In the constellation of the great figures of Russian culture, the name of this composer is imprinted forever. Sergei Rachmaninov spent a significant part of his life abroad. At the same time, he helped his native country in difficult years as best he could.
Starting conditions
The future composer and conductor was born on April 1, 1873 in a noble family. Parents at that time were in their family estate Semenovo on the territory of the Novgorod province. The birth was taken by a midwife, since a doctor from the district town of Staraya Russa was able to get to the family estate only the next day. On the spring thaw, as they say, it was impossible to drive or walk. But, thank God, everything turned out well, and the boy was born healthy. Traditional healers in those days performed their craft responsibly.
Sergey demonstrated musical talent from an early age. He easily memorized the melodies of songs that he heard both in the village and in the city. When the boy was four years old, his mother began to study musical notation with him and mastering the technique of playing the piano. At the age of nine, Rachmaninoff was sent to study in the elementary class of the St. Petersburg Conservatory. It so happened that his studies did not work out. And then the aspiring musician was transferred to a Moscow private boarding house, where a strict regime of the day and classes was observed.
Creative way
After completing his studies at the boarding house, Rachmaninov entered the Moscow Conservatory and successfully completed the course. The young man received a gold medal, a pianist diploma and a composer's diploma. As his thesis, he wrote the opera Aleko, based on Alexander Pushkin's poem The Gypsies. This work was approved by the great Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. In subsequent years, Rachmaninoff wrote a lot, at the same time gave private music lessons and taught at the Mariinsky Women's Institute. The public remains indifferent to some of the composer's works, and critics write devastating reviews.
Sergei Vasilievich was very upset with creative failures, but found the strength to sit down at the instrument again. In the first decade of the 20th century, he made a large tour of Europe and gave several concerts in Italy. All major newspapers on the continent wrote about the Russian composer. The US tour went brilliantly. After returning to his homeland, Rachmaninoff was invited as a conductor to the Moscow Bolshoi Theater. The usual way of life was disrupted by the war, and then the revolution. In January 1918, the composer left Russia with his family.
Emigration and personal life
Abroad, on the domestic side, Rachmaninov had to start from scratch. He regularly performed as a pianist and made good money with it. The family settled in America, but often visited Switzerland. When the war began, the composer was very worried about the Soviet Union and made regular monetary contributions to the Red Army fund.
The composer's personal life has developed in a classical way. He married Natalia Satina at the age of 25. Husband and wife spent the rest of their lives under one roof, despite the fact that they had to wander around many countries. The couple raised and raised two daughters. Sergei Rachmaninoff died in March 1943 from cancer.
