Sergei Vasilievivh Rachmaninoff Essay

562 Words2 Pages

Known as one of the greatest Russian pianists of all time, Sergei Vasilievivh Rachmaninoff was born on the 1st of April 1873 near Novgorod . Rachmaninoff was born into an aristocratic family that had a strong musical background. His father, Vasily Arkadyevich, was an amateur pianist. Sergei’s mother, Lyubov Butakova, and her father encouraged the development of his musical talent, providing him with piano lessons at the age of four. Financial crisis hit the family when Rachmaninoff was nine years old. They had to action off their home and Rachmaninoff had to continue his musical studies at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory . During that same year, 1883, his sister passed away and his father moved to Moscow. His maternal grandmother took up the responsibilities of raising him and his four other siblings. His regular exposure to Russian chants and church bells is later seen to have majorly influences his compositions.

In 1885, Rachmaninoff failed his general education examinations so his cousin, Alexander Siloti , also a pianist, suggested that he study at the Moscow Conservatory un...

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