Sergei Rachmaninov

Donald Macleod explores Sergei Rachmaninov’s years in America.


Reluctant even to visit at first, and once there always more than
a little homesick, this proudly Russian composer in fact lived in
the United States of America for 25 years, from the end of the
First World War until his death in 1943. His life there was
principally that of a virtuoso performer, not a composer; and
Rachmaninov gave recitals for presidents, recorded discs for
Thomas Edison, and felt obliged to rattle off his “hated” Prelude
in C sharp minor for concert audiences wherever he went.


All this week, Donald looks at Rachmaninov’s equivocal
relationship with his adopted homeland. Rachmaninov’s first
toured the USA in 1909, but it was only when he fled the 1917
revolution that he had to properly adjust to life as a concert
pianist there. His intense performing schedule left him exhausted
– we hear about the year 1926, which dedicated solely to
composition, and how he found productive solace during his in
summers in Switzerland. Although Rachmaninov was slow to embrace
his adopted country, never really learning proper English and
always looking back longingly to mother Russia, he did come to
love the United States, and eventually, in the final year of his
life, became a citizen. By then he’d become immersed in American
cultural life, relishing jazz music and even admiring Mickey
Mouse’s take on his ubiquitous Prelude.


Music featured: Prelude in C sharp minor Piano concerto in D
minor, 1st movement The Isle of the Dead, Op 29 A Dream (6 Songs,
Op 38 No 5) The Star-Spangled Banner for piano Piano Concerto No
2 in C minor, 1st movement Polichinelle in F sharp minor, Op 3 No
4 Lento a capriccio (The Bells) Hungarian Rhapsody No 2 in C
sharp minor (Liszt, arr. Rachmaninov) Liebeslied (arr. for piano)
Etudes Tableaux, Op 33, Nos 2 and 7 3 Russian Songs, Op 41 Marche
(Etudes Tableaux, orch. Respighi) Variations on a theme of
Corelli, Op 42 Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, Op 43 Symphony No
3 in A minor, Op 44, second movement Prelude in C sharp minor
(arr. Barnet) 3 Symphonic Dances, Op 45 The Muse; What Happiness;
Vocalise (14 Songs, Op 34) Lilacs


Presenter: Donald Macleod Producer: Dominic Jewel for BBC Wales


For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Rachmaninov:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000hb7 And you can delve into
the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the
Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z