March 29, 1943 – Sergei Rachmaninoff Dies

Just four days shy of his 70th birthday, Sergei Rachmaninoff died at his home in Beverly Hills of melanoma. The highly regarded composer and pianist had become an American citizen less than a month before his death.  His wish was to be buried at his beloved Villa Senar in Switzerland (a reminder of his former life in Russia), however the war prevented his request from being fulfilled.