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PO Box 7
273 Lakeview Avenue
Valhalla, NY 10595 |
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| SERGEI RACHMANINOFF |
| On the opposite side of the street, facing the circular plot and surrounded by a hedge of tall yews, is a traditional Eastern Orthodox cross marking the burial site of the multi-talented Russian musician, Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943). Also buried here are his wife, Natalie, and their daughter, Princess Irina Wolkonsky. Born in Oneg in the Novgorod district of Russia, Rachmaninoff began studying the piano at the age of four. While still a student in the Moscow Conservatory, Rachmaninoff published Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, which catapulted the young composer into international fame. Considered by many to be the only true Russian heir to composer Tchaikovsky's romanticism, Rachmaninoff not only dazzled the world with his compositions but was also regarded by many as the finest pianist in his time. He was also a popular conductor. Rachmaninoff lived in Russia until the turbulence of the revolutionary uprising in 1917 induced him to leave. After a short stay in Europe, the musician and his family moved to the United States, where he painstakingly tried to recreate the atmosphere of the homeland that he missed so much. His grave is fittingly marked by a symbol of his lost native country. |
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