Sergey Rachmaninov
Sergey Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943) was a very talented piano player and composer, who worked in the old romantic style. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory as a pianist and composer one year earlier than his class, and even his first works, including his graduation work one act opera "Aleko" were very successful.
After studying at the conservatory, Sergey Rachmaninov embarked on a career in Russia as a composer, pianist and conductor. He obtained rapid and firm popularity.
His early works from the 1890s were influenced by P. Tchaikovsky – dramatic, passionately lyrical. Rachmaninov knew Tchaikovsky in his early age and admired his works.
After the October Revolution in 1918 he had to leave Russia at first for Europe, than for America. Soon he became a fixture in the music life of the United States. With the Philadelphia Orchestra he made phonograph records of his own works. The Soviet Government considered him an enemy of the Soviet people. He stopped composing after he left Russia, almost for the rest of his life. "I am a Russian composer", he said, "and the land of my birth has influenced my temperament and outlook". "The melody has gone, I can no longer compose. If it returns, then I shall write again".
His separation from his native land was wound that never healed; he suffered nostalgia to the end of his life. He did compose, and some of his works, such as "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini", were a dazzling success. But other works were much less interesting and more like recollections of his previous pieces.
He died in 1943 from cancer in New York State.
Vocabulary:
conductor [kən`dΛktə]– зд.: дирижёр
conservatory [kən`sə:vətri] – сущ. зд.: консерватория
dramatic – драматичный, волнующий, яркий
graduation work – итоговая научная работа (по окончании учебного заведения)
passionately lyrical [`pæ∫ən(ə)tli `lirikəl] – необыкновенно, неистово лирический
piano player – пианист
phonograph [`fəunəgra:f] records – граммофонные записи
previous [`pri:vjəs] – предыдущий
rapid and firm popularity – быстрая и стойкая популярность
recollections – мн.: мемуары
separation – разлучение, разделение
talented – талантливый
the Soviet Government – Советское правительство
to admire [əd`maiə] – восхищаться
to be infruenced by smth. – быть / находиться под влиянием чего-л.
to be wound that never healed – быть "незаживающей раной"
to be a dazzling success – иметь ослепительный успех
to become a fixture [`fikst∫ə] in smth. – стать неизменной частью чего-л.
to die of cancer [`kænsə] – умереть от рака
to embark on a career [kə `riə] – начинать карьеру
to obtain popularity – приобретать популярность
to return – вернуться
to suffered nostalgia [nos`tæld3iə] – страдать от ностальгии
Questions:
1. Where did Rachmaninov get his musucal education?
2. What was his graduation work?
3. Whom were his first works influenced by?
4. What happened to Rachmaninov after his leaving Russia?
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