostalgic.
Sources:
https://www.worldhistory.org/Sergei_Rachmaninoff/
https://books.google.com.hk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=oiUxDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP9&dq=rachmaninoff&ots=O30Z9Tv_81&sig=I8K41giFpKEqAMWtD2_pXnMwSs8&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=rachmaninoff&f=false
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/tempo/article/abs/sergei-rachmaninoff-1873-1943/25ECEE0C99D6F3FDED412BB29B70C939
https://www.classicfm.com/composers/rachmaninov/