Hypnotist Cured Morbid Russian Composer

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 25, 2 December 1938, Page 5

Hypnotist Cured Morbid Russian Composer

How Rachmaninov Was Soon Hecled

ASTER the failux: of his ince symphony in i897, Reek oninovy got into such a morbid state of mind that, except for one short period of activity. he was uneble te do any -ecative work. fn the °90’s the ei.y of Moscow was indulging te che full ihe ec static sensations cof a profound pessimism. -he young @ siposer became imbucad with these enervating traits and suon began xpressing them in his music. At this evitical monent of hh life, however, he had the good for tne to .acet a well-known lyp-noiisi-paysician named Dal’, who at Gnee set about ‘loing his bast to seé the compeser on frmor ground, ‘This was in January, 1900, and ‘Rachmaninov himself says: "Al. tiiough ig may sound incredific, this cure really helped me. Al ready at the boginaing of the summer i began to compose. The material gre.; in bulk, and new musical ideas began to stir within me-far mere than | nesded for my sonssrto."

This was the weeend Piang Concerto in C Miner, which a year or tro previously he vould a@sveea to "ite for the Jxoeten Philharms 72 Socicty. The work is dediested to Dal and the dedication vrresses Kiechinaninov’s gratitude fer the * etor’s services, Neverthelscs, as tits conesrto revec!s, the compeser dic not by any imeans throw of that enervaciag meod in which Gal feund him. he was iso snuck a typical Siav for that. Gnd evor ows when he lives in in Ame risa, his music still baars the stam of that same impotonsce before the unconmusrable eower oF fate, : Wing 2° dtd for him was in nrerent him frem degradine the mood into self) tudules co, end enable him toe erploit it nobly. Tha world of music owes a preat deal to this hy; 2otlst who e@ ild vous. 2 raan from’s state in which he found all nee gone AS the corpossy himeelt has ssid: "Agonising hours spent in fqenbt and hard thinking hed brought me io the conclusi: m that ioougnat to sive 29 Vomposize, wes obviousiy "anited for Ht, and therefore if wauld be better if i made an end to ih at ome... 7 did nothing at «al and found no pleasure in anything, Half my days were spent lyins on a eoneh tud sighing for ay ruined iHfe." 4aVYA listeners will hear Rachmaninov’s Second Concerte in CG Miaor, on Sunday, December 4, piayed by Benne Moiseviteh, pianist, and the London Philharmonic Orchesiva, under Walter Gochr.