Sophia Vladimirovna Satin interview (Rachmaninoff Memorial Day 1993)

[Members of the Rachmaninoff Society together with Sophia Satin (centre) in the mid 1990s]

Throughout its existence, the International Rachmaninoff Society (the forerunner of the Rachmaninoff Network) developed and supported a variety of pioneering initiatives. Such as the publication and performance of music that was barely or not at all available until the start of the 21st century. Today, this is hard to imagine. Yet, it was not even four decades ago that copies of Rachmaninoff's smaller choral works were collected by connoisseurs behind the Iron Curtain and, through connections, found their way to London. From there they were sent by post to Leiden, where they were rehearsed and performed by a chamber choir made up of university students. The choir bore Rachmaninoff's nickname: Vocal Ensemble C Sharp Minor. To mark the 50th anniversary of Rachmaninoff's death, Vocal Ensemble C Sharp Minor organized the Rachmaninoff Memorial Day. The then still unknown choral works were performed in the evening, preceded by a short symposium during the day.

The event made national headlines and received prime-time attention on Dutch radio and television in spite its small scale, yet thanks to the dedication, and solid organization by the group of young amateur singers, their supportive contacts, and last but not least Rachmaninoff's rising popularity. Unfortunately, the event’s guest of honor, Sophia Vladimirovna Satin, the youngest daughter of Rachmaninoff's brother-in-law Vladimir Satin (not to be confused with her aunt, Rachmaninoff's sister-in-law Sophia Alexandrovna Satin), had to cancel due to recent heart surgery. Nevertheless, no expense was spared, and a camera crew traveled to southeast London a week earlier to film an exclusive interview.

Given the general knowledge about Rachmaninoff today, the questions posed back then may seem rather naive, but from the mouth of a highly reliable eyewitness, the answers are still worthwhile.

Youtubelink to interview

[Photo taken at the wedding of Maria Satin: from left to right Georgi Vladimirovich Satin, Natalie Rachmaninoff, Alexander Vladimirovich Satin, Varvara Arkadievna Satin, Maria Vladimirovich Satin, Sophie Vladimirovich Satin, Vladimir Alexandrovich Satin, Tamara Evgenyevna Satin, and two as yet unidentified persons]

Sophia Vladimirovna Satin (1915-1996) was the youngest daughter of Vladimir Alexandrovich Satin (Woldemar von Satin 1881-1945), the youngest brother of Natalie Rachmaninoff. When the Rachmaninoff Society was founded in England in 1988, Sophia Satin soon became involved. Her warm, wise personality made her much more than just a representative of the family.

[Late 1920’s: Rachmaninoff’s daughters Tatiana and Irina (seated in centre) in a group that includes Alexander Satin (front row, right) Varvara Satin (middle row, right), Georgi Satin (last row, right) and Vladimir Satin (front row, left)]

Vladimir Satin had emigrated with his family to Dresden in 1920. A close bond existed between Woldemar von Satin's children and Rachmaninoff's daughters. They saw each other during the summer months and regularly spent time together.

The Satins appear in numerous photographs and film material found at SENAR. As a little girl, Sophia Vladimirovna was the favorite of seven years senior Tatiana Rachmaninoff (married Conus). When asked, she recalled happy memories of Rachmaninoff's youngest daughter, occasionally clouded by sadness about some of the choices Tatiana made in life. A sadness compounded by the tragedy of her unexpected death in 1961.

At the end of her life, Sophia Satin, assisted by her companion Pertab Harold Kuruppu Tillek (1930-2022), wrote down her memoirs under the title "A 20th Century Life." These were published posthumously by the Rachmaninoff Society in 1997 in a numbered edition. She also orally confided further details to experts. All of these proved extremely useful during the identification of archival material at SENAR between 2016 and 2021, particularly when they concerned the characters and roles of individuals or the background of certain correspondence.