Sergei Rachmaninoff (SARE-gay    rock-MAHN-ih-noff)

Born April 1, 1873 in Novgorod, Russia

Died March 28, 1943

Nationality: Russian

Period/Style: Romantic

About the composer:

Rachmaninoff was only nine years old when his father left.  Sergei had some discipline problems, but also had an extraordinary talent.  He entered the College of Music in St. Petersburg at a very young age but didn’t study very hard there, so his mother sent him to study and live with another professor, at the Moscow Conservatory. He was very strict, but an excellent teacher, and Rachmaninoff graduated from that school with high honors.  He went on to a successful career as a pianist and conductor, and all the while he wrote lots of music including piano concertos and symphonies.  He was probably the greatest pianist in the world at the time.  He made his first visit to the United States in 1909, and audiences here loved him!  He returned often.  In 1943 he became an American citizen while living in Beverly Hills, but only a few weeks later, he died of cancer.

About the music:

Symphony #2 (excerpts)

This is one of the greatest symphonies in the Romantic repertoire.  Its harmonies are rich, its melodies soar, and it conveys a wide range of emotion, including a joyful, exciting ending!

Piano Concerto #2 (excerpts)

This is no doubt one of the greatest Romantic piano concertos, and is known especially for its beautiful second movement.  Notice the lovely way Rachmaninoff uses the instruments of the orchestra, and the piano, to create many different “colors” of sound.

Vespers (excerpts)

In the Russian Orthodox Church (to which Sergei belonged) there was a long, rich history of music.  It’s based on simple chants, but in the Romantic era composers, especially Rachmaninoff, harmonized them and made them even more beautiful. These are sung in a language you probably don’t know, but just listen for the beauty of the sound, and the way the voices blend together. These are sung a capella.

Suggested activities:

Find Rachmaninoff’s birthplace on a map.

What does ‘a capella’ mean?