Rachmaninoff

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff (March 1, 1873 – March 28, 1943), sometimes transliterated as Rachmaninov, was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. A leading figure in late Romantic music, he was renowned for his virtuosic piano technique and his lyrical, expansive melodic style.

Born in Semyonovo in the Russian Empire, Rachmaninoff studied at the Moscow Conservatory, where he produced some of his earliest mature works. After the 1917 Russian Revolution, he left Russia and settled in the United States, pursuing a long career as a concert pianist and composer.

His best-known works for piano include the Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, and the Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30. The Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2, the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, and The Bells are among his widely performed orchestral and vocal works.

Rachmaninoff's music blends Russian Romantic idioms with late-Romantic and early modern harmonies, characterized by lush orchestration, memorable melodies, and profound emotional range. He was also widely celebrated as a pianist for his command of tone, color, and technical precision. His influence persists in the piano repertoire and in 20th-century piano performance practice.