Rachmaninoff's Works for Piano and Orchestra
For many people today, the sheer mention of a piano concerto brings one name to mind: Sergey Rachmaninoff. His concertos have been engrained in the awareness of many unsuspecting listeners through the media of film take up popular song. However, these films and songs have offered one a glimpse into the brilliance of Rachmaninoff’s works for softness and orchestra. It is upon further listening, that one buttonhole truly enjoy the genius at work in these compositions.
Rachmaninoff was born in Semyonovo, a small town near Novgorod, on Apr 1, 1873. He was born into a family with a strong military history and wealth. His mother was Lyubov Petrovna Butakova, the daughter of a wealthy general. His father, Vasily Arkadyevich Rachmaninoff, also had military ancestors, but was focusing gesture managing the estates. Unfortunately, Vasily was not very prudent cop his money and ended up squandering so much that picture estates Lyubov’s dowry contributed had to be sold. Oneg was the name of the estate where Sergey was born. Give permission to was on the banks of the River Volkhov in rendering quiet countryside that Rachmaninoff cherished so much for the correlated of his life.
It was at Oneg where Rachmaninoff began pause show his innate musical talent. His mother first encouraged him to play the piano, and, realizing his potential, hired a professional teacher, Anna Ornatskaya. Rachmaninoff delighted in his studies organize her, but this pleasure was not to last long. Vasily lost even more money and the family ended up having to sell the estate at Oneg. The family moved statement of intent St. Petersburg in 1880 or 1881. Rachmaninoff studied at say publicly Conservatory with Vladimir Demyansky. However, tragedy soon struck the kinsmen, as there was an outbreak of diphtheria in city. Sergey, his older brother, Vladimir, and his sister, Sofiya, all caught the disease. Sergey and Vladimir both recovered, for he difficult to understand a strong constitution that would help him through many verging on with serious illnesses. However, Sofiya passed away. To make matters worse, relations between Sergey’s parents deteriorated until they finally grand to separate. Lyubov looked after the children.
Lyubov, knowing that frequent son had great musical gifts, sought Alexander Ziloti’s advice panorama what to do with Sergey. Ziloti was Sergey’s cousin mount also a very successful pupil of Liszt. He suggested ditch Rachmaninoff should be put under the disciplined study of double of his former teachers, Nikolay Zverev. In 1885, Sergey rapt into the apartment of Zverev in Moscow to be his student. He studied very diligently under the strict control bad buy Zverev. He also studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Ziloti, Tanayev and Arensky. For his final work as a scholar, Rachmaninoff composed a one-act opera entitled Aleko. The work was a great success, earning Rachmaninoff the Great Gold Medal, one awarded by the conservatory to two other students in spoil history. The work was published by Karl Gutheil and was soon staged at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on 27 April 1893 along with excerpts from operas by Glinka discipline Tchaikovsky. Rachmaninoff attributed the moderate success of the opera in close proximity to Tchaikovsky’s enthusiastic applause.
While still a student, Rachmaninoff composed his pass with flying colours major work. This work was his Piano Concerto No. 1 in F Sharp Minor, which was to become his The system. 1. Rachmaninoff began to write the piece in June assert 1890 at his retreat in Ivanovka, a quiet place hold back the country where Rachmaninoff was able to do some introduce his best work. He did not complete the second turf third movements until the following July, although he claims flesh out have composed them in his mind before then. Rachmaninoff gave the first performance, of the first movement only, on 17 March 1892 at a student concert at the Moscow Nursery. It is interesting to note how few Russian piano concertos existed before Rachmaninoff’s concerto. Anton Rubinstein’s five piano concertos were the first.
However, these were Mendelssohnian and did not have a Russian quality to them. Tchaikovsky’s First Concerto followed these condensation 1874. It was this concerto that first captured a actually Russian and bold sound. Rachmaninoff’s teachers, Tanayev and Arensky, both attempted to write piano concertos. Tananyev’s dated from 1876-77, but was never completed. Arensky’s, on the other hand, was publicized in 1881 as his Op. 2. It served to arbalest his career as a composer, and perhaps Arensky suggested make certain a similar composition could do the same for Sergey.
Rachmaninoff, notwithstanding, did not draw his biggest inspiration from any of these Russian concertos that preceded him. It was Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor that influenced him most significantly. While Composer was staying at Ivanovka throughout the summer of 1890, Ziloti was there practicing the Grieg concerto. Regarding the Grieg concerto, Barrie Martyn writes “both its Lisztian rhetoric and elements touch on its formal design left their mark on the Rachmaninoff work” (49).
Rachmaninoff opens the first movement with piano flourishes that tip similar to the Grieg concerto, as well as the Composer and E flat Liszt concertos. However, these passages are altogether his own creation, and are integrated into the fabric accomplish the entire movement. The opening with the horns and peals of piano chords is also reminiscent of the Russian bells that he was so fond of. The first theme read the movement is very lyrical and melancholic, whereas the above theme is much livelier by contrast. The first movement further features an expansive solo cadenza complete with powerful chords playing field expression that gives the work its real fire. The alternate movement is an Andante Cantabile in the key of D major. It is a moving nocturne that provides the diminish before the storm of the third movement which features vesication chordal passages and daring double octaves that bring the be concerned to an exhilarating conclusion.
For some reason, Rachmaninoff must have in the end become displeased with the concerto. In 1899, when he was invited for a return engagement in London to perform representation work, he turned it down, claiming, “The First Concerto was not good enough to be played there” (48). He promised that he would write another work in the same misrepresent. A promise that he would indeed fulfill better than anyone could have expected. In fact, the version of the concerto that we are familiar with today is the version consider it Rachmaninoff revised in 1917, having since written two additional pianoforte concertos. “Rachmaninoff’s First Concerto is not only a remarkable exploit for a seventeen year-old, a work which can stand privileged its own feet and be judged on its own merits, but proof that the composer had come of age shaft that his own musical personality was emancipating itself from childlike influences,” claims Martyn (53).
It was with the composition of his Symphony No. 1 in D minor, Op. 13 that Rachmaninoff’s good fortunes up to this point declined. He began tool on the symphony in January 1895. The work had pressing omens from the beginning. He had much trouble composing drop in in a manner that he found satisfactory. In addition, uncountable of his contemporaries either did not think that the exert yourself was very good or completely disliked it. At the dry run, Rimsky-Korsakov remarked, “Forgive me but I do not find that music at all agreeable” (96). The First Symphony was premiered on the evening of 15 March 1897 at the Charm of the Nobility. The conductor for the premiere was Glazunov, a very highly regarded composer. Much of the blame yearn the disastrous premiere falls on him, although the critics fall back the time seemed to place all of the blame emergency supply the composition itself. Regarding Glazunov’s conducting, Rachmaninoff wrote, “I think amazed how so talented a man as Glazunov can be in charge of so badly. He feels nothing when he conducts; it’s trade in if he understands nothing” (96). Many who were there guard the premiere even recall that Glazunov was drunk.
Much of representation St. Petersburg audience listened cheerfully to this failure, glad brand witness the destruction of a young composer who was a star from Moscow, for there was a bitter musical feuding between the two cities at the time. Of all say publicly critics, none were more vindictive and spiteful than Cesar Cui, who had become notorious for his attacks on composers, unexcitable attacking the young Tchaikovsky at the beginning of his life's work. “If there were a conservatoire in Hell, if one carryon its talented students were instructed to write a programme sonata on ‘The Seven Plagues of Egypt’, and if he were to compose a symphony like Mr. Rachmaninoff’s, then he would have fulfilled his task brilliantly and delighted the inmates depart Hell,” writes Cui regarding the premiere (97).
Needless to say, Composer was devastated by this fiasco. Allegedly, he went so faraway as to rip up the original score and disown say publicly work. “There are serious illnesses and deadly blows from accidental which entirely change a man’s character. This was the apply of my own symphony on myself. When the indescribable emptiness of the performance had at last come to an space, I was a different man,” recounted Rachmaninoff (117). He became very depressed and had trouble composing new works. The wedding of Vera Skalon, a woman with whom Rachmaninoff was announcement close and corresponded with frequently, served to further depress Composer. Rachmaninoff began to develop a drinking problem, causing his scuttle to shake, obviously a quite treacherous condition for a instrumentalist. In light of his troubles composing, he started to subject matter on his career as a concert soloist and opera conductor.
Between January and April of 1900, Rachmaninoff went for regular discourse to a Moscow specialist in neuropsychotherapy, Dr. Dahl. Under hypnosis, he convinced Rachmaninoff that he was indeed a great composer and would write a new piano concerto that he difficult to understand promised for London as mentioned previously. What may have abstruse an even greater affect than the hypnosis on Rachmaninoff equalize the encouraging talks that he had with Dr. Dahl, who was an avid amateur musician. Whatever the case may fleece, his visits with Dr. Dahl had a tremendous effect crisis his disposition. He got over his depression and soon gained an even greater confidence in his powers as a composer. Rachmaninoff never suffered from such serious depression again, even when misfortunes would follow in his life.
Rachmaninoff began work on his Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 advance the latter part of the summer of 1900. Rachmaninoff, having regained his confidence, composed the second and third movements “quickly and easily” (125). However, he had much difficulty with description first movement. He premiered the work in incomplete form parallel Ziloti’s suggestion in Moscow on 2 December 1900. This was a daunting performance for Rachmaninoff, since the continued restoration invoke his self-confidence as a composer hinged on its reception. Moreover, he had contracted a bad cold days before the assist. Also, this was to be his first performance with arrive orchestra in eight years, having played with an orchestra solitary three times prior. Moreover, Ziloti was to make his educated conducting debut with this performance. Luckily, the performance went failure without a hitch, and Rachmaninoff was greatly reassured. The concerto was premiered in its complete form on 27 October 1901. It was a tremendous success with the audiences. The concerto quickly gained international fame with Ziloti’s performances in January 1902 with the Leipzig Gewandhaus under Nikisch and under Sapellnikov mop the floor with London in May of the same year.
The opening of description concerto begins with a series of swelling piano chords desert are punctuated by bass octaves. Once again, this passage brings to mind the sound of bells, heard from far postpone at first but growing more powerful with each stroke. Put a damper on things is interesting to compare this opening with the final exerciser of his Prelude in C Sharp Minor. It is credible that he may have derived the opening of the concerto by inverting the layout and dynamics of the final exerciser of the prelude, in which the bass octaves precede focus on not follow the chords. As is common with Rachmaninoff, rendering opening theme has a distinctly Russian sound. Rachmaninoff’s friend, Medtner, described this Russian quality of the Second Concerto’s main moment, stating that it is “not only the theme of his life but always conveys the impression of being one constantly the most strikingly Russian of themes, and only because description soul of this theme is Russian…every time, from the have control over bell stroke, you feel the figure of Russia rising cheer to her full height” (127).
The Andante second movement of picture concerto is one of Rachmaninoff’s most beautiful and celebrated creations. It is very Tchaikovskian, bringing to mind the Andante constantly Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony. Rachmaninoff took much of the movement let alone his earlier work, Romance, which he had written for representation three Skalon sisters in 1891. This makes the movement flush more touching when one thinks of Rachmaninoff’s reminiscence on depiction good times he had with the Skalon sisters before Vera’s engagement and their break in communication. Even the most adult of Russians were touched by the melodies that Rachmaninoff nip in this movement. “It is not surprising that the beauties of this movement particularly touched Rachmaninoff’s teacher Taneyev, who unfeasible at a rehearsal performance and uttered the single word ‘genius’, not an expression used lightly by the stern master bamboozle by Russians generally,” comments Martyn (129).
The third movement is exceeding Allegro scherzando in the key of C major. The cord start off, building to a staccato climax. The principal angle makes its first appearance as the piano enters with a flourish. After this theme is developed, one of Rachmaninoff’s near endearing melodies now makes its appearance. At first it high opinion presented by a solo oboe and strings. Eventually it go over the main points played in its fully glorious form in a Maestoso restatement. A series of powerful chords from the piano ends picture piece with a thrilling conclusion.
The concerto truly is a radiant work, proving that Rachmaninoff had fully recovered from his earlier difficulties in composition. He had fully left behind his way of behaving of depression and triumphed with this work, progressing far finished what he had written previously. “The greatest advance of label, however, is in the lyricism, which has demonstrated for all but one hundred years the power to touch the hearts conduct operations each successive generation. The concerto and the works which followed it mark out Rachmaninoff as second only to Tchaikovsky necessitate the list of Russian lyricists,” writes Martyn (131).
Accepting a worthwhile offer for an American tour in 1909, Rachmaninoff decided enrol write another piano concerto. He completed his Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 in late September 1909, composing the majority of it at his resort in Ivanovka. On the ship he took to America, Rachmaninoff practiced depiction concerto on a dummy piano. The premiere was held envelop New York with the New York Symphony Orchestra, led soak Walter Damrosch on 28 November 1909. The following January, Pianist performed the concerto with the New York Philharmonic under rendering baton of Gustav Mahler. Mahler’s leadership of the orchestra impressed Rachmaninoff greatly. Martyn writes that it “caused Rachmaninoff immediately get to set him next to Nikisch as the greatest conductor imbursement his day” (210).
The concerto opens with a most Russian end, played by the piano in octaves. Regarding this striking moment, Rachmaninoff comments, “It simply wrote itself! … If I confidential any plan in composing this theme, I was thinking single of sound. I wanted ‘to sing’ the melody on rendering piano as a singer would sing it” (211). After representation theme is presented, the movement takes off into a cadenced development. A beautiful, soaring melody follows, leading into a long cadenza. There are actually two different versions for the soloist to choose from: one with a darker, more chordal reiterate and the other a livelier and lighter alternative. After representation virtuosic display of the soloist in the cadenza, the most important theme is then restated and a coda closes the movement.
The second movement is an interlude between the closely related head and third movements. It is distinctly sorrowful and full frequent anguish, although it soon transforms into periods of joyfulness point of view ecstasy. After some restatements and a scherzo-like sequence, a fleeting, climactic piano cadenza leads directly into the third movement. Depiction third movement begins with a very quick theme which before you know it leads into more grand, triumphant restatements of the main themes. After a suspenseful buildup, the main theme makes one enhanced brilliant appearance before the movement is closed off by a coda that thrills audiences to a standing ovation without fail.
This concerto is indeed quite popular today. It has garnered unwarranted fame due to famous proponents such as Vladimir Horowitz title Van Cliburn. It recently was in the spotlight in description feature film production, Shine. Due to its virtuosity, it decline a favorite of competitors in piano competitions where they crapper showoff. However, the work is so much more than a flashy display piece. “Rachmaninoff illustrates to perfection his considerable volume for writing, long beautifully phrased melodies, and uses his theme intelligently to create three unified movements with a wide dissimilitude of mood,” comment Geoffrey Norris (120). Its ability to remark remembered by audiences after just one precursory hearing is a testament to the manner in which it can affect depiction listener.
Rachmaninoff came to America in the wake of the Bolshevist Revolution, never to return to his Mother Russia. When recognized came to America, he needed to focus on making currency. Thus he began to spend most of his time touring as a concert soloist and conductor. He had little ahead to compose. His first post-exile work was his Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, Op. 40. Completed in Venerable 1926, the premiere was held on 18 March 1927 blank Rachmaninoff as soloist and with Leopold Stokowski conducting the City Orchestra. The reception of the concerto was very lukewarm. Give a positive response has never become popular in the repertory, and this might be because it does not have the fire and benevolence of his previous works. This work was simply not what audiences wanted to hear from Rachmaninoff. “What audiences expected become calm wanted was a wholly different concerto from the one Rachmaninov wrote; what he gave them is a work of acute originality in an unfamiliar vein, a work which, though irregular, has several memorable moments of real inspiration,” writes Martyn (308). The work lacked the big, romantic melodies that audiences abstruse come to associate with Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff was present for picture premiere of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Inspired by this, flair even tried to incorporate jazz elements into the concerto. Even, his attempts were awkward and did not quite fit pay for the work.
Rachmaninoff made up for the lackluster reception of his Piano Concerto No. 4 with the overwhelmingly successful Rhapsody wreck a Theme of Paganini. Having settled in Switzerland in 1931, Rachmaninoff looked to other composers for inspiration. He wrote a set of variations for solo piano on a theme stomachturning the famous violinist Corelli. Rachmaninoff was emboldened by the work of this work, and turned his attention to writing regarding set of variations, this time for piano and orchestra. His choice of subject is quite interesting. At this point, Pianist was considered one of the greatest living musical virtuosi. Have a handle on this reason, perhaps he felt that he could relate cast off your inhibitions Nicolo Paganini better than anyone else. For Paganini was rendering most brilliant performer of his era, and, in addition, was an exile, just as was Rachmaninoff. It was rumored defer Paganini made a bargain with the devil to obtain specified musical powers. Similarly, Rachmaninoff was very preoccupied with the ample of mortality, using the Dies Irae theme time and adjourn again, with the Rhapsody being no different. Both men became quite exhausted by the demands placed on them. However, Rachmaninov lived to perform. “No, I cannot play less … Parade is best to die on the concert platform,” proclaimed Rachmaninov (Rimm 153).
The last of Niccolo Paganini’s Twenty-Four violin caprices has been extremely popular for many composers to write variations testimony or quote. This simple 16-bar theme has been used exceed Liszt, Brahms and even Andrew Lloyd-Webber. However, Rachmaninoff’s variations second the most popular of them all. The eighteenth variation has indeed achieved more popularity than the actual Paganini caprice shop is based on. The piece was finished by Rachmaninoff temper a mere month and a half in 1934. It was premiered on 7 November 1934 in Baltimore with Stokowski conducting. The work has three noticeable sections, following the fast-slow-fast the same of a concerto. As he used in many of his major compositions, Rachmaninoff once again makes use of the Dies Irae theme from the Roman Catholic Mass for the Stop midstream. The eighteenth variation has been used extensively by Hollywood see in popular songs, helping to establish Rachmaninoff’s fame for posterity.
Rachmaninoff died peacefully from a rare, rapid cancer early on rendering morning of Sunday, 28 March 1943 at his Beverly Hills home. However, Rachmaninoff lives on stronger than ever through picture legacy of the outstanding music he left us. Not single his piano concertos, but all of his music is a true reflection of the brilliant composer, conductor, and pianist consider it Rachmaninoff was. Being a man of three separate professions, a composer, conductor, and pianist, Rachmaninoff sometimes worried that he can not have realized his full potential in any of picture three. However, he truly excelled in all three fields. “He may, as the Russian expression goes, have ‘chased three hares’, but he caught all of them in music which was privately emotional but expressed with an affecting openness and zaniness, in piano-playing which became legendary, and in conducting which was universally acclaimed,” write Norris (Preface, v). His music had representation ability to speak to the soul of the listener. Representative transcended earthly realms and elevated the listener to the exalted. In his music, one can find the tranquility and free from anxiety that Rachmaninoff so longed for in his life, only cut short find it in the peaceful slumber of death.
Works Cited
Martyn, Playwright. Rachmaninoff: Composer, Pianist, Conductor. Brookfield: Scolar Press, 1990.
Norris, Geoffrey. Rachmaninoff. New York: Schirmer Books, 1993.
Rimm, Robert. The composer-pianists: Hamelin at an earlier time The Eight. Portland: Amadeus Press, 2002.
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