author

Oskar von Riesemann

1880–1934

A Russian-born writer, translator, and music critic, he is best remembered for preserving Sergei Rachmaninoff’s memoirs in book form. His career moved between literature and music journalism, giving his work a vivid, firsthand feel.

1 Audiobook

Rund um Süd-Amerika: Reisebriefe

Rund um Süd-Amerika: Reisebriefe

by Oskar von Riesemann

About the author

Born in 1880 and dying in 1934, Oskar von Riesemann is chiefly remembered today as a writer and cultural figure with close ties to the musical world. Reliable modern summaries of his life are limited, but available sources agree that he worked as an author and is associated especially with writing on major musicians.

His best-known book in English is Rachmaninoff's Recollections, first published in 1934. That volume was based on memories dictated by Sergei Rachmaninoff, with a concluding chapter by Riesemann himself, which helped secure Riesemann a lasting place in music literature.

Some biographical details appear to be fragmentary, so a full portrait of his life is hard to confirm with confidence. Still, the surviving record suggests a versatile literary and journalistic career shaped by deep involvement with European musical culture.