ABSTRACT
UnlikethevastmajorityofconcertpianistsRachmaninoffwasnotan infantprodigy.Hisfuturecareerasperhapsthemostrenownedpianist ofhistimecouldscarcelyhavebeenforetoldfromtherelatively unspectacularprogressheseemstohavemadeinhisinfantyears. Incredibly,neitherhisfather,whowashimselfakeenamateurpianist andwhosefatherbeforehimhadbeenapupilofJohnField,norhis mother,whogavehimhisfirstpianolessonsfromtheageoffourand whohadapparentlyherselftakenlessonswiththegreatAntonRubinstein,1 recognizedanyoutstandingpianisticaptitudeintheirson,anditwas notuntilhissisters'governessdrewattentiontoit,aftertheyoungboy hadaccompaniedherfrommemoryinSchubert'sDasMadchensKlage, thatapianoteacherwasbroughtinandformaltrainingbegan.According todifferentaccoums,Rachmaninoffwaspossiblystillonlyfour,but morelikelyseven,yearsofage.2Thetutorthefamilyemployed,a friendofRachmaninoff's.motheranda.studentofStPetersburgConservatoire,wasAnnaOmatskaya,towhomthecomposerlaterdedicated hissongSpringWaters.Theconspicuouslackofanecdotesabout Rachmaninoff'sprogresswithOmatskayasuggeststhattheembryonic virtuosoexhibitednogreaterlevelofaccomplishmentatthisstagethan wasaverageforanobviouslyhighlygiftedchildofhisyears.
