The members of the Rakhmaninov family settled down in Tambov in the early 18th century. The forefather of the Tambov branch of the Rakhmaninov family was the emperor’s stewart, Iyevly Rakhmaninov, who settled down in Staraya Kazinka in 1727. The outstanding Rakhmaninovs descending from Staraya Kazinka were a famous enlightener of the 18th century, translator and writer, Ivan Gerasimovich Rakhmaninov, a professor and rector of Kiev University, Ivan Ivanovich Rakhmaninov and, of course, a well-known musician and composer, Sergey Vasilyevich Rakhmaninov whose name and talent made Tambov famous.
Alexander Gerasimovich, the composer’s great-grandfather, took up his residence in Znamensky country estate. He played the violin perfectly. His son, Arkady Alexandrovich, the composer’s grandfather, played the piano wonderfully and composed musical works. S.V.Rakhmaninov’s father was musically gifted as well.
Sergey Vasilyevich Rakhmaninov was born on March 20 (April 1), 1873 in his mother’s family country estate in Novgorod province. His first visit to his ancestors’ motherland took place when he was a student of Moscow conservatory. He spent summer of 1890 at his aunt’s, Varvara Satina’s (born Rakhmaninova) in Ivanovka Estate in Tambov province. After he married Natalia Satina in 1902, Sergey Vasilyevich became a co-owner of the estate. And this is how the third Rakhmaninov family nest was formed in Tambov.
The route suggests visiting the two estates that carefully keep the history of the Rakhmaninov family – Ivanovka with its S.V.Rakhmaninov Estate Museum and a memorial place in Staraya Kazinka that still stores some curious details about the ancient noble family and the lifestyle of the 18th-19th centuries. Leaving Tambov.
