Rachmaninoff's compositions cover a variety of musical forms and genres. Born in Novgorod, Russia in 1873, he studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Nikolai Zverev, Alexander Siloti, Sergei Taneyev and Anton Arensky, and while there, composed some of his most famous works, including the first piano concerto (Op. 1) and the Prelude in C♯ minor (Op. 3, No. 2). Although spread over three different opuses, he did go on to complete an important set of 24 preludes in all the major and minor keys. His Symphony No. 1 (Op. 13) was one of his first compositions as a "Free Artist" after graduation, and subsequently his first critical failure. The derision he received sent him into depression. After undergoing autosuggestive therapy, he regained his confidence and composed his second piano concerto (Op. 18), which is still part of the major orchestra repertoire today. In 1909, he made his first concert tour of the United States, and composed his Piano Concerto No. 3 (Op. 30), notable for its structural ingenuity and technical difficulty. After this, due to emigration from Russia in 1917 and his busy concert career, his output as a composer greatly decreased, and during this period, he completed only six compositions. His last major work, Symphonic Dances (Op. 45), was completed in the USA in 1940.
"Oh No, I Beg You, Do Not Leave!", "Morning", "In the Silence of the Secret Night", "Sing not, O Lovely One", "The Harvest of Sorrow", "It Was Not Long Ago, My Friend"
"Song of the Disenchanted,"
1893?
"Do you Remember the Evening?"
1893?
"The Flower Died"
1893
8
Six Songs
1893
"Water Lily", "My Child, Your Beauty is That of a Flower", "Thoughts, Reflections", "I Fell in Love, To My Sorrow", "A Dream", "Prayer"
14
Twelve Songs
1896
"I Await You", "Small Island", "How Fleeting is Delight in Love", "I was with Her", "Summer Nights", "You are so Beloved by All", "Do Not Believe me, Friend", "Oh, do not Grieve", "She is as Beautiful as Midday", "In my Soul", "Spring Torrents", "It is Time!"
"Were you Hiccupping?"
1899
"Night"
1900
21
Twelve Songs
1902
"Fate", "By a Fresh Grave", "Twilight", "They Replied", "Lilacs", "Fragment from 'de Musset'", "How Peaceful", "On the Death of a Linnet", "Melody", "Before the Icon", "I am not a Prophet", "How Pained I am"
26
Fifteen Songs
1906
"There are Many Sounds", "All was Taken from Me", "We shall Rest", "Two Farewells", "Let us Leave, my Sweet", "Christ is Risen", "To the Children", "Beg for Mercy", "I am Again Alone", "At my Window", "The Fountain", Night is Sorrowful", "Yesterday we Met", "The Ring", "All Passes"
"Letter to Stanislavsky"
1908
34
Fourteen Songs
1912
"The Muse", "In the Soul of Each of Us", "The Storm", "The Migrant Wind", "Arion", "The Raising of Lazarus", "It Cannot Be", "Music", "You Knew Him", "I Remember that Day", "The Herald", "What Happiness", "Dissonance", "Vocalise" (listed separately below)