Family balks at Talk by Russia of moving Rachmaninoff's remains

NYT ^ | 9/6/2015 | James Barron

[Borges]

VALHALLA, N.Y. — It was quiet beneath the mountain laurel shrubs shielding the grave of the composer Sergei Rachmaninoff from the late-summer sun. The furor is 4,500 miles away, in Russia, its indelible voice in every melodic line he wrote — a different Russia, a different sensibility, a different life, different time.

Resolutely nationalistic Russians want his body back. His great-great-granddaughter, Susan Sophia Rachmaninoff Volkonskaya Wanamaker, says “nyet.” Or she might, if she spoke Russian, but probably not. In a conversation about where his remains belong, she repeatedly used words like “dignity” and “respect.”

[EveningStar]

Of course, the Rhapsody consists of 24 variations, but the 18th variation has a life of its own, and that’s what’s quoted in “Somewhere in Time”. IIRC, in the original Richard Matheson novel, “Bid Time Return”, the piece was Mahler’s 9th Symphony.

[DoughtyOne]

Thank you for the links.

Liked the last one the most.

[grumpygresh]

I don’t think it’s a bad idea necessarily. France got Napoleon back from the British who had interred him in a simple grave in St. Helena. Britain’s willingness to return Napoloeon’s ashes bought them goodwill with many in France including King Louis-Phillipe who needed to accommodate the Bonapartists. France built Naploeon’s tomb in Paris next to Les Invalides and it’s an enormous tourist attraction. I’m sure that a Rachmoninoff gravesite would also generate a decent tourist trade.
Everyone has their price. If the Russians want him back, let them pay. Not surprisingly, the NYT “journalist” didn’t even mention whether there was an offer to pay for the rights.

[Stepan12]

Liked the last one the most.

It was composed in 1893 (I believe). For awhile it was one of the most famous piano pieces in history (maybe after Beethoven's Fur Elise).

[chajin]

He fled Russia early in his life.

Except for Shostakovich and Katchachurian, all the biggies did. Prokofiev went back, which didn't earn him any favors from Papa Joe.

[Misterioso]

Ayn Rand hated Russia and loved America. The Lord blessed Rachmaninoff by making him a Gentile. And the world’s greatest composer.

[Campion]

Hey, “resolutely nationalist Russians,” you destroyed the Russia Rachmaninoff knew and loved. Let him rest in peace in the land that gave him sanctuary and freedom.

[DoughtyOne]

I couldn’t tell you the name or even who wrote it up until now, but it’s a work that I’ve heard many times in my life, and it really moves me.

Thanks for the additional comments. They were interesting.

[BigEdLB]

Rachmaninov's Memorial was held at this Russian Orthodox Church in Los Angeles:

S R lived in Beverly Hills.

[elcid1970]

Ignace Jan Paderewski’s remains were placed in a temporary crypt in Arlington VA upon his death in 1941. They were returned to a now free Poland in 1992.

The heart, however, is kept in The National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Pennsylvania.

If Rachmaninoff was a U.S. citizen at the time of his death, then his remains belong here, but watch for Obama to agree to forced repatriation of the dead.

[Mastador1]

Digging up full remains would be creepy to me also, but how many cemeteries have been decommissioned(if that's the right word) and all remains moved to another location? Here is an example from Chicago, I guess there is more than one reason to call it "That Toddlin Town"

http://www.wbez.org/series/curious-city/chicago-eternal-rest-aint-so-eternal-112210

[SamuraiScot]

Family balks at Talk by Russia of moving Rachmaninoff's remains

Why? Was he a Confederate or something?

[Terry L Smith]

dear elcid,

I do think that the mulatto queer-in-office would repatriate Rachmaninoff’s bones, because:

A. he is a dead white guy;

and,

B. Rachmaninoff was not a mohammedan.

[Stepan12]

I couldn’t tell you the name or even who wrote it up until now, but it’s a work that I’ve heard many times in my life, and it really moves me.

It isx known as the Prelude in C# minor by Sergie Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff forgot to copyright it so he never collected a kopeck off of it. This made him very angry because people always asked him to play it. Rachmaninoff, at least was amused when Micky Mouse played it (yes, I was a big Rachmninoff "groupie").

[bd476]

Thank you for posting this article about one of my very favorite composers, Sergei Rachmaninoff. Here he is playing his own Piano Concerto No. 2. Sergei Rachmaninoff plays his Piano Concerto No. 2.

It was my Dad who first introduced me to Rachmaninoff's music when my Dad sat down and played Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C Sharp Minor on our piano. My Dad also played his extensive collection of classical music albums every night, and all weekend long when he wasn't out on the links.

Rachmaninoff performs his own Prelude in C^# Minor.

Enjoy your Sunday.

[elcid1970]

I thought that R. wrote five preludes for the princely sum of two hundred rubles, making each piece forty rubles in value.

[PGR88]

More Russian self-pity and loathing.

[Tax-chick]

That’s a good point ... but Eew.

[DoughtyOne]

Haven't we bothered the...
rock mon enough?









FREEPATHON
by the numbers
moving the last piece

[wtd]

Yes, I recently read the history of the novel on which “Somewhere in Time is based on” and appreciate the choice of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on the Theme on Pagnini for the film as it works and flows with the story perfectly.