Sergei Rachmaninov short biography. Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov - creative biography, photo, personal life, family, children: “What takes life, music returns” A story about Rachmaninov’s piano work

Sergei Rachmaninov is a famous Russian composer, born in 1873 in the Novgorod province.

From early childhood, Sergei was interested in music, so it was decided to send him to study at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the piano department. In addition, he studied at the Zverev boarding school, as well as at the Moscow Conservatory.

After completing his studies, Rachmaninov begins teaching activities at the Mariinsky School, and then became a conductor in the Russian opera.

At the beginning of his musical career he suffered a setback, but true recognition came in 1901. At this time he created his famous Second and Third piano concertos, Second Symphony.

Rachmaninov often visited England, where he also performed as a pianist and conductor.

In 1917 he went to Scandinavia on tour. He never returned to Russia. He achieved great success in the USA, where he composed little and mostly toured. His great work “Symphonic Dances” was created only in 1941.

During World War II, Sergei Rachmaninov tried to help his compatriots by sending home all the funds collected at charity concerts.

After a long illness, the musician passed away in 1943.

for 4th grade

Biography by dates and Interesting Facts. The most important.

Other biographies:

• Arthur Conan Doyle

  Arthur Conan Doyle - famous English writer, who created many interesting works various genres. From his pen came historical and adventure novels, science fiction stories and novels, journalistic articles, etc.

• Ivan Danilovich Kalita

  Ivan Danilovich Kalita. This name is associated with the period of formation of the city of Moscow as the spiritual and economic center of Rus'.

• John Calvin

  John Calvin was one of the most radical figures of the European Reformation, a French theologian who laid the foundation for a new religious movement in the Protestant Church.

• Life of Nicholas the Wonderworker and biography brief summary

  The great servant and saint of the Lord, Nicholas the Wonderworker, is known for his many miracles and mercy towards people. He healed the sick, saved people from troubles and unjustified accusations.

• Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub

  Ivan Kozhedub - Soviet pilot, hero of the Soviet Union, who fought during the Great Patriotic War, participated in the conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

Name: Sergej Rahmaninov

Age: 69 years old

Place of Birth: Semyonovo, Starorussky district, Novgorod province,

A place of death: Beverly Hills, California, USA

Activity: composer, pianist, conductor

Family status: was married

Sergei Rachmaninov - biography

“What life takes away, music brings back.” Sergei Rachmaninov often repeated these words of Heinrich Heine. Like most geniuses, his happiness always went hand in hand with tragedy. Music healed. And listeners have repeatedly testified to the healing magic of Rachmaninov’s music.

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov was born on April 1, 1873 - one of six children in a talented, musical family. For a long time, the Novgorod estate of his mother, Oneg, was considered the place of his birth; later, for some reason, they began to call the Semenovo estate in the Starorussky district of the Novgorod province. But the first one is true - early childhood composer took place in Onega.

He owes his exotic surname to the Moldavian rulers, his distant ancestors. In different parts of Russia, “rahmanny” meant different things: from “meek”, “slow” and “rustic” to the opposite “cheerful”, “hospitable” and even “rudy”. It is not known for what qualities the grandson of Stephen the Great himself was nicknamed “Rachmanin” - but, of course, it was not by chance, it was not suddenly that a genius appeared in their family centuries later, gifted with such an aristocratic stature and clearly innate nobility.

Sergei Rachmaninov - Childhood and studies

The grandfather of the great composer Arkady Aleksandrovich, although he was considered an amateur pianist, studied with John Field himself, an Irish composer who lived in Russia, Glinka’s teacher and, in fact, the creator of the Russian pianistic school. Arkady Alexandrovich himself composed music; several of his compositions were even published in XVIII century.

But he owes one of the most powerful musical impressions of his childhood to his religious grandmother, Sofya Aleksandrovna Butakova: “We stood for hours in the amazing St. Petersburg cathedrals - St. Isaac's, Kazan and others, in all parts of the city,” recalled Sergei Vasilyevich. - The best St. Petersburg choirs often sang there. I tried to find a place under the gallery and caught every sound. Thanks to my good memory, I easily remembered almost everything I heard.”

This is where the origins of his famous “Bells” and “Vespers” come from, which the composer himself considered his best works! And the unforgettable ringing of Novgorod bells will be resurrected in the sounds of the great Second Piano Concerto. “One of my most cherished childhood memories is associated with the four notes sounded by the great bells of St. Sophia Cathedral... The four notes formed a theme that repeated itself over and over again, four silver weeping notes surrounded by an ever-changing accompaniment.”

And with his phenomenal memory, Rachmaninov surprised people from his youth. One day (this was in the early 90s of the 19th century) to his teacher S.I. Composer A. Glazunov came to Taneyev to show part of his new symphony. After listening, Taneyev left and returned not alone: ​​“Let me introduce you to my talented student Rachmaninov, who also composed a symphony...” Imagine Glazunov’s surprise when the “student” sat down at the piano and performed the composition he had just played! “But I didn’t show it to anyone!” - Glazunov was amazed. It turned out that Rachmaninov was in the next room and repeated the music he heard for the first time by ear.

In the fall of 1882, Sergei entered the junior department of the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the class of teacher V.V. Demyansky and settled in the house of friends. But family troubles and the boy’s early independence contributed little to his studies. My beloved grandmother Sofya Alexandrovna saved: at the end of each conservatory year she took her grandson to her place in Novgorod or to her estate Borisovo.

The life of Sergei Rachmaninov in Ivanovka

And then Ivanovka forever became the best place on earth for him. “For 16 years I lived on the estates that belonged to my mother,” Sergei Vasilyevich would write years later, “but by the age of 16 my parents had lost their fortune, and I went to the estate of my relative Satin for the summer. From that age until the moment I left Russia (forever?), I lived there for 28 years... There were no natural beauties, which usually include mountains, abysses, and seas.

This was a steppe estate, and the steppe is the same sea, without end and edge, where instead of water there are continuous fields of wheat, oats, etc., from horizon to horizon. Sea air is often praised, but if you knew how much better the steppe air is with its aroma of earth and everything growing, and not pumping. There was a large park on this estate, planted by hand, already fifty years old in my time. There were big ones orchards And big lake. Since 1910, this estate passed into my hands... I always aspired to go there, to Ivanovka. Hand on heart, I must say that I still strive to get there.”

It was here, in Ivanovka, that a lot began and happened that would determine the entire future life of Sergei Vasilyevich. There he found “rest and complete peace or, conversely, assiduous work, which is favored by the surrounding peace.” Here he honed his performing skills for concerts, which he began performing in student years. There his first compositions were born, written under the auspices of the composer and teacher Sergei Taneyev. There he experienced his first beautiful, insanely romantic love. There he also found another - great, sensitive, devoted, who will be with him to the end.

In those years, many young people gathered in Ivanovka: the entire Satin family, their numerous relatives and neighbors, and among them Sergei’s second cousins ​​- the beauties Natalya, Lyudmila and Vera Skalon. Well, where there are a lot of young people, an atmosphere of love always arises, and everyone enthusiastically sought their happiness “where the lilacs are crowded.” She didn’t bypass 17-year-old Sergei either. At first it seems to him that he is in love with the eldest of the Skalon sisters, Natalya, whom everyone called Tatusha - it is no coincidence that he dedicated the romance “Dream” to her, based on Pleshcheev’s poems.

And Verochka seemed to easily forget her funny, lanky cousin with long legs that didn’t fit under the piano. She got married, gave birth to two daughters, and before the wedding she burned all of Rachmaninoff’s letters. Of course this is not true. It was not a simple or random company that gathered in Ivanovka. These were educated, talented young people who never tired of learning. Many studied at the conservatory, everyone played, sang, drew... And they understood, or at least guessed, intuitively felt what a powerful talent, what an amazing personality they were lucky to be with.

And despite all his youthful awkwardness, the cousin was handsome, smart, and what a brilliant pianist - everyone was happy to take lessons from him, which, by the way, he never refused to anyone... People fell in love with him in earnest. Vera's diary has been preserved, full of hopes, girlish longing and unfulfilled desires. Here are just some lines from it: “...Is this really love?! I had no idea what kind of torment this was. The books say something completely different.

I keep hoping that this mood will somehow pass..." "...Who is dearest to me? I can't even believe it! How long has it been since I found him terrible, unsympathetic, disgusting? And now? And we’ve only known each other for three weeks. God, God, how strange it all is!” “Of course, there is no longer any doubt, I am in love! It happened suddenly and against my will...” “I’m both sad and annoyed, most importantly, I’m starting to fear that Sergei Vasilyevich is completely indifferent to me. Oh, that would be terrible! How did this fear never occur to me before..."

“...This is what I saw in my dream. I’m walking along the Red Alley, and suddenly a male figure appears in the distance and quickly approaches, I stop, try to see it, but I can’t. Only when he came three steps closer did I recognize Sergei Vasilyevich. He grabbed my hand and began to squeeze it tightly and for a long time, then everything disappeared into the fog, and I woke up, still feeling the touch of his hand...”

And it’s no longer a dream, but a real explanation at a village skating: “God, what did I feel when he suddenly looked at me and said quietly and affectionately: “Oh, with what joy I would take my Psycho Girl to the ends of the world.” It seemed to me that my heart stopped beating, all the blood rushed to my head, then my heart beat so hard that I almost suffocated. We were both silent. Alas, after a few minutes we already drove around the threshing floor and the garden and again found ourselves in the yard. Oh, why can’t we really go to the ends of the world!”

“Today I became convinced that joy is as difficult to hide as grief. How unexpectedly all my painful doubts ended! How funny I find my jealousy now! From today I have heaven in my heart. I’ve already gotten used to the idea that he loves me, but only yesterday I was convinced of this.” There is no reason to doubt the sincerity of these confessions. This is confirmed by both Verochka’s sisters and further fate a girl in love, identified by her parents.

The general’s family could not accept a musician so poor that the Skalon sisters, taking pity, bought him a coat together. For this, Verochka even broke her porcelain piggy bank. And in 1899, “the general’s lady” Vera, as Rachmaninov also called her, nevertheless married her equal - another Sergei, their mutual friend Tolbuzin. But ten years later, in 1909, she would be gone - at only 34 years old. She had a sick heart, but who knows how much fatal hopelessness the broken dreams were added to this pain by someone else’s cruel will. It is no coincidence that her middle sister Lyudmila claims in her memoirs that Vera loved Rachmaninov all her life.

What about him? Did he really soon forget about the one with whom he wanted to “go to the ends of the world”? But why then did Verochka, having saved such a telling diary, destroy his apparently even more eloquent letters before the wedding? And most importantly, the music remains. Listen to Rachmaninoff's First Piano Concerto. Its second part is dedicated to Verochka Skalon. And how much the romances dedicated to her tell: “Oh, for a long time I will be, in the silence of the secret night” to the words of Fet and several more, including the beautiful unforgettable “Lilac”.

Romances are generally special pages of Rachmaninoff’s works. “Poetry inspires music, because poetry itself contains a lot of music. “They are like twin sisters,” the composer admitted. - And a beautiful woman, of course, is a source of eternal inspiration. But you must run away from her and seek solitude, otherwise you will not compose anything, you will not bring anything to the end.

Carry inspiration in your heart and mind, think about the inspiration, but for creative work stay alone with yourself. True inspiration must come from within. If there is nothing inside, nothing outside will help.” He created more than 80 beautiful romances, and behind each there is a vivid experience, a declaration of love from the heart with a specific name.

It is difficult to say whether in those months in Ivanovka he suspected with what pain and jealousy Verochka’s close friend and confidante, the smart, sensitive and talented Natasha Satina, who had long been endlessly and hopelessly in love with her brilliant cousin, watched the unfolding love passions. But she loved, in spite of everything, quietly, faithfully, devotedly.

By that time - while still studying at the Moscow Conservatory - Rachmaninov began performing concerts, which were a great success. He was actively involved in composition under the guidance of Sergei Taneyev and Anton Arensky. It was then that I first met Tchaikovsky, who immediately noted his capable student. Very soon Pyotr Ilyich said: “I predict a great future for him.”

At the age of 18, Rachmaninov brilliantly completed his piano studies, and after graduating from the conservatory in composition in 1892, he was awarded the Grand Gold Medal for outstanding performing and composing achievements. Another outstanding graduate, A. Scriabin, received a Small Gold Medal (the Large Gold Medal was awarded only to those who graduated from the Conservatory in two specialties). For the final exam, Rachmaninov presented a one-act opera “Aleko” based on Pushkin’s poem “Gypsies”, which he wrote in just 17 days. For this, Tchaikovsky, who was present at the exam, gave his “musical grandson” (his teacher Taneyev was Pyotr Ilyich’s favorite student) an A with three pluses.

It was well received by critics and the public... Alas. Such brilliant success turned out to be short-lived. Tchaikovsky intended to include Aleko in the Bolshoi Theater repertoire along with his one-act opera Iolanta. Both he himself and the Theater Directorate told me that these two operas would be performed in December of the same year. But on October 25, 1893, Tchaikovsky died. “Iolanta” was staged, but... without my “Aleko”.

For almost three years, the young composer interrupted himself with lessons at the Mariinsky Women's School and the Elizabethan Institute. But he continued to compose. The largest creation at that time was the First Symphony. Unfortunately, Alexander Glazunov, not understanding its unusualness, failed the first performance. How the moral support and care of people close to him helped the author! And suddenly, in 1897, Rachmaninov unexpectedly received an offer in a completely different field.

The wealthy industrialist Savva Mamontov organized a private opera, gathered talented young people there and offered him the position of second conductor. Here Sergei Vasilyevich mastered opera classics in practice, met many wonderful musicians and amazing master artists who were patronized by Mamontov: Serov, Vrubel, Korovin. And I met the then amazing beginning singer - Fyodor Chaliapin, who was just creating his Godunov, Grozny and other roles that would soon shock the whole world. Here he began a friendship with this “God-marked man” that lasted all his life.

In the summer of 1898, the composer and the artists of the Russian Private Opera came to Crimea, where he met with Anton Chekhov. In the spring of 1899, Rachmaninov's first concert trip abroad took place - to England. And the first years of the new century revealed a new, truly great musician. Sergei Vasilyevich experienced a powerful surge of creative energy, created new works, gave concerts in Vienna, Moscow, St. Petersburg and the provinces, and in 1904 took the post of conductor at the Bolshoi Theater.

Sergei Rachmaninov - biography of personal life, family and children

By that time, Rachmaninov had already become a husband and father. The dear friend of his adolescence, who had long been in love with him and shed many tears because of other loving eyes, Natasha Satina waited in the wings. A subtle and capable musician herself, who studied piano and vocals at the conservatory, she managed to win the heart of her loved one.

Even Verochka Skalon’s sister Lyudmila Rostovtseva wrote half a century later: “Seryozha married Natasha. Best wife he couldn't choose. She loved him from childhood, one might say, she suffered for him. She was smart, musical and very informative. We were happy for Seryozha, knowing in what reliable hands he was falling...” And their entire subsequent family life proved that they were made for each other, that there could not be a better friend.

But, although the fact that this happy union took place, of course, is primarily due to Natasha’s enormous love and devotion, she showed claws, character, and pride. Seeing, already as a bride, how her Seryozha looked at the new beauty and even composed something for her, she immediately told the groom that he was still free to change his mind... But it was to her, among many dedications, that he presented a true masterpiece: “Don’t sing, beauty , in front of me” to the equally brilliant poems of Pushkin.

But it was not so easy to legitimize this heaven-sent union. Sergei and Natalya were cousins, and marriages between close relatives were prohibited; personal permission from the emperor was required, which was given in exceptional cases. The bride and groom submitted a petition to the highest name, but, despite possible big trouble for breaking the law, they did not wait for an answer. To raise money for his honeymoon, Sergei sat down in Ivanovka to compose 12 romances - one every day.

And upon their return, on April 29, 1902, they got married in a small church of the 6th Tauride Grenadier Regiment on the outskirts of Moscow. “I was riding in a carriage in a wedding dress, the rain was pouring like buckets,” recalled Natalya Alexandrovna. -You could enter the church by passing through the longest barracks. The soldiers were lying on the bunks and looking at us in surprise. The best men were A. Zilota and A. Brandukov.

Ziloti, when they led us around the lectern for the third time, jokingly whispered to me: “You can still come to your senses. Not too late". Sergei Vasilyevich was in a tailcoat, very serious, and I, of course, was terribly worried. From the church we went straight to Zelota, where a champagne reception was held. After that, we quickly changed clothes and went straight to the station, taking tickets to Vienna.”

After a month in Vienna - the beauty of Italy, Switzerland, the wonderful Alps and Venetian gondolas, unforgettable concerts and opera performed by the best musicians in Europe, wonderful singing of Italians... And - the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth, tickets for which were given as a wedding gift by Ziloti: “The Flying Dutchman”, “Parsifal” and “The Ring of the Nibelung”.

And straight from there - home, to Ivanovka. When it turned out in the fall that everything worked out with the marriage license, we moved to Moscow. There, on Vozdvizhenka, on March 14, 1903, their daughter Irina was born. And on June 21, 1907 - the second girl, Tatyana.

“Sergei Vasilyevich loved children in general touchingly,” his wife later recalled. - While walking, I could not pass by a child in a stroller without looking at him, and, if possible, without stroking his hand. When Irina was born, his delight knew no end. But he was so afraid for her, it seemed to him that she needed to help somehow; he was worried, walked helplessly around her cradle and did not know what to do. The same thing happened after Tanya was born four years later.

This touching care for children and tenderness for them continued until his death. He was a wonderful father. Our children adored him, but they were still a little afraid, or rather, afraid of somehow offending and upsetting him. For them, he was the first in the house. Everything went in the house - as dad would say and how he would react to this or that. When the girls grew up, Sergei Vasilyevich, going out with them, admired them and was proud of how good they looked. He later had the same attitude towards his granddaughter and grandson.”

And at the same time he managed an incredible amount, surprising even Natalya Alexandrovna: “If he got to work, it went very quickly, especially if he was composing some text. This happened not only with romances. He composed the opera “The Miserly Knight” in almost four weeks, while walking through the fields in Ivanovka. Work with “Bells” proceeded just as quickly. When he composed, he was absent from those around him. Day and night I thought only about writing. This was the case in his youth, and the same in August 1940, when he composed his last piece- “Symphonic dances”.

How much great music was born then - the operas “The Miserly Knight” and “Francesca da Rimini”, symphonic poems and choral cantatas - “The Cliff”, “Island of the Dead”, piano concertos, fantasies, sonatas, variations and rhapsodies, capriccios on gypsy motifs , on themes of Paganini, Chopin, Corelli. And - the magnificent “Vocalise”, presented to Antonina Vasilyevna Nezhdanova, and to this day the dream of the best singers and instrumentalists.

And at the same time, there was enough energy and time to be passionate about... technical innovations and work on the land: “When the Ivanovka estate passed into my hands, I was very interested in farming. This did not meet with sympathy in the family, which was afraid that economic interests would push me away from musical activity. But I worked diligently in the winter, “made money” with concerts, and in the summer I put most of it into the ground, improving management, live equipment, and machines. We had binders, mowers, and seeders, mostly of American origin.”

It usually completely coincided with his opinion. Shortly before World War II in England, the conductor performing “The Bells” asked the author to come to this concert. Sergei Vasilyevich also played that day and could not do it. He replied to the conductor that his wife would come to his concert instead and “what she says will be my opinion.”

He called his Natalya Alexandrovna “the good genius of my whole life.” Alas, even such a blessed union is not cloudless. Seemingly gloomy in appearance, even gloomy, Rachmaninov was tall, handsome and elegant, and there were always many fans around. In September 1916, in just two and a half weeks, he wrote six romances dedicated to the singer Nina Koshits. He accompanied her on tour and did not hide his enthusiastic love, which gave rise not only to gossip.

It is unknown how much more suffering Natalya Alexandrovna would have had to endure - the revolution and emigration put an end to this story. Far from his homeland, Rachmaninov would never write another romance. But although the composer perceived the World War of 1914-1918 as a difficult test for Russia, at first they had no intention of leaving. From the very first “military season,” Sergei Vasilyevich constantly participated in charity concerts and accepted the February Revolution of 1917 with joy. But doubts soon appeared, growing along with the unfolding events.

The composer greeted the revolution with alarm. Not only because with the breakdown of the entire system, artistic activity in Russia could cease for many years. I had to face a cruel reality in my Ivanovka. It seems that the local peasants were satisfied with the answers and plans of the smart and kind master, but soon they themselves came with advice to leave: some strangers were too frequent, muddying the waters and inciting rebellion. The last straw was the piano that was senselessly thrown out of the window of the “master’s house” and smashed.

Sergei Rachmaninov - emigration

In December 1917, Rachmaninov and his family went on tour to Sweden. And he never returned to Russia. It was a tragedy: “After leaving Russia, I lost the desire to compose. Having lost my homeland, I lost myself.” First, the Rachmaninoffs settled in Denmark, where the composer gave many concerts to earn a living, and in 1918 they moved to America, where Sergei Vasilyevich’s concert activities continued without interruption for almost 25 years with stunning success.

Listeners were attracted not only by Rachmaninov’s high performing skills, but by the very manner of his playing, the external asceticism, behind which the bright nature of a genius was hidden. “A person capable of expressing his feelings in such a manner and with such force must, first of all, learn to master them perfectly, to be their master...” - the reviewers admired.

And he suffered: “I’m tired of America. Just think: concert almost every day for three months in a row. I played exclusively my own works. It was a great success, they forced us to encore up to seven times, which is a lot according to the public there. The audience is surprisingly cold, spoiled by the tours of first-class artists, always looking for something unusual, different from others. The newspapers there make sure to note how many times they called, and for big audience this is the measure of your talent.”

In exile, Rachmaninov almost stopped conducting performances, although he was invited to conduct the Boston symphony orchestra, and later by the Cincinnati Orchestra. Only occasionally did he stand at the console, performing own compositions. However, he admitted: “What pleasantly surprised and deeply touched me in America was the popularity of Tchaikovsky. A cult has been created around the name of our composer. Not a single concert takes place in which the name of Tchaikovsky does not appear in the program.

And what is most surprising is that the Yankees, perhaps, feel and understand Tchaikovsky better than us Russians. Positively, every note of Tchaikovsky tells them something. Musical education in America it was done well. I visited conservatories in Boston and New York. Of course, they showed me the best students, but in the manner of performance itself one can see good school.

This, however, is understandable - the Americans do not skimp on signing up the best European virtuosos and paying colossal fees for teaching. And in general, 40% of the professors at their conservatories are foreigners. The orchestras are also good. Especially in Boston. This is without a doubt one of the best orchestras in the world.

However, it is 90% foreigners. The wind instruments are all French, and the strings are in the hands of the Germans.” And about pianists he said that the world is not in danger of being left without great virtuosos with impeccable technique. It’s strange, no one was so demanded to perform “modern” music as from Sergei Vasilyevich. But he did not go further than the works of Debussy, Ravel and Poulenc. He strongly objected to the prevailing opinion that this is a further stage of development musical art.

He believed that this, on the contrary, was a regression; he did not believe that something significant could grow from this direction, because the modernists lacked the main thing - the heart. He said that he did not understand and did not accept such works, that fans of “modern” only pretended to understand something in them: “Heine once said: “What takes away life, music brings back.” He wouldn't say that if he heard the music of today. For the most part it gives nothing. Music is meant to bring relief, it should have a cleansing effect on the mind and heart, but contemporary music doesn't do this.

If we want real music, we need to go back to the basics that made the music of the past great. Music cannot be limited to color and rhythm; it must reveal deep feelings... The only thing I try to do when I write music is to make it express directly and simply what is in my heart.” And he added: “In countries that are especially rich folk songs, develops naturally great music" Giving concerts in America and Europe, Rachmaninov achieved great artistic and material well-being.

But even in his crazy busyness, he did not find the lost peace of mind, and did not forget about his Motherland for a minute. He had an unshakably negative attitude towards the Bolshevik government, but closely followed the development of Soviet culture, gave charity concerts, helped not only his comrades in the profession, but, for example, the helicopter designer Sikorsky, meeting him in America, listened with enthusiasm to stories about new aircraft.

In 1930, the Rachmaninoffs purchased an estate near Lucerne and named it Senar, combining the first two letters of the names Sergei and Natalya and the first letter of their surname. “Our house was built on the site of a large rock that had to be blown up,” wrote the composer’s wife. - For two years, while this house was being built, we lived in a small outbuilding. The workers came at 6 o'clock in the morning and began working with some kind of drills. The hellish noise did not let me sleep. But Sergei Vasilyevich was so passionate about construction that he treated it condescendingly.

He loved to look at all the plans with the architect, walked around the building with pleasure, and was even more interested in talking with the gardener. The entire empty area in front of the future house had to be filled with huge blocks of granite left over from the explosion of the rock. It was covered with earth and seeded with grass. After two or three years, the site turned into a magnificent green meadow. While the house was being built, Russian friends often came to our outbuilding: Horowitz and his wife, violinist Milstein, cellist Pyatigorsky and others.

There was a lot of good music these days." The owner also loved to solemnly demonstrate technical innovations: an elevator, a vacuum cleaner and a toy railway. His special passion was cars. “Rachmaninov loved to drive a car,” recalled the famous violinist Nathan Milstein. “Every year I bought a new Cadillac or Continental because I didn’t like to bother with repairs.”

In the very first year in his new house - in 1935 - Rachmaninov composed one of his best works - Rhapsody for piano and orchestra. In the next two summers he completed the Third Symphony. Unfortunately, he did not get to see Senard after the war of 1939-1945. He would be amazed to see how incredibly beautiful all his plantings have grown. I didn't see it. With the outbreak of a new war, the composer and his wife returned to America.

Rachmaninov was one of the representatives of the Russian intelligentsia who signed an appeal to American citizens in 1930 against the US government's intention to officially recognize the Soviet Union with the existing power there. But with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he was one of the first to decide “to show by his example to all Russians that at such a time it is necessary to forget disagreements and unite to help an exhausted and suffering Russia.”

In 1941, the entire collection from charity concert in New York, he handed over to the Soviet consul V.A. Fedyushin, writing in the accompanying letter: “From one of the Russians, all possible assistance to the Russian people in their fight against the enemy. I want to believe, I believe in complete victory!” There were other concerts to help the Motherland fighting the fascists. And the ocean-going steamer brought food and medicine to our compatriots.

In 1942, Rachmaninoff celebrated 50 years of artistic activity, but the hero of the day forbade his relatives and friends to talk about it. Not only because he did not like banquets and toasts, he considered celebration inappropriate when blood was being shed at the fronts. However, in prosperous America, few people remembered Rachmaninov’s anniversary; only representatives of the Steinway company presented him with a magnificent piano. But in the warring homeland, an exhibition dedicated to the life and work of the composer opened at the Bolshoi Theater.

The last years of the life of Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff

The last concert season, despite bad feeling, Rachmaninov began on October 12, 1942. And on February 1, 1943, 25 years after arriving in America, during another tour, he and his wife were given American citizenship. On February 11, Sergei Vasilyevich played Beethoven's First Concerto and his Rhapsody in Chicago under Stock's baton. The hall was overcrowded; upon exiting, the orchestra saluted Rachmaninov with a salute, and the audience stood up. “He played wonderfully,” his wife wrote, “but he felt bad and complained of severe pain in his side.”

And on February 17, 1943 it took place last concert, after which he was forced to interrupt the tour. “The disease progressed so quickly that even Dr. Golitsyn, who visited him every day, was surprised,” recalled Natalya Alexandrovna. - Sergei Vasilyevich could no longer eat at all. Heart problems began. Once, half-forgotten, Sergei Vasilyevich asked me: “Who is playing?” - “God be with you, Seryozha, no one is playing here.” - “I hear music.”

Another time, Sergei Vasilyevich, raising his hand above his head, said: “It’s strange, I feel as if my aura is being separated from my head.” But even in recent days, rarely regaining consciousness, he asked Natalya Alexandrovna to read him reports from the Russian front. Having learned about the victory at Stalingrad, he whispered: “Thank God!”

“Three days before his death, the patient began to lose consciousness; sometimes he became delirious,” recalled Dr. Golitsyn, “and in his delirium he moved his hands, as if conducting an orchestra or playing the piano. I can’t help but remember the special feeling that I experienced every time I took his hand to check his pulse; I thought with sadness that these beautiful, thin hands would never touch the keys again and would not give that pleasure, that joy that they gave to people in continuation of fifty years."

“On March 26, Dr. Golitsyn advised calling a priest for communion,” the wife wrote. - Father Gregory gave him communion at I o’clock in the morning (he also performed the funeral service for him). Sergei Vasilyevich was already unconscious. On the 27th, around midnight, the agony began, and on the 28th, at one in the morning, he died quietly. He had a remarkably calm and good expression on his face. In the morning he was transported to the Church of the Icon Mother of God Rescue of the Perishing somewhere on the outskirts of Los Angeles. In the evening there was the first funeral service. A lot of people gathered. The church was full of flowers, bouquets, wreaths. Whole azalea bushes were sent by Steinway.

For the funeral service, we brought two flowers from our garden and placed them in Sergei Vasilyevich’s hands. The choir of Platov Cossacks sang well. They sang some particularly beautiful “Lord, have mercy.” For a whole month after the funeral, I could not get rid of this chant... The coffin was made of zinc, so that later, someday, it could be transported to Russia. He was temporarily placed in the city mausoleum. At the end of May, Irina and I managed to buy a plot of land for a grave at the cemetery in Kensico. On the grave, at the head, there grows a large spreading maple. Coniferous evergreen bushes were planted around instead of a fence, and on the grave itself there were flowers and a large Orthodox cross in gray marble.”

Sergei Rachmaninov left beautiful daughters who reverently and carefully preserved the memory of their father. Irina was educated in America, graduating from college and becoming fluent in English and French. In 1920-30 she lived in Paris. Here in 1924 she married Prince Pyotr Grigorievich Volkonsky, an artist, the son of an emigrant. But family happiness was short-lived; a year later Volkonsky died suddenly at the age of 28.

Tatyana graduated from high school in New York, and from the 1930s lived in Paris, where she married the son of a famous music teacher, violinist and composer, who studied with Rachmaninov at the Moscow Conservatory, Boris Konyus. During the war, she remained in Paris, looked after her parents' estate in Switzerland and subsequently inherited it. Then Senar and Rachmaninov's archive were inherited by her son, the only grandson of the great composer Alexander Rachmaninov-Konyus. He organized Rachmaninoff competitions in Russia and Rachmaninoff celebrations in Switzerland.

Origin and education of Rachmaninov

In 1881, during a rather difficult time, the family of retired captain Vasily Arkadyevich Rachmaninov came to St. Petersburg. The move was due to the need to educate the children. Since 1882, Sergei has been studying for several years in the elementary classes of the St. Petersburg Conservatory. As soon as all the children received places in state educational institutions, father Vasily Rachmaninov left the family. A relative worries about fate talented child and takes him to a private boarding school in N.S.’s class. Zvereva. This school had strict discipline. Life for the “animals” was tense. The first meeting with P. Tchaikovsky took place at school. In the future, Taneyev and Arensky would become his teachers.

Early creativity

Legends have been made about the pianist’s hands, as if he wears gloves even in the summer, and at his concerts he hypnotizes the audience with his hands.
In 1897, the long-awaited premiere of the symphony. But it failed, after which the author burned it. The composer suffered so much mental anguish that he fell ill. At first, the Skalon sisters cared for the sick young man. For three whole years Sergei Vasilyevich did not touch the instrument. The talented and at the same time misunderstood author turned to psychotherapist N. Dahl for help. The treatment returned the composer's love of music. And the Second Piano Concerto appeared in two parts.

An unknown young man with musical talent, due to lack of money, taught music to girls at the Mariinsky School. Unexpectedly, Sergei agreed to take the place of second conductor in the Russian opera of entrepreneur Savva Mamontov. There, in the philanthropist's estate, Rachmaninov's friendship with the singer Fyodor Chaliapin begins. The first solid conducting experience turns out to be successful. The work did not stop. Sergei Vasilievich creates the performances “Pan Voivode”, “Rusalka”, “Orpheus”, “Carmen”. Already during concerts in Crimea he communicates with the creative elite N. Bunin, A. Chekhov. The beginning of the twentieth century is the dawn of Rachmaninov’s creativity: “The Cliff” (1893), “Spring” (1902).

Personal life

According to the observations of relatives and friends in his professional life, Sergei Vasilyevich was a closed, stern, cold and somewhat distant person to his colleagues. At the same time, he was a very disciplined and responsible person. He had a phenomenal memory. He always started his working day at 7 am and continued working until 12. The hardworking musician was noticed and invited to work as a conductor at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. There the gaze of the musical genius was turned to opera. Viewers loved the works “The Miserly Knight” and “Francesca da Rimini” (1904). Many noted that even Tchaikovsky could not conduct his operas so masterfully.

Revolutions - in the country and in creativity

After the events of 1917, the pianist left with his loved ones on a tour to the Scandinavian countries and never appeared in Russia again. The question of departure was predetermined in advance. Harbingers of crisis in Rachmaninov's music and all Russian music musical classics became the symphonic poem “Island of the Dead,” written in 1909, and a little later the poem “Bells” for choir and orchestra. People in Russia had no time for music.

Immigration of the Rachmaninoffs

During 1926–1927, works such as the 4th concert and several Russian songs appeared. Offers to perform concerts poured in from all over the world. This gave me the opportunity to compose. There were many such proposals. Touring diligently, Rachmaninov became the first pianist in the world. In Paris, he heads the Russian Conservatory, where he invites Russian teachers.

Abroad, Sergei Rachmaninov becomes even more interested in cars. He bought a lot different cars. In nineteen forty-one, the final work “Symphonic Dances” was created. Rachmaninov fell ill, but continued to travel with concerts. The great composer of the 20th century died on March 28 at the age of 69. Buried near New York City.

Early years.
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninov was born on April 1, 1873. his childhood years were spent on the Oneg estate near Novgorod. The wonderful pictures of Russian nature are imprinted in my memory for the rest of my life: the endless expanses of fields and forests, the majestic waters of the Volkhov River, with which the epic tale about the guslar singer Sadko is associated.
The future composer's first music teacher (he began studying at the age of four) was his mother Lyubov Petrovna. the boy made rapid progress, but, despite his outstanding abilities for music, he and his brother Volodya decided to assign him to the page corps. However, the ruin of the family changed this decision. Education in the page corps, which was expensive, was now beyond our means. Volodya was sent to cadet corps, and nine-year-old Seryozha - to the St. Petersburg Conservatory.
St. Petersburg Conservatory.
The conditions for studying at the conservatory were unfavorable. The father left a family - a mother and six children. Seryozha settled with his grandmother and aunt, who took pity on him and spoiled him in every possible way. Left to his own devices, Seryozha was pretty idle. “My grandmother,” Rachmaninov later recalled, “was very good-natured, she believed everything I told her. I received 10 kopecks a day from her for expenses and travel to the conservatory, but I went straight to the skating rink and spent the whole morning there ". As a result, there were oftenpoor grades in general education subjects. WITH music lessons things were better thanks to natural abilities. But there was no serious systematic work in the piano class.
Summer holidays Seryozha spent time with his grandmother Sofia Alexandrovna Butakova near Novgorod, where he listened with great pleasure to the ringing of ancient church bells and the singing of the monastery choir. These childhood impressions were later reflected in Rachmaninov’s works.
At the same time, the first attempts to compose music arose. these were improvisations on the piano, which Seryozha often passed off as works by famous composers.
In 1885, Rachmaninov’s cousin Alexander Ilyich Ziloti came to St. Petersburg. in the recent past, N.G.’s favorite student Rubinstein and F. Liszt, despite his youth (being only ten years older than Seryozha), he was already a famous pianist and taught at the Moscow Conservatory. After listening to Seryozha play the piano, Ziloti suggested that his mother transfer him to the Moscow Conservatory and received consent.

Moscow Conservatory.
Ziloti assigned his brother to the class of a teacher, a friend of Tchaikovsky, Nikolai Sergeevich Zverev, who took Seryozha on full board. This is what he usually did with gifted students. Zverev not only did not take money for training, but, on the contrary, he himself paid for teachers who taught the boys foreign languages ​​and general education subjects. he took them to the theater and concerts. In the summer months, the pupils went with him to a dacha near Moscow, to the Crimea, to Kislovodsk.
Zverev was a demanding teacher and taught his students to work systematically. He strictly punished for offenses, did not tolerate lies, laziness, or boasting. Lessons began promptly at six in the morning, and whoever was scheduled to be first sat down at the instrument. There were no exceptions for anyone, even if the students returned late from the theater or concert the day before.
At first, such a harsh regime burdened Seryozha, but gradually he got used to it and turned into an exceptionally collected, strong-willed, disciplined person.
“I owe the best that is in me to him,” Rachmaninov later said about Zverev.
in 1885/86 A. Rubinstein gave his famous historical concerts in Moscow. Zverev's students listened to the entire cycle, and it left an indelible impression. Rachmaninov recalled: “This is how we learned to play in Russia: Rubinstein gave his Historical concerts... He used to go on stage and say: “Every note in Chopin is pure gold.” listen!" And he played and we listened." Anton Grigorievich visited Zverev. Other interesting guests also came to Zverev: university professors, artists, actors, musicians. Tchaikovsky often visited. He immediately singled out Rachmaninov from all the pupils, followed his musical development. An exciting event for Rachmaninov was the examination in music theory when moving to the senior department of the conservatory. Rachmaninov received a 5+ rating on it. Tchaikovsky helped his favorite Seryozha stage the opera "Aleko" at the Bolshoi Theater. He knew from his own experience how difficult it is for a beginning musician to make his way.
At the senior department of the conservatory, Rachmaninov studied in class free composition with Arensky, in counterpoint class with Taneyev, piano with Ziloti. Already at this time, everyone was amazed by the phenomenal talent of the young musician and his rare musical memory. It was enough for him to hear a complex piece of music once, for example the first movement of a symphony, in order to immediately play it. He memorized the piece by looking at the notes 3-4 times. Rachmaninov often performed in concerts, and people started talking about him as an outstanding pianist.
In 1891, Siloti left the conservatory, and Rachmaninov decided to take his final piano exams ahead of schedule, a year earlier. He learned the complex exam program in three weeks and performed it brilliantly. The following year, 1892, he graduated from the Conservatory in composition with a Great Gold Medal.

Early writings.

Already at the conservatory, Rachmaninov achieved great success in the field of composition. The works he created during these years testify to his talent, strong,deep, original. Among them, a true masterpiece was the famous Prejudice in C sharp minor, composed in19 - summer age. "One day the foreplay just came, and I wrote it down. It came with such force that I could not get rid of it if I even tried. It had to be, and it became," - pisa l Rachmaninov.

With each new performance the melody sounds more and more passionate. In the middle section of the prelude (Agitato) it transforms into a rebellious and impetuous theme, striving upward. An intense development follows, after which, in the reprise of the prelude (written in three-part form), the drama reaches its highest point. The bell motif, repeatedly amplified by octaves, sounds menacing, but the second element has also lost its plaintive character. When powerfully presented with eight-note chords, it is perceived as a protest, a will to action. However, the outcome of the fight is unclear. The tension subsides, the sound of the bell becomes quieter, completing the prelude.

The First Piano Concerto in F sharp minor was also written at the conservatory. This work, youthfully spontaneous, is a remarkable success for the young composer. His melodic gift was clearly demonstrated in him.

Rachmaninov's diploma work was the opera "Aleko" based on the plot of Pushkin's poem "Gypsies". The topic for composing an opera was proposed to him and two fellow students a month before the final exams. Rachmaninov wrote the opera in 17 days! Such creative activity amazed Arensky, who exclaimed: “If you continue at this speed... you will be able to write twenty-four acts a year! This is so good!”

For Rachmaninov, the plot from gypsy life was a powerful stimulus creative inspiration. It was the gypsy nature that for many artists of the past was the personification of natural beauty, a powerful impulse to will.

Rachmaninov captured and embodied the sensitive soul of a musician in his youth opera tragic conflict between the individual’s desire for freedom and the unrealizability of this desire. The dreams of Aleko, who hoped to find happiness among the gypsies living a free nomadic life, “disregarding the shackles of enlightenment,” are crumbling: Zemfira and her lover die. One of the impressive pages of the opera is Cavatina Aleko. It becomes an expression of the main idea of ​​the work. This is a close-up psychological portrait, lyrical confession great strength and passion.

Decade after graduation from the conservatory (1890s).

The great success of "Aleko" at the exam and then at the Bolshoi Theater inspired Rachmaninoff. He writes a lot. The orchestral fantasy "The Cliff", the First Symphony, piano pieces, romances, an a cappella spiritual concert and other works appear. Rachmaninov the composer becomes famous, articles are written about him.

During these years, Rachmaninov read a lot. I stood for a long time in front of paintings by Russian artists in the Tretyakov Gallery, and often visited the Tretyakovs’ home. He loved going to the theater, especially the Maly, where the luminaries of the Russian stage performed - Maria Ermolova, Prov Sadovsky. But life was difficult. Decisive and powerful in his performance and creativity, Rachmaninov was a vulnerable person by nature and often experienced self-doubt. Everyday unsettledness, loneliness, wanderings in strange corners, and financial difficulties interfered.

The sudden death of Tchaikovsky on October 25, 1893 was a strong emotional shock for Rachmaninov. Under the tragic impression, Rachmaninov wrote the trio “In Memory of the Great Artist” for violin, cello and piano.

The first symphony, performed in St. Petersburg under the baton of Glazunov, was not successful, and Rachmaninov took this event seriously. He returned to Moscow gloomy and upset. He lost faith in himself, in his talent, and began to doubt the correctness of his chosen path in life. For several years he did not compose anything, he only performed in concerts, however, always with constant success. His financial situation was getting worse. But then unexpectedly Rachmaninov received an invitation from the famous philanthropist S.I. Mamontov to take the position of conductor in his opera house. The season spent there was of great importance for the composer. He thoroughly studied the scores of many operas, gained conducting experience, and met outstanding artists who designed the performances - Vasnetsov, Polenov, Serov, Vrubel, Korovin. Strong friendship Rachmaninov started a relationship with Chaliapin, who was then working at the Mamontov Theater. Both musicians often performed together. According to a contemporary, “these two giants, captivating each other, literally worked miracles.”

Rachmaninov visited Leo Tolstoy, from whom he always found moral support. He developed friendly relations with Chekhov and Bunin, with the artists of the Art Theater.

In 1899, Rachmaninov performed abroad for the first time (in London), in next year visited Italy. A joyful event for him was the production of “Aleko” in St. Petersburg on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Pushkin with Chaliapin in the role of Aleko. Thus, an internal turning point was gradually being prepared, and in the early 1900s, Rachmaninov returned to creativity.

Years of creative maturity (1900-1917).

The 20th century began in the composer’s life with the Second Piano Concerto, which sounded like a mighty alarm bell. Contemporaries heard in him the voice of the New Time - tense, explosive, with a premonition of future changes. The success of the concert, first performed in its entirety in 1901 in Moscow, was enormous. He inspired Rachmaninov and caused an unprecedented creative surge. “I study all day long and am on fire,” Rachmaninov says in one of his letters. One after another, the cantata "Spring", preludes, romances, and the Second Symphony appear. For this symphony, as previously for the Second Concerto, Rachmaninov was awarded the Glinka Prize. In 1909, the Third Piano Concerto was written - one of Rachmaninov’s outstanding creations.

There is a lot of passionate enthusiasm and inspiration in the music of this time. But other sentiments also arise. Reflections on life and death give rise to tragic images of the First Piano Sonata, inspired by the tragedy “Faust” by Goethe; symphonic poem "Island of the Dead" based on a painting by the Swiss artist L. Böcklin. Over time, these sentiments deepen. Difficult times, revolutionary upheavals, the First World War that began in 1914, the heavy losses suffered Russian art, give rise to a feeling of impending disaster. In Rachmaninov’s music, aggressive images, gloomy, depressed moods increasingly appear (for example, in separate parts vocal-symphonic poem "Bells" on poems by Edgar Poe, in a number of romances, in "Etudes-Paintings" op. 39). However, by creating such works, Rachmaninov found the strength to overcome these moods. For him, Russian spiritual music, beloved since childhood, becomes the personification of eternal beauty. In 1910 he wrote “The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom”, and in 1915 - “All-Night Vigil” for a cappella choir.

During these years, Rachmaninov combined intense creativity with no less intense concert activity - pianistic and conducting -. He worked for some time at the Bolshoi Theater and left behind memories of wonderful productions of Russian operas. This work inspired the composer to create two one-act operas - "Francesca da Rimini" (after " Divine Comedy"Dante) and "The Miserly Knight" (based on Pushkin's "little tragedy"). They were staged on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater and were a success.

In addition, Rachmaninov took part in Russian historical concerts organized by Diaghilev in Paris. At one time he directed the Philharmonic concerts in Moscow. Traveled to many concerts European countries, toured America, where his performances were a triumph.

But Rachmaninov performed much more willingly in front of the Russian public. During the First World War he gave many concerts in different cities of Russia. He gave half of the proceeds from them to charity, to the needs of the Russian army.

Rachmaninov was a sympathetic person. Outwardly stern, however, he was always ready to help. He loved his children very much. “I have two daughters... their names are Irina and Tatyana or Bob and Tasinka. These are two naughty, disobedient, ill-mannered - but very sweet and interesting girls. I love them terribly! The most precious thing in my life! And the brightest!”

Rachmaninov was fond of sports, in the summer he went horseback riding and in the winter he went ice skating. Shortly before the start of the war, he bought a car, which he drove himself. “When the work is beyond my strength, I get into the car and fly fifty miles from here, into the open air, onto the high road. I breathe in the air and bless freedom and blue skies.”

Rachmaninov loved his estate Ivanovka in the Tambov province. It was created here best works. “He loved the Russian land, the village, the peasant, he loved to manage the land, he took a scythe in the summer, hated quinoa and other weeds as a personal enemy, and often spent hours telling me how beautiful the village was,” recalled the famous writer Marietta Shaginyan.

Rachmaninov abroad. Latest works. 1917 was a turning point in the fate of Rachmaninov and his family. He greeted the February revolution joyfully, but the October revolution forced him to leave Russia forever. The main reasons were fears for the fate of the family, a feeling of uselessness in the new society.

In December 1917, Rachmaninov and his family traveled to Sweden. He gives concerts in Scandinavian countries and then moves to the USA. A grueling concert activity began, first in America, then throughout Europe, subject to the harsh laws of the music business. The number of performances was enormous: in the 1919/20 season alone he gave 69 concerts. World celebrities performed with him: violinist Jascha Heifetz, cellist Pablo Casals, conductors Leopold Stokowski, Arturo Toscani, Eugene Ormandy, Bruno Walter. His concerts took place in crowded halls, and his portraits never left the pages of American newspapers. He was recognized by sellers, taxi drivers, porters, and was pursued by an army of correspondents and photo reporters. But the triumph of Rachmaninov as a performer could not drown out his passionate longing for his fatherland. Even the circle of close friends abroad was limited mainly to immigrants from Russia. Rachmaninov used a significant part of his fees for material support of his compatriots both abroad and at home.

Sergei Rachmaninov, an outstanding Russian composer, pianist and conductor, was born on March 20 (April 1), 1873 in the Semenovo estate, Novgorod province.

Childhood and parents

The father of the future world celebrity was retired military man Vasily Arkadyevich Rachmaninov. He played various instruments well, but did it at an amateur level. Most likely, musical talents were passed down through my father’s side, since my grandfather played the piano and traveled a lot around the cities of Russia on tour. The works he composed have survived to this day.

Sergei's mother's name was Lyubov Petrovna. Her father headed the cadet corps and had nothing to do with creativity. On April 2, the baby was baptized by dipping into the font of the local church.

The boy's musical talent was discovered early. His mother introduced him little Sergei with notes, conducted initial piano lessons. When the family moved to the Oneg estate, a specially invited music teacher, mother’s friend A.D. Ornatskaya, who once studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, began to study with him professionally.

In young age

After a certain time, the Rachmaninov family moved to the capital of the Russian Empire. The relationship between the parents became very difficult, the father lost his wife’s entire dowry at cards and left the family. Lyubov Petrovna and her children were left in absolute poverty, so Sergei had to live with his aunt in order to somehow alleviate the difficult situation.

Two years later, with the support of Ornatskaya, young Rachmaninov entered the conservatory. Left to his own devices and with no control, the boy began to skip classes. He was interested instead of studying musical notation go to the skating rink or ride a horse-drawn horse. When this became known, a decision was made to transfer him to Moscow.

At the new place, in the private boarding house of Professor N.S. Zverev, there was strict and constant supervision. Here Sergei had no time for nonsense - six hours of playing music every day with obligatory visits to the Philharmonic and the Opera House.

Zverev developed artistic taste and a broad cultural outlook in his students, inviting them to his boarding school famous musicians. There Rachmaninov met Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, which became an important milestone in the biography of the young talent.

Career

The very first works of Rachmaninov that have survived to our time date back to 1887, that is, when he was 14 years old. Three years later, Sergei wrote romances based on poems by Russian poets, and also “Waltz” so that the Skalon sisters, of whom there were three, could perform it on the piano simultaneously with six hands.

A large (and written with a capital letter, probably to give significance) gold medal was awarded to Rachmaninov upon graduation from the Moscow Conservatory, from which he graduated both as a pianist and as a composer. Brilliant thesis The graduate-musician received the opera “Aleko”, consisting of one act. Sergei was very pleased to realize that P.I. Tchaikovsky highly appreciated his opera.

At the insistence of the world celebrity, it was staged on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater. Moreover, Tchaikovsky raised the question of including “Aleko” in the repertoire of the most majestic theater in Russia, but his plan was not allowed to come true. Pyotr Ilyich suddenly fell ill and died suddenly. Sergei dedicated the Elegiac Trio to the genius, calling it “In Memory of the Great Artist.”

Rachmaninov began performing publicly as a pianist. To earn money more money he had to give piano lessons to students privately. But Sergei didn’t last long; talent is hard to teach to mere mortals. They need to be explained many times, they don’t know how to grasp on the fly, they don’t have enough patience. In general, the composer did not like teaching at all, and did not hide it.

The premiere of the First Symphony, written by him at the age of 22, unexpectedly turned into a complete failure in 1897, which was an absolute shock for Rachmaninoff. The harshest criticism was distributed to the work. He was so unprepared for this that severe melancholy struck Sergei. He didn’t want to do anything; depression overcame the musician.

The bride's family, and he was then already recognized as the official groom of Natalya Satina, rushed to save him. With the help of the Moscow doctor Nikolai Dahl, or rather his daughter, the bright beauty Lana, with whom Rachmaninov falls in love, the composer was brought back to life and creativity.

Sergei makes himself known abroad, where he performs first in London, then in Italy. This happens just at the turn of two centuries. The next 15 years become the best and most fruitful in the celebrity’s creative biography. The composer's mature period of activity begins, as evidenced by his Second Piano Concerto - important event for the world of classical music.

At the peak of glory

Rachmaninov gained incredible popularity, he was surrounded by outstanding friends - Fyodor Chaliapin, Vladimir Horowitz, Nathan Milstein. For three winters he lives in Dresden, Germany, then in Paris he conducts concerts, delighting the local public, and tours the USA and Canada, where he plays the piano.

Composes the Third Piano Concerto. Further – more: Romances “Lilac”, “It’s Good Here”, “Daisies”, piano pieces, liturgical compositions, symphonic poem, musical works for violin. He works for pleasure, everything works out easily for him.

Everywhere Sergei Vasilyevich is accompanied by success, he is basking in world fame. And at this moment it happens October Revolution. The hegemon proletariat, right before the musician’s eyes, unceremoniously throws his piano out of the family estate. The musical instrument, as a relic of the bourgeois tsarist regime, flies from the second floor like an unnecessary rag.

The composer did not accept Soviet power and, at the first opportunity, left Russia forever. By the way, he had a difficult break with his mother, who did not go into exile. It is not known what kind of conversation they had, but later the son practically did not communicate with her. In 1918, Rachmaninov settled in the USA.

He will carry his love for Russia until the end of his days; during the Second World War they will be provided with great assistance to the Fatherland and to individual people living in their homeland. The musician will transfer a lot of money to protect the country from a formidable enemy, but the mention of the Soviet system, whose leaders Sergei could not stand, will always cause a negative reaction in him.

Nine years of living abroad were marked by big amount concerts at which the musician played and conducted. This took a lot of strength and energy, so Rachmaninov did not compose new music. It turned out to be such a forced stagnation.

In general, during all the years of emigration, which is neither more nor less than a quarter of a century, Sergei Vasilyevich created only six works. There was no longer that previous “gushing” creativity when they asked: “How was it possible to create so much in such a short period of time?” But everything is his musical compositions belong to the masterpieces of musical art.

Personal life

After young Rachmaninov left the private boarding school of the outstanding music teacher Zverev, he began to live with his aunt Varvara Arkadyevna Satina, who saved the young genius from a miserable existence. His aunt’s daughter, pianist Natalya Satina, will become his future wife, that is, Sergei will marry his cousin.

Rachmaninov's amorous heart will survive other passionate moments. In the summer of 1890, he visited Ivanovka, where the estate of his paternal aunt was located, and there he met the Skalon sisters - Natalya, Lyudmila and Vera. Mutual youthful love covered him and Verochka, whom he called “My Psychopath”. Returning to Moscow, she writes more than a hundred tender, affectionate letters to her.

However, all this does not prevent Rachmaninov from almost immediately falling in love with his friend’s wife, Anna Lodyzhenskaya. Moreover, dedicate a romance in her honor with such a provocative title “Oh no, I pray you, don’t go!” What a cheek.

With his wife Natalya

It is not surprising that a creative person has always been motivated to write sublime lyrics by his love for a woman. At the end of his life, the musician will only confirm the obvious. The sources of inspiration will be love, nature, poetry and after a long pause... a beautiful lady.

Rachmaninov was very contradictory and secretive, and it is not always possible to understand him. For example, he argued that a musician needs to live alone, although his relatives testify differently. No matter what he claimed, he himself could not stand loneliness at all.

Although they had known each other for a long time, Sergei became interested in his future wife Natalya Aleksandrovna Satina when he was twenty years old. The romance “Don’t sing, beauty, in front of me” is dedicated to her. The wedding took place in 1902, the wedding took place in a military church. The couple had two daughters - Irina and Tatyana. Then the grandchildren appeared.

Secrets told after many years

According to the grandson of the composer Alexander Rachmaninov (now deceased, he passed away in 2012), the outstanding musician lived for forty years in a very burdensome situation for him. love triangle. His heart belonged not only to his wife Natalya, and she knew this very well from the very beginning of the whole long story, hidden from others. Outwardly everything was fine, an idyll in the relationship.

But both Sergei and his wife had no doubt that at the end of each concert the pianist would be waiting little present. It is always unchanged - a sprig of white lilac. I wonder where Lana found it during the cold months of winter. Yes, this is exactly the same doctor’s daughter.

Natalya never made scandals for her husband about this, did not say a single word of reproach, and did not sort things out. It’s better not to imagine what the woman’s feelings were in her soul. It’s impossible to even think about what it cost her. It turns out that Natalya specially invented a legend that Rachmaninoff was overcome by melancholy for a long period, for which he went to hypnosis sessions with Dr. Dahl to treat it. Although he went there for a different reason. We should talk about the greatness of a musician's wife.

It was also hard for Sergei Vasilyevich, in whose heart love for both women coexisted harmoniously. Of course, he suffered because of this, but he was powerless to do anything, and he punished himself for this for several decades. The great pianist and conductor did not want to get rid of any of them.

Someone noticed that the composer’s music is similar to the prayer of a sinner asking for forgiveness. We will not confirm this; we have not explored this issue in depth.

When the strength of the outstanding composer left him before his death, Natalya Alexandrovna sent a driver for Lana and she immediately arrived. At the moment of his last breath, two women were at the bedside of the great man. “My good genius” - this is what Sergei called his wife in gratitude for her wisdom and patience.

Rachmaninov died hard. Due to the fact that he smoked a lot, he developed oncology. True, the pianist himself did not suspect this and worked until his last days. The final period of his life Sergei was in California. At some point, the musician thought that his “All-Night Vigil” was being played on the street. A moment later he was gone forever to the best of all worlds. There were three days left until his 70th birthday.

It is believed that Rachmaninov was always gloomy, unsociable, with a difficult character. In photographs he is unsmiling, stern, sometimes even intimidating. tall at 198 cm. American reporters could not understand his alienation from his own admirers, because a star should actually love to be in the spotlight.

The composer didn’t like it when people tried to photograph him, and he didn’t like giving interviews at all, and even if he answered questions from the press, he did so reluctantly.

His grandson, who ran a foundation named after his famous relative, narrated little-known episodes of his grandfather’s life. It turns out that the composer was a simple person, with his inherent good sense of humor. He could have fun, joke, make fun of Chaliapin, whom he had known since the end of the 19th century. He also did not remain in debt, kindly telling Sergei: “You are my Tatar face,” knowing that the musician’s family had Tatar roots.

Rachmaninov once had fun for himself when he quietly wrote a note into a copy of Chaliapin, prepared for a chamber concert with a narrow circle of people. Sergei knew in advance that Fyodor Ivanovich’s bass would not be able to hit this note and therefore sat down modestly at the end of the small hall so as to be the first at the exit.