Abstract: The author analyses excerpts from Hoch Messe by J.S. Bach, R. Schumann’s «Carnival» and S. Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 pointing to the factors that shape the composer’s image for musicians, musicologists and general public. Anagrams BACH and SCHA serve as composers’ leitmotifs for J.S. Bach and Robert Schumann. Rachmaninoff’s personal leitmotif has been in the course of analysis of his vocal piece «A letter from Rachmaninoff to K.S. Stanislavsky».The method of textological analysis prompts that those «signature» anagrams can be interpreted as the footprints of composer’s introspection. The paper’s author suggests the new approach to J.S. Bach’s, R. Schumann’s and S. Rachmaninoff’s music that is now possible due to their music’s analysis with the help of personal anagrams. This type of analysis is opening new prospects for the composers’ music interpretation both for musicologists and performers.

Keywords: Rachmaninoff’s image, authorship, composer, leitmotif, introspection, Bach’s image, Mass h-moll, Schumann’s image, «Carnival», Rachmaninoff’s concerto No. 2