Conducting was never Rachmaninoff’s priority. He was, first and foremost, a composer. This position, combined with Rachmaninoff’s worldwide recognition as a conductor, presents a clear paradox. The main goal of this article is to interpret it. Rachmaninoff’s attitude towards the conductor’s profession was largely influenced by early experiences which were accompanied by both successes and disappointments: the aspiring conductor had to deal with the disorder and lack of organization in Russian theaters. In the following years (until his emigration in 1917), Rachmaninoff became one of the most successful conductors in Russia, and gained recognition abroad, in England and the United States. Rachmaninoff was in line with the new type of conductor that had emerged by that time: the “orchestra leader” who could hypnotize the players. Herewith the gentleness and delicacy of his character clearly contradicted his own “dictatorial” manner. It is possible that this conflict was the reason for the famous musician’s frequent avoidance of conducting performances. After leaving Russia, Rachmaninoff rarely performed as a conductor. However, it was during this period that he made some of his most iconic recordings, including his “Island of the Dead” and his Third Symphony.
Val’kova, V. B. “S. V. Rachmaninoff the conductor: paradoxes and facets of an artistic career,” Muzykal’naya akademiya [Music Academy], no. 3, 2026, pp. 118–139, doi:10.34690/637. (In Russ.)
Acknowledgments
I would like to express my gratitude to the research staff of the Music History Sector of the State Institute of Art Studies, as well as personally to Doctor of Art History, leading research fellow, and head of the Music Theory Sector of the State Institute of Art Studies, L. O. Akopyan, for their assistance in preparing this article, valuable advice, and recommendations.
