Sergei Rachmaninov

Rachmaninov, the Last Romantic

The career and music of the great composer and pianist. In the tradition of the great composer pianists of the nineteenth century such as Mendelssohn, Chopin and Liszt, Rachmaninov had the advantage of living in the age of records so we can hear what he was like as a pianist. Plagued by self-doubt Rachmaninov would have been the first to express surprise at how popular his music has become. Always considered a pianist first and composer second in his life he only published some 45 works over 50 years. He twice went into exile and the second time he abandoned composition for some twenty years. This course examined his compositions and interpretations of other composers’ music. The course took a chronological approach to Rachmaninov’s life and works. The influence of Tchaikovsky and other fellow Russians was very strong but he spent much of his life out of Russia. Among the works that were studied were his symphonies, piano concertos, piano preludes, the Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, the Symphonic Dances, the Bells, the Vespers and the Isle of the Dead. I ran this course at Crayford Manor (Bexley College) October-December 2004. Using the same title I had already given a talk to the DfE Music Society in September 2001 with the following advert. Having been at the number two spot for five years, Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto finally topped the Classic FM Hall of Fame in 2001. Plagued by self-doubt Rachmaninov would have been the first to express surprise at how popular his music has become. Always considered a pianist first and composer second in his life he only published some 45 works over 50 years.

Rachmaninov Chronology

Below is the spreadsheet I created for the class. Rachmaninov Life and Works