Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor.
During his studies at the Moscow Conservatory, Rachmaninoff was already the author of Concerto No. 1 for piano and orchestra, as well as a number of romances and pieces for pianoforte.
The composer's graduation work was his first opera, Aleko, based on poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin and staged at the Bolshoi Theater. In 1901, he finished his Concerto No. 2 for piano and orchestra. In a short time, he assumed the position of a conductor at the Bolshoi Theater, where he conducted the entire Russian opera repertoire for two seasons.
In 1906, Rachmaninoff traveled about Italy and settled in Dresden for three years, where he worked prolifically; in 1909, he made a grand concert tour in America and Canada, performing as both a pianist and a conductor. In the same year, he composed his Concerto No. 3 for piano and orchestra.
In 1926-1927, new musical compositions came out: Concerto No. 4 for piano and orchestra and three Russian Songs. During his life abroad (1918-1943), Rachmaninoff produced only six compositions, which, however, belong to the crown jewels of Russian and world music. In 1940, he finished his last composition, Symphonic Dances, generally acknowledged as his greatest creation.
The postage stamp provides a portrait of Sergei Rachmaninoff at the piano and musical notations of his copositions.
| Paper |
Printing method |
Perforation |
Format of the stamp |
Edition |
| Chalk surfaced |
Offset + security system |
Comb 12:11¾ |
42 × 30 mm |
135 thousand stamps |