Sergei Rachmaninoff

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor, widely regarded as one of the finest pianists of his era and a great representative of Romanticism in Russian classical music. His compositions feature expressive melodicism and rich orchestral colors. Rachmaninoff entered a four-year depression after the failure of his Symphony No. 1 but recovered to produce his acclaimed Piano Concerto No. 2. He left Russia following the Revolution, settling in New York and later touring as a pianist. Health issues led to him moving to Beverly Hills, where he died in 1943.