Rachmaninoff first performed this piece on 26 September 1892 at the Moscow Electrical Exhibition. The premiere was received with strong enthusiasm, and critics quickly drew attention to the Prelude, helping it gain wide popularity. Over time it became so famous that audiences would often demand it at concerts, calling out “C-sharp” for an encore. As the piece spread, a popular myth also grew around it. Listeners claimed the dark, bell-like opening came from a dream Rachmaninoff had about his own funeral, or from music he heard at a real funeral. These stories were never confirmed by the composer and are considered inventions added later to explain the dramatic mood. Its fame eventually frustrated Rachmaninoff, who said many times that he wished he had never written the piece, calling it his “Frankenstein” because it overshadowed much of his other music.