Rachmaninoff brief biography of martin

Rachmaninoff applied these qualities in music by Chopinincluding the B-flat minor Piano Sonata. Rachmaninoff's repertoire, excepting his own works, consisted mainly of standard 19th century virtuoso works plus music by BachBeethovenBorodinDebussyGriegLisztMendelssohnMozartSchubertSchumann and Tchaikovsky. The two pieces Rachmaninoff singled out for praise from Anton Rubinstein's concerts became cornerstones for his own recital programs.

He may have based his interpretation of the Chopin sonata on that of Rubinstein. Rachmaninoff biographer Barrie Martyn points out similarities between written accounts of Rubinstein's interpretation and Rachmaninoff's audio recording of the work. Rachmaninoff possessed large hands, [ ] with which he could easily maneuver through the most complex chordal configurations.

His left hand technique was unusually rachmaninoff brief biography of martin. His playing was marked by definition —where other pianists' playing became blurry-sounding from overuse of the pedal or deficiencies in finger technique, Rachmaninoff's textures were always crystal clear. Of Rachmaninoff's tone, Arthur Rubinstein wrote:. I was always under the spell of his glorious and inimitable tone which could make me forget my uneasiness about his too rapidly fleeting fingers and his exaggerated rubatos.

There was always the irresistible sensuous charm, not unlike Kreisler 's. Coupled to this tone was a vocal quality not unlike that attributed to Chopin's playing. With Rachmaninoff's extensive operatic experience, he was a great admirer of fine singing. As his records demonstrate, he possessed a tremendous ability to make a musical line sing, no matter how long the notes or how complex the supporting texture, with most of his interpretations taking on a narrative quality.

With the stories he told at the keyboard came multiple voices—a polyphonic dialogue, not the least in terms of dynamics. His recording of his transcription of the song "Daisies" captures this quality extremely well. On the recording, separate musical strands enter as if from various human voices in eloquent conversation. This ability came from an exceptional independence of fingers and hands.

Regardless of the music, Rachmaninoff always planned his performances carefully. He based his interpretations on the theory that each piece of music has a "culminating point". Regardless of where that point was or at which dynamic within that piece, the performer had to know how to approach it with absolute calculation and precision; otherwise, the whole construction of the piece could crumble and the piece could become disjointed.

This was a practice he learned from Russian bass Feodor Chaliapina staunch friend. While his interpretations were mosaics of tiny details, when those mosaics came together in performance, they might, according to the tempo of the piece being played, fly past at great speed, giving the impression of instant thought. One advantage Rachmaninoff had in this building process over most of his contemporaries was in approaching the pieces he played from the perspective of a composer rather than that of an interpreter.

He believed "interpretation demands something of the creative instinct. If you are a composer, you have an affinity with other composers. You can make contact with their imaginations, knowing something of their problems and their ideals. You can give their works color. That is the most important thing for me in my interpretations, color. So you make music live.

Without color it is dead. A recording which showcases Rachmaninoff's approach is the Liszt Second Polonaise, recorded in Percy Graingerwho had been influenced by the composer and Liszt specialist Ferruccio Busonihad himself recorded the same piece a few years earlier. Rachmaninoff's performance is far more taut and concentrated than Grainger's. The Russian's drive and monumental conception bear a considerable difference to the Australian's more delicate perceptions.

Grainger's textures are elaborate. Rachmaninoff shows the filigree as essential to the work's structure, not simply decorative. Along with his musical gifts, Rachmaninoff possessed physical gifts that placed him in good stead as a pianist, including large hands with a gigantic finger stretch. His hand size, in addition to his considerable height, slender frame, long limbs, narrow head, prominent ears, and thin nose has led to the suggestion that he may have had Marfan syndromea hereditary disorder of the connective tissue.

This syndrome would have accounted for several minor ailments he suffered all his life, including back pain, arthritis, eye strain, and bruising of the fingertips. Upon arriving in America, Rachmaninoff's poor financial situation prompted him in to record a selection of piano pieces for Edison Records on their " Diamond Disc " records, in a limited contract for ten released sides.

Edison agreed, but still issued multiple takes, an unusual practice which was standard at Edison Records. Rachmaninoff and Edison Records were pleased with the released discs and wished to record more, but Edison refused, saying the ten sides were sufficient.

Rachmaninoff brief biography of martin

This, in addition to technical issues in the recordings and Edison's lack of musical taste, led to Rachmaninoff's annoyance with the company, and as soon as his contract ended he left Edison Records. He continued to record for Victor untilwhen the American Federation of Musicians imposed a recording ban on their members in a strike over royalty payments.

Rachmaninoff died in Marchover a year and a half before RCA Victor settled with the union and resumed commercial recording activity. When Rachmaninoff recorded his works, he would seek perfection, often re-recording them until he was satisfied. He recorded all four of his piano concertos with the Philadelphia Orchestra ; the first, third, and fourth concertos were recorded with Eugene Ormandy in —41, and two versions of the second concerto with Leopold Stokowski in and Rachmaninoff also recorded a number of piano rolls on the reproducing piano of the American Piano Company Ampicoproducing a total of 35 piano rolls from to12 of which were of his own compositions.

Apart from several performances, including two of his opera Aleko inRachmaninoff first began conducting inand performed as a conductor every year until Rachmaninoff was noted for his restraint in conducting, and for the "simple and unpolished" manner in which he gestured to the orchestra. In addition to his own works, Rachmaninoff conducted repertoire primarily from fellow Russian composers, such as BorodinGlazunovGlinkaLyadovMussorgskyRimsky-Korsakov and Tchaikovskyas well as other composers such as Grieg and Liszt.

Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In rachmaninoff brief biography of martin projects. Russian composer, pianist and conductor — For other uses, see Rachmaninoff disambiguation. Beverly HillsCalifornia, U. Life and career [ edit ]. Music [ edit ]. Influences [ edit ].

Works [ edit ]. Main article: List of compositions by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Compositional style [ edit ]. Reputation and legacy [ edit ]. Pianist [ edit ]. Composed when he was 19, the piece established his fame in America. Recorded in Hungarian Rhapsody No. Recorded in by Edison Records. Waltz in E-flat major, Op. Recorded on 21 January Problems playing these files?

See media help. Technique [ edit ]. Tone [ edit ]. Interpretations [ edit ]. Hand size and medical speculations [ edit ]. Recordings [ edit ]. See also: Sergei Rachmaninoff recordings. Conductor [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Notes [ edit ]. Sergei Rachmaninoff was the spelling he used while living in the United States from until his death.

The Library of Congress standardised this usage. Citations [ edit ]. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2 April Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 14 June Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. Translated by Rutherford, Dolly. Macmillan Company, New York. ISBN The Beginning. How are Genius Taught? Paganinian Publications. Page On October 25, the Bolsheviks seized power of Petrograd and a week later Moscow.

Rachmaninoff like everyone was a member of the house committee, taking night-watch duty in the block of his flats with his fellow citizens. Normally requiring quiet and solitude while composing, the turbulent circumstances made this an extraordinary time to work. I would have greeting any intruder with the answer that Archimedes gave the conquerors of Syracuse.

While still working on the revision of the First Concerto, Rachmaninoff was offered a solution to his immediate problems, an unexpected invitation from neutral Scandinavia to appear in a series of concerts there. Rachmaninoff received the travel visas for himself and his family and on December 23rd left Russia, never to return. Buy Tickets.

The Early Years. It was a disaster! Rachmaninoff could not understand what was happening to his symphony when he heard the jarring, cacophonous noise being produced by the orchestra. It turns out that the conductor, Glazunov was drunk at the podium. Thankfully, Rachmaninoff chose to sit backstage and therefore could avoid the humiliation of being surrounded by uncomprehending audience and hostile critics.

He hid backstage behind the curtain on the iron spiral staircase. It enabled him a quick get-away. Without taking a bow, he escaped out the back door and down the street, frantic and tormented by the failure of his first big premiere which he had been anticipating with high hopes for two years. The Revolution. Summer November 29, Winter March April June 1, Despairing letter to Siloti, asking for advice.

June 2, July 28, August - October November Concerts were suspended. Rachmaninoff began to revise his First Piano Concerto. Petersburg Conservatory and then graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in Most of his compositions were composed and performed in Russia where he was influenced by Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky.

Some of Rachmaninoff's early works received critical acclaim. However the premier of his First Symphony was something of a disaster, resulting in poor reviews from music critics. The composer took it badly and suffered from depression, and it was several years before he composed his 2nd symphony which was better received. After the Russian revolution of during which his family estate at Ivanovka was vandalised he left the country with his family initially for Scandinavia, but with war spreading across much of Europe he then moved to the United States where he had already gained some popularity after touring the country.

In the US he was primarily based in New York City and refocussed his career as a pianist and conductor earning a living as a recording artist and touring celebrity. Stay or move to Dresden. Begins work on the second symphony and the first piano sonata. Highlights of his work - To top. Concert in London, first performance of the first piano sonata.

Returns to Russia, composes the third piano concerto Ivanovka. Stay in Italy with family. Flees to Sweden with his family - Rachmaninoff will not return to Russia. Crossing to America. Contract with Edison Company for concert activities.