Sergei Rachmaninoff
Late Romantic · 1873–1943
Sergei Rachmaninoff had three careers, and was at the top rank in all of them: composer, pianist, and conductor. Born in Russia in 1873, he was nearly finished before he started. The disastrous 1897 premiere of his First Symphony left him unable to compose for three years, until sessions with a hypnotherapist, Dr. Nikolai Dahl, helped him back. The comeback piece was the Piano Concerto no. 2, gratefully dedicated to Dahl.
He left Russia for good after the 1917 revolution and supported his family as one of the most admired concert pianists alive, touring relentlessly from a base in the United States. Composing slowed but never stopped; his style stayed unapologetically Romantic, all long melodies and rich harmony, while fashion moved elsewhere. He died in Beverly Hills in 1943.
Start with the Piano Concerto no. 2, then the Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, whose famous slow variation turns Paganini's tune upside down.
123 works in the catalog, across 5 genres. Log what you listen to with Opus, the classical music journal for iPhone.
Chamber
- Cello Sonata in G minor, op. 19
- 2 Pieces for Cello and Piano, op. 2
- 2 Pieces for Violin and Piano, op. 6
- Elegy, for violin, cello, and piano
- Lied in F minor, for cello and piano
- Melodie on a Theme by S. Rachmaninov, for cello and piano in D major, TN ii/33
- Melody, Paraphrase from Op.21, no. 7 and Op.26, no. 8,, "How peaceful;' 'I beg for mercy"
- String Quartet
- String Quartet no. 1 in G minor
- Trio élégiaque, for piano and strings in D minor, op. 9
- Trio élégiaque, for piano and strings in G minor, TN ii/34
Keyboard
- 10 Preludes, op. 23
- Etudes-tableaux, op. 39
- Morceaux de fantaisie, op. 3
- Suite no. 2 for 2 Pianos, op. 17
- 2 Pieces, TN ii/17
- 2 Pieces for Piano 6-Hands, TN ii/22
- 3 Nocturnes, TN ii/13
- 3 Pieces, TN ii/19
- 4 Piano Pieces
- 4 Pieces, TN ii/12
- 6 Duets for Piano 4-Hands, op. 11
- 6 Moments musicaux, op. 16
- 13 Preludes, op. 32
- Bach: Prelude, Gavotte, and Gigue from Partita in E for Solo Violin, TN iii/1
- Behr: Lachtaubchen, op. 303, "Polka de WR"
- Bizet: Minuet from L'Arlesienne-Suite no. 1, TN iii/3
- Canon in D minor, TN ii/14
- Canon in E minor
- Chopin: Variations on a Theme by Chopin, op. 22
- Etude-tableaux Op.33
- Four Pieces
- Fughetta in F
- Fugue in D minor
- Kreisler: Liebesfreud
- Kreisler: Liebesleid
- Lento in D minor, TN ii/11
- Liszt: Cadenza on Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2, TN iii/6
- Morceau de Fantaisie in G minor, "Delmo"
- Morceaux de salon, op. 10
- Mussorgsky: Hopak from opera 'Sorochintsy Fair', TN iii/8
- Nyne otpushchayeshi
- Paganini: Variation no. 18 Andante cantabile
- Piano Piece in A flat major
- Piano Piece in D minor
- Piano Sonata no. 1 in D minor, op. 28
- Piano Sonata no. 2 in B flat minor, op. 36
- Polka in A flat major, TN ii/18
- Polka italienne, for piano 4-Hands in E flat minor/E flat major, TN ii/21
- Prélude in F major, TN ii/15
- Romance in E flat major
- Romance in G for Piano 4-Hands, TN ii/20
- Russian Rhapsody, for 2 pianos in E minor, TN ii/23
- Schubert: Wohin? from Die Schöne Müllerin, TN iii/10
- Smith: The Star-Spangled Banner, TN iii/11
- Song without words in D minor
- Suite no. 1 for 2 pianos in G minor, op. 5, "Fantaisie-tableaux"
- Tchaikovsky: Lullaby, op. 16, no. 1
- Three Nocturnes
- Variations on a Theme by Corelli, op. 42
Orchestral
- Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor, op. 18
- Piano Concerto no. 3 in D minor, op. 30
- Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, op. 43
- Symphonic Dances, op. 45
- Symphony no. 2 in E minor, op. 27
- The Isle of the Dead, op. 29 Symphonic poem
- 5 Études-tableaux,
- Capriccio on Gypsy Themes, op. 12
- Piano Concerto no. 1 in F sharp minor, op. 1
- Piano Concerto no. 4 in G minor, op. 40
- Prince Rostislav, TN ii/44 Symphonic poem
- Scherzo in D minor, TN ii/40
- Suite for in D minor
- Symphony in D minor, "Youth"
- Symphony no. 3 in A minor, op. 44
- Utyos, op. 7
Stage
- Aleko TN ii/70 Opera
- Francesca da Rimini Op.25 Opera
- Monna Vanna, opera, TN ii/71
- The Miserly Knight Op.24 Opera
Vocal
- 3 Russian Songs, for chorus and orchestra, op. 41
- 6 Choruses for Female or Children's Chorus and Piano, op. 15
- 6 Songs, op. 4
- 6 Songs, op. 8
- 6 Songs, op. 38
- 12 Songs, op. 14
- 12 Songs, op. 21
- 14 Songs, op. 34
- 15 Songs, op. 26
- Again you leapt, my heart, TN ii/51 Song
- All glory to God Song
- All things wish to sing, TN ii/58/2 Song
- At the gate of the Holy Abode, TN ii/50/1 Song
- Blagoslovi dushe moya Gospoda, for chorus
- Bogoroditse devo, radouisya, for chorus
- By The Gates Of The Holy Dwelling
- C'était en avril, TN ii/52/1 Song
- Dnes spasenie, for chorus
- Don Juan, for chorus and piano, TN ii/62
- Do you remember the evening?, TN ii/53/3 Song
- From the Gospel of St John, TN ii/57 Song
- Hail, O Virgin, Birth-Giver of God
- I shall tell you nothing, TN ii/50/2 Song
- It's so wonderful here
- Letter to K. S. Stanislavsky, TN ii/56 Song
- Neither the Tomb, nor Death
- Night, TN ii/55 Song
- O, Thou Billowy Harvest Field Song
- O Mother of God, Vigilantly Praying
- Panteley the Healer, for chorus, TN ii/63
- Powder and Paint
- Prayer, TN ii/58/1 Song
- Slavoslovie velikoe, for chorus
- Song of the Disillusioned, TN ii/53/1 Song
- The Bells, choral symphony for soprano, tenor, baritone, chorus, and orchestra, op. 35
- The flower has faded, TN ii/53/2 Song
- The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, op. 31
- The Spring, cantata for baritone, chorus and orchestra, op. 20
- Twilight has fallen, TN ii/52/2 Song
- Uvyal tsvetok, for voice and piano
- Vespers, for alto, tenor, and chorus, op. 37
- We Praise Thee
- Were You Hiccoughing? TN ii/54
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