A flyer announcing two of Rachmaninoff's concerts in Vienna: the first a solo recital on February 28, 1938, at the Großer Musikvereins-Saal, the second a Vienna Philharmonic concert on April 10, 1938, at which Rachmaninoff would conduct his own works.

After emigrating from revolutionary Russia in 1917, Rachmaninoff found it difficult to carry on composing, once stating: "I left behind my desire to compose; losing my country, I lost myself also". The 1920s and 1930s were thus filled with demanding concert and recording schedules, which took Rachmaninoff around the United States and Europe.