Rachmaninoff - The Last of the Great Romantics - Biography

Sergei Rachmaninoff is one of the best loved composers of the 20th century – his piano concertos and other works are some of the most achingly passionate pieces of music ever written – marking the end of the romantic era in the arts with a final outpouring of intense emotion.
Yet his most famous works were almost never written.

After being mired in deep depression and suffering from complete writers’ block for three years following the disastrous premiere of his first symphony, a desperate Rachmaninov sought out treatment with a pioneering psychiatrist who restored his spirits and re-energised him to create some of the most popular pieces of music in the classical repertoire.
This biographical documentary explores the glorious music and eventful life of Sergei Rachmaninov – examining his early years in Imperial Russia, his successes and failures and his long exile in America.

And we find out why he was so grateful to his psychiatrist that he dedicated his most famous concerto to him.

Finding Out More
There are several very good biographies, but I found one of the older ones the most useful – Rachmaninoff – a Lifetime in Music by Sergei Bertensson and Jay Leyda. I have added my favourites to my Amazon Store Page. https://www.amazon.com/shop/professorgraemeyorston

Academic References
Gritti, A. et al (2015). Psychiatric and neuropsychological issues in Marfan syndrome: A critical review of the literature. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 50(4), 347-360.
Peng, C. S. (2021). Idée Fixe: Rachmaninoff and Death Anxiety. American Journal of Psychiatry Residents' Journal, 16(4), 13-14.
Young, D. A. (1986). Rachmaninov and Marfan's syndrome. British Medical Journal 293(6562), 1624.

Music by Rachmaninoff:
Piano concerto No 2 Via Musopen PD
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini: Artur Rubinstein, Showcase Symphony, Alfred Wallenstein
Prelude in C sharp minor Op 3: played by Rachmaninoff 1920. PD
Vocalise: Roxana Pavel Goldstein (violin) and Monica Goldstein (piano) CC2.0
All Night Vigil: Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene, Warsaw (2017): Adrian Nikiel, Katarzyna Bieniaszewska, Michał Raczkowski, Joanna Dacko, Irina Bogdanovich (solo), Adrianna Jarzębowska, Jakub Kozioł, Teresa Gręziak, Rafał Brzeziński.
Prelude in G minor, Op. 23, No. 5, Marcusrussi CC3.0
Preludes in G Sharp Minor, Op. 32, No. 12 and E-flat Major, Op. 23, No. 6 - Giorgi Latso
Chopin: Prelude in B min La pianista CC3.0
Étude-Tableau in E-flat minor Op. 39, No. 5 Karine Gilanyan Source - Musopen Public Domain
Rachmaninov "Lilac" - Oksana Dondyk (soprano), Andrei Bondarenko (piano). CC3.0
Other composers
Russian Bells Improvisation at the San Francisco Public Library
Tchaikovsky – Symphony No 6 – Finale – Musopen PD
The song "Zhit stalo luchche" (Life Has Become Better). Recording by the Red Army Ensemble, conducted by Alexander Alexandrov
Deutschland CC0
The Planets, op. 32 - Mars, the bringer of war. Skidmore College Orchestra. Musopen. CC0
Schumann Carnival – Performed by Rachmaninoff in 1929
Chopin Minute Waltz - Performed by Rachmaninoff
Skriabin Prélude Opus 11 Nr 10: Axel Lange, Piano.
Paganini caprice 24 - Elias Goldstein Viola, Christina Lalog Piano.

Video edited by Manavi Sakunika and produced by Graeme Yorston and Tom Yorston