Following the Russian Revolution in 1917, Rachmaninoff left his home country, moving first to Switzerland and then to the United States.
Biography
Sergei Rachmaninoff was born April 1,1873 in Novgorod, Russia. He studied under Nikolai Zvervev. He studied music with his mother from age 4. He was the fourth of six children with a happy childhood and a happy family.
Sergei Rachmaninoff studied harmony from Anton Arensky and counterpoint under Sergei Taneyev. While he was still a student, he wrote the one act opera, Aleko, for which he was awarded a gold metal in composition. He also wrote his first piano concerto, and a set of piano pieces such as Morceaux De Fantiasie which includes the famous Prelude in C sharp minor. Sergei studied at St. Petersburg in which he failed most of his classes.
In 1885 he went to Moscow and stayed with Zverev for three years. His first symphony was in 1897 in Moscow, but it was a disaster. By some accounts the conductor was drunk. Rachmaninoff destroyed the score, but parts survive. He later began his second piano concerto in 1900 which was a success.
Sergei Rachmaninoff lived in Russia, Switzerland, and California. Following the Russian Revolution in 1917, Rachmaninoff left his home country, moving first to Switzerland and then to the United States. Sergi Rachmaninoff toured in Switzerland in 1917, but no one liked his work. He was encouraged by a famous composer at the time, Tchaikovsky.
Sergei Rachmaninoff traveled the United States. He became more popular after he died. He composed Isle of the Dead. It was based on a painting. When Sergei was 44 he composed a piano concerto. He also composed Correlli in his later years. Some of his works are Caprice Bohemien (1894), Isle of the Dead (1909), and Symphonic Dances.
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External Links
Rachmaninoff at Classical.net