The Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, Opus 3, No. 2, was one of the first works the 19 year old Rachmaninoff composed as a "Free Artist," after he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory on 29 May 1892. The Prelude became one of Rachmaninoff's most famous compositions. In the autumn of 1898, he made a tour of Western Europe and the United States, with a program that contained the Prelude. Soon after, London publishers brought out several editions with titles such as The Burning of Moscow, The Day of Judgment, and The Moscow Waltz. America followed suit with other titles, such as The Bells of Moscow. It was so popular that it was referred to as "The Prelude" and audiences would demand it as an encore at his performances, shouting "C sharp!"
