Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor, born on April 1, 1873, in Semyonovo, Russia, and he passed away on March 28, 1943, in Beverly Hills, California, USA. He is widely regarded as one of the finest pianists of his day and as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music.
Rachmaninov’s music is known for its song-like melodicism, expressiveness, dense contrapuntal textures, and rich orchestral colors. His compositional output prominently features the piano, and he used his skills as a performer to explore the expressive and technical possibilities of the instrument.
His early life was marked by musical influences from his family and he began learning the piano at the age of four. He studied piano and composition at the Moscow Conservatory, graduating in 1892 with several compositions already to his name. However, the disastrous premiere of his Symphony No. 1 in 1897 led to a four-year depression during which he composed little until he completed his well-received Piano Concerto No. 2 in 1901.
After the Russian Revolution, Rachmaninov left Russia permanently, settling in New York in 1918. He spent most of his time touring as a pianist through the US and Europe, and from 1932 onwards, he spent his summers at his villa in Switzerland. His compositional output decreased significantly after leaving Russia, completing just six works.
Rachmaninov’s health declined by 1942, leading him to move to Beverly Hills, where he died from melanoma in 1943. Despite the challenges he faced, his legacy as a leading piano virtuoso and a major composer of the 20th century endures, with works such as the “Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18,” “Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 30,” “Preludes,” “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,” and “Symphonic Dances” remaining popular and frequently performed.
Dating from 1896, the two movement String Quartet No. 2 was never published during Rachmaninov's lifetime and only existed in manuscript form. It is likely that…
Dating from 1896, the two movement String Quartet No. 2 was never published during Rachmaninov’s lifetime and only existed in manuscript form. It is likely that these were the first two movements of a larger work, but no evidence of other movements exists.
Consisting of an Allegro Moderato and a funerial Andante Molto Sostenuto this early work, although lacking the emotional and structural weight a mature Rachmaninov might have given it, provides a fascinating insight into the composer’s development and is a satisfying work to play.
Source: The first edition (1947), edited by Boris Dobrokhotov and Georgy Kirkor. This beautiful new edition by Timothy Roberts has modernised the musical notation providing enhanced readability.
