Time Life Great Men of Music: Sergei Rachmaninoff

Russian-born Sergey Rachmaninoff's early career was as a pianist, but Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky recognized his importance as a conductor and encouraged him to continue composing. At the age of 19, Rachmaninoff wrote Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, which became one of his most celebrated pieces throughout the world. By the age of 24, Rachmaninoff had show more composed the opera Aleko. His piano concertos are regarded by many as models of the late-romantic formulation of that genre. His music was eclectic in style, and his belief that music existed to reveal beauty left him opposed to Russian nationalist composers. In 1909 he first traveled to the United States. He became an exile as a result of the Russian Revolution and lived in Switzerland and the United States. (Bowker Author Biography) show less