Sergei Rachmaninow

Short biography: Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was born in 1873 in Semyonovo, Russia, into a musical family. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory from 1885 to 1892, where he excelled as both pianist and composer. After the Russian Revolution, he emigrated to the United States in 1917, where he spent most of his remaining years as a touring concert pianist. He died in Beverly Hills, California, in 1943, just four days before his 70th birthday.

Historical placement: Rachmaninoff was one of the last great representatives of Russian Romanticism, composing primarily in the late Romantic idiom throughout his career. His music is characterized by sweeping melodies, rich harmonies, and virtuosic piano writing that drew from the Russian nationalist tradition while maintaining cosmopolitan appeal. Despite living through the modernist revolution in classical music, he remained largely committed to tonal, melodically-driven composition. His works significantly contributed to the piano repertoire and remain among the most popular in the concert hall today.

Personal connections: Nikolai Zverev was his influential piano teacher at the Moscow Conservatory who provided strict musical discipline and introduced him to Moscow's musical elite. Anton Arensky taught him harmony and counterpoint during his conservatory years. Sergei Taneyev was his counterpoint professor who significantly influenced his compositional technique. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky served as an examiner for his graduation and provided encouragement for his early compositional efforts.

Important works:
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor – Concerto (Op. 18)
Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor – Concerto (Op. 30)
Symphony No. 2 in E minor – Symphony (Op. 27)
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini – Concerto (Op. 43)
Prelude in C-sharp minor – Piano piece (Op. 3, No. 2)
Vocalise – Song (Op. 34, No. 14)
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor – Sonata (Op. 36)
Études-tableaux – Piano pieces (Op. 33 and Op. 39)
The Bells – Choral symphony (Op. 35)
Isle of the Dead – Symphonic poem (Op. 29)