The Russian Paris of Sergei Rachmaninoff

Abstract

This article addresses Rachmaninoff’s activities in Paris, both a musical capital of the world and unrivalled cultural centre of the Russian emigration until 1940. It looks at the small number of concerts performed by the pianist there and places them in the context of the French press. It attempts to understand his ambiguous personal relationship to the city, the activity of his publishing company “TAIR”, and finally assesses the extent of the composer’s charitable endeavours for the Russian community. The article concludes Rachmaninoff was of monumental significance for the “Russian” Paris.

Keywords

• s. v. rachmaninoff
• paris
• russian diaspora
• russian music
• russian emigrepress