Administrative Information
Provenance
Gifts of Sergei Rachmaninoff (to 1943), Mrs. Sergei Rachmaninoff (1951), Eugene and Helen Somoff (1956: correspondence of SR), Irina Wolkonsky (1969: presentation volume), Allison Temple Wanamaker (1969: published books and scores, as well as music manuscript material of his wife, Sophie Wolkonsky Wanamaker, granddaughter of SR), Marina Koshetz (1970: correspondence and photoreproductions of annotated editions of SR's songs), John Sweeney (1972: published score of Symphony no. 2, op. 27, containing SR's holograph annotations), Oxana and Kyriena Siloti (1975 and 1977: various material), Sophie Satin (1976: various material), Betsy M. Green (1991: list, compiled by Ms. Green, of cities in the USA and Canada in which SR performed), and Nancy Reeves (1992: photographic material).
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Processing History
Wayne Shirley and Catherine Rivers arranged the Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive circa 1980-1990. David Cannata (1990) and Emily Meehan (2013) identified additional photographic material and newspaper clippings. Kevin LaVine rehoused, processed, and described the collection in 2015 with generous help and advice from staff and Rachmaninoff's heirs Natalie Wanamaker, Jeff Javier, and Susan Wanamaker. Glenn Gardner and George Kipper coded the finding aid in 2015.
Transfers
The composer's heirs donated two reels of film footage featuring Rachmaninoff to the Library of Congress in February 1987. These two reels were transferred in April 1987 to the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center (NAVCC), where they are identified as part of the Rachmaninoff (Sergei Vassilievich) Collection (MAVIS no. 14144). Due to extensive shrinkage of the original film stock, its contents were reformatted in order to preserve it; as a result, a single reference print (Library call number FAB 4939-40) containing the contents of both reels of film was created.
Rachmaninoff's collection of phonograph record test pressings and four audio tapes were also transferred to NAVCC where they are identified as part of the Sergei Rachmaninoff Audio Materials (MAVIS no. 6532).
Other Repositories
The Glinka Museum of Musical Culture in Moscow holds a substantial collection of Rachmaninoff's papers that date from before his departure from Russia in 1917. A list of the contents of the Glinka Museum's archival holdings related to Rachmaninoff may be found in Box 1 of the Library of Congress Rachmaninoff Archive. Microfilm copies and digitized images (provided in 2011 by the Glinka Museum) of the contents of its component of Rachmaninoff's papers are also held by the Library of Congress.
Digital Files
The Glinka Museum of Musical Culture in Moscow donated digital copies of Rachmaninoff's holograph manuscripts to the Library of Congress in 2011. Consult reference staff regarding access to the digital files provided by the Glinka Museum.
Microfilm
Preservation microfilm copies of SR's holograph manuscripts which are held within the Library of Congress Rachmaninoff Archive may be accessed by requesting the six microfilm reels under the Library call number "Microfilm 89/20,005 (MUS) (Items 1 through 32-g; Reels 1 through 6)." Reference numbers for each of the corresponding microfilm versions for Rachmaninoff's holograph manuscripts are found in the entries for each work which appears in the Archive's Musical Scores series. Correspondence by Rachmaninoff held within this Archive is available on microfilm (Library call number: MUSIC 1911 (MFM)). Several of Rachmaninoff's holograph manuscripts which are held at the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture in Moscow may also be examined in their microfilm versions (Library call number: MUSIC 85 (MFM)). Two early editions of works by Rachmaninoff are also accessible on microfilm: a piano-vocal edition of SR's songs (Moscow/New York: A. Gutheil, [192-?]; Library call number: Microfilm 92/20,216 (MUS)) and a choral score (Moscow, 1922) of SR's Vsenoshchnoe Bdienie (=All-Night Vigil; Library call number: MUSIC 3108 (MFM)). Please note that restrictions may apply to the reproduction of the images contained within these microfilm copies.
Online Content
Digital versions of the materials in boxes 13-21 are available onsite in Stacks. Please note that restrictions may apply to the reproduction of the images contained within these digital files.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this Archive should include the following information: [item, date, container number], Sergei Rachmaninoff Archive, Library of Congress, Music Division, Washington, DC, USA.