Rachmaninoff

Throughout his career as composer, conductor, and pianist, Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) was an intensely private individual. When Bertensson and Leyda’s 1956 biography appeared, it lifted the veil of secrecy from several areas of Rachmaninoff’s life, especially concerning the genesis of his compositions and how their critical reception affected him. The authors consulted a number of people who knew Rachmaninoff, who worked with him, and who corresponded with him. Even with the availability of such sources and full access to the Rachmaninoff Archive at the Library of Congress, Bertensson and Leyda were tireless in their pursuit of privately held documents, particularly correspondence. The wonderfully engaging product of their labors masterfully incorporates primary materials into the narrative. Almost half a century after it first appeared, this volume remains essential reading. Sergei Bertensson, who knew Rachmaninoff, published other works on music and film, often with a documentary emphasis.

This book, first published in 1934, contains the recollections of the varied and coloured life of a great pianist and composer, who is one of the most striking figures of the musical world. Rachmaninoff dictated his memoires to the author of this book, and much of the story is therefore told in the first person. The final chapter is Riesemann’s own contribution. It is an estimate of Rachmaninoff’s qualities as composer; it shows knowledge of all his more important works; and it shows discrimination. The whole book is an authoritative and interesting study of a popular artist.

Sergei Rachmaninoff—the last great Russian romantic and arguably the finest pianist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries—wrote 83 songs, which are performed and beloved throughout the world. Like German Lieder and French mélodies, the songs were composed for one singer, accompanied by a piano. In this complete collection, Richard D. Sylvester provides English translations of the songs, along with accurate transliterations of the original texts and detailed commentary. Since Rachmaninoff viewed these "romances" primarily as performances and painstakingly annotated the scores, this volume will be especially valuable for students, scholars, and practitioners of voice and piano.

These stories appear in the short story collection, What Leads A Man To Murder Two stories from prize-winning author, Joslyn Chase Rachmaninoff’s Peasant In the high-stakes world of Kristelhof Fine Arts Academy, pianist Georgia Findlay plays to win. The high-tension level of talent, drive, and competition on campus keeps students scrambling for position, but Georgia never misses a quarter of a beat. Not even the death of her best mentor slows her down. The story of a cutthroat rivalry and one girl’s break from the life of a peasant in a bid for the golden crown. What Leads A Man To Murder One woman, dead by midnight, snuffed out in a gush of blood and water, like the day she came in. Naked in body and soul. One man, wondering what makes a killer. What twisted workings of fate and character lead one person to steal the life of another? Neil Anderson starts his day with two things on his lips— a cup of strong coffee and this question: What leads a man to murder? Before day’s end, he’ll learn more about it than he ever wanted to know.

Provides a look at the triumphs and difficulties faced by the great composer, Rachmaninoff. Applying quantitative analysis as a fundamental approach, this study demonstrates that Rachmaninoff's writing (including the orchestrations) tended toward thinner, more transparent textures, as his style continued to evolve.

Drawing extensively on Russian-language sources, a concise yet comprehensive survey of the life and work of one of classical music’s great composers. Unquestionably one of the most popular composers of classical music, Sergei Rachmaninoff has not always been so admired by critics. Detractors have long perceived Rachmaninoff as part of an outdated Romantic tradition from a bygone Russian world, aloof from the modernist experimentation of more innovative contemporaries such as Igor Stravinsky. In this new assessment, Rebecca Mitchell resituates Rachmaninoff in the context of his time, bringing together the composer and his music within the remarkably dynamic era in which he lived and worked. Both in Russia and later in America, Rachmaninoff and his music were profoundly modern expressions of life in tune with an uncertain world. This concise yet comprehensive biography will interest general readers as well as those more familiar with this giant of Russian classical music.

A comprehensive biography of the virtuoso pianist and legendary composer of piano symphonies

The musical child of Russia’s golden age, Sergei Rachmaninoff, was the last of the great Romantics. Scorned by the musical establishment until very recently, his music received hostile reviews from critics and other composers. Conversely, it never failed to find widespread popular acclaim, and today he is one of the most popular composers of all time. Biographer Michael Scott investigates Rachmaninoff’s intense and often melodramatic life, following him from imperial Russia to his years of exile as a wandering virtuoso and his death in Beverly Hills during the Second World War, worn out by his punishing schedule. In this remarkable biography which relates the man to his music, Michael Scott tells the colourful story of a life that spanned two centuries and two continents. His original research from the Russian archives, so long closed to writers from the West, brings us closer to the spirit of a man who genuinely believed that music could be both good and popular, a belief that is now triumphantly vindicated.

An anthology of selected works by Rachmaninoff based on the first editions corrected by the composer and the versions found in the Complete Works of Rachmaninoff published in Russia since 1949. Includes Prelude in C# Minor, Op. 3, No. 2, Humoresque in G, Op. 10, No. 5 and many others.

A series of biographies of great composers which present the subjects against the social background of their times. Each draws on personal letters and recollections, engravings, paintings and - where they exist - photographs, to build up a complete picture of the composer’s life.

Titles include the famous '18th Variation on a Theme of Paganini,' along with selected transcriptions ('The Bumble-Bee,' 'Minuet' from L'Arlesienne Suite, and 'Liebeslied'). Etude-Tableau, Moment Musicals, Preludes, other individual pieces, and the complete 'Variations on a Theme of Chopin' round out this unique collection that is not available from any other publisher. This publication contains 29 pieces.

This edition is based on the first editions corrected by the composer and the versions found in The Complete Works of Rachmaninoff published in Russia since 1949. Brief analyses, together with practice and performance suggestions, should help pianists unfamiliar with these works to begin their study effectively. Elegie, Op. 3, No. 1 and Melodie Op. 3, No. 3 are Federation Festivals 2016-2020 selections. A Federation Festivals 2020-2024 selection.