guide

Photo of student and tutor from Arbiter Records.

Age 12-16, Rachmaninoff lived with his tutor, Nicolai Zverev, and three other boys. The schedule was nine to noon for music and music composition followed by academics in the afternoon.

Rachmaninoff 1873-1943 wrote Vocalise. I played Chopin but not Rachmaninoff when I was taking piano lessons age 11-15. This is how I learned to read music and fall in love.

Problems with my fingers persuaded me to give my piano and all the exercise books and sheet music to my nephew, Ryan, who told me he wanted his children to learn how to play. Though very hard to say good-bye to it, I am glad he has the piano.

The best biography is Rachmaninoff by Victor I. Seroff 1951. Before Amazon existed, I had to ask a researcher to locate a copy for me.

​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rachmaninoff_-_Vocalise_transcribed_for_Violin_and_Piano.ogg​

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