Sergei Rachmaninoff

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943): Russian composer and conductor, and one of the greatest pianists of all time.

Although of the 20th Century, Rachmaninoff's music remained firmly rooted in 19th-Century Russian Romanticism. For a time some post-War critics foolishly dismissed him as old-fashioned, but the lush harmonies and sweeping melodies that characterize his music assure it a continuing place in the world’s concert halls. Astonishingly, Rachmaninoff had what might be called a "phonographic" memory in that upon hearing virtually any piece he could play it back at the piano, even years later—and if he liked the piece it would sound like a polished performance!

Russian Rhapsody

In his Russian Rhapsody (op. posth.), written when he was an 18 year old conservatory student, Rachmaninoff presents variations on a Russian folksong that a classmate foolishly challenged could never be used to create an extended composition. Needless to say, the classmate lost the bet!

--Intermezzo Sunday Concerts, September 2006 (Sandra Stewart and Vera Watson, duo pianists)

Trio élégiaque

Rachmaninoff wrote his first Trio élégiaque when he was only 19 years old, and through the course of its single, sonata-form movement he transforms the opening theme (Lento lugubre) into various passionate guises, concluding with its appearance as a funeral march.

[Listen to it at last.fm] [Download the score (PDF) from imslp.org]

--Music @ Main, March 3, 2009 (Trio Florida)

Although not nearly as well known as his solo piano music and concertos, Rachmaninoff composed songs throughout his career and his choral music has a devoted following among aficionados. His melodic talent was perfectly suited to vocal music, and although the six songs of Rachmaninoff’s Opus 4 are student works dating from 1890-93, this is nonetheless around the same time as the famous Prelude in C# minor, Op. 3, so elements of his mature style are already in play.

Ne poy, krasavitsa, pri mne (Do not sing to me), op. 4, no. 4 (1892)

Text by Aleksander Pushkin (1799-1837)

Do not sing for me, my beauty,

Thy sad Georgian songs of yore;

For they wake deep from my memory

Another life and a distant shore.

Alas, at once you bring to mind

With each cruelly haunting air

The steppes, the night, and moonlight

Bright'ning a forlorn maid's visage there!

That dear and fateful vision

I can forget when I see thee near;

But when you sing, ah, before me then

Her doleful image doth reappear.

So do not sing to me, young beauty,

Those sad Georgian songs of yore;

For they waken in my memory

Another life, and a distant shore.