MUSIC1010Semester Presentation

Benedetta Renso Lambert

Sergei Vasilievich

Rachmaninoff

Biographyo Born in Oneg, Russia, April 1, 1873.

o In 1883, moved to Saint Petersburg.

o Moscow conservatory, he lived with his teacher

o In 1897, he had the premiere of his first Symphony, bad performance

o depression , the 2nd Piano Concerto re-affirmed his talent.

o 1902, he married his cousin and he started a international tour

o He died in Beverly Hills, California in March 28, 1943.

Orchestra

•Scherzo in D minor orchestra 1887

•Manfred 1891, lost

•Suite in D minor 1891

•Youth Symphony, unfinished 1891

•Prince Rostislav 1891

•The Rock 1893

•Two Don Juan Episodes 1894

•Caprice bohémien 1894

•Symphony No. 1 1896

•Symphony No. 2 1908

•Isle of the Dead 1908

•Symphony No. 3 1936

•Symphonic Dances

Chamber

•Romance in A minor 1880s

•Cello Sonata Op. 19

•String Quartet No. 1 1890?

•Lied cello and piano 1890

•Mélodie on a Theme of Rachmaninoff 1890?

•Trio élégiaque No. 1 violin, cello, and piano

1892

•Two Pieces (Prelude, Danse orientale) 1892

•Morceaux de salon (Romance, Danse hongroise)

1893

•Trio élégiaque No. 2 1893, revised 1906

•String Quartet No. 2 1896?

•Cello Sonata cello and piano 1901

Solo piano

Étude in F-sharp major [lost] 1886?Lento in D minor 1887?Four Pieces 1887 Three Nocturnes 1888 Piece (Canon) in D minor 1891Prelude in F major 1891Morceaux de fantaisie 1892Morceaux de salon 1894Six moments musicaux 1896Morceau de Fantaisie in G minor

1899Fughetta in F major 1899Variations on a Theme of Chopin

1903Ten Preludes 1903Piano Sonata No. 1 1908Thirteen Preludes 1910

Compositions:

Op.23: No.5 in Sol (G) Minor, Alla Marcia:-completed in 1901-It was included in his Opus 23

Prelude in C Sharp Minor Op No 3:-most famous compositions.-his debut as a pianist.

Piano Concerto No.2 in C Minor, Op.18 : I. Moderato:-1900 and April 1901- most enduringly popular pieces

Op.23: No.5 in Sol (G) Minor, Alla Marcia

This Op, is divided in ternary form, the first section “A”, is called Alla Marcia because of all the sixteenth-note chords, the second part is called Un Poco

Meno Mosso, and there are more arpeggios especially for the left hand, and then it go back to Alla Marcia.

-1,30 part B with PP.

-0.8 min, In the beginning part, A.

-0.44 min there is a resolution.

-1.22 creates a transition.

-2.33 another transition and then start Alla Marcia

-3.51 it starts slowing down and get to the pp final.

Prelude in C Sharp Minor Op No 3

He played this for the first time in the Moscow Electrical Exhibition, which was his debut as a pianist.

o 0.6 min it starts with a fff and then Pesante.

o 0.15, there is a pause, and then it starts again on 0.19 min with a piano (p).

o 0.37 min where only the left hand needs to be forte and the right piano.

o 1.46 min there is a transition that starts, it goes in crescendo with the notes and the pitch.

o 2.20 min there is a decrescendo.

o At 2.31, there is a pause followed by ff and then it starts with the prelude

o 3.38, there is a pause and some melody and theme changes and it’s more calm and piano till the end that you can barely hear like the first prelude.

Piano Concerto No.2 in C Minor, Op.18 : I. Moderato.

This was composed between autumn 1900 and spring 1901. This Concerto was a statement that after years of depression he was finally cured and fine.

o 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B♭ (I mov.) and A (II & III mov.), 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in B♭, 3 trombones (2 tenor, 1 bass), tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, solo piano, and strings. It is written in three-movement concerto form.

o The Russian element is definitely present in this first part. Both themes change the keys very often and leave space to some instrument to get into the concerto while the other are preparing the other theme.

o When the orchestra plays the first theme, the piano plays the theme with some adjustments, and the orchestra become an accompaniment.

o From here the last minute of the movement are placid until drawn into the agitated coda, and the movement ends in C minor fortissimo.

o The 1st theme starts at 0.26 min, and at 1.13 there are the horns.

o 1,35 min the piano starts the theme again, and it’s not used as accompaniment anymore.

o 1.51 min starts un poco piu mosso, leaded by the piano and at 1.56 there is a change in the theme.

o 2.05 min they are starting the 2nd theme, and the piano is playing the theme and also the arches, they alternate themes.

o 3.45 min the oboe and clarinets play their theme

o 4,04 min the arches are playing the accompaniment like the piano.

o 4.18 starts a poco mosso initially leaded by the piano and then the arches took over.

o 4.43 min starts a moto precedente, that recover the first theme, and at 5.03 start a piu vivo mostly leaded by the piano and oboes. That follows there is a poco a poco accelerato.

o 7.19 there is a poco calando, so there is a decrescendo slowly with a mezzo forte.

o At 8.47, there are the arches that with the piano are playing a different version of the main theme.

o 9.41 starts a meno mosso, and at 9.56 min start a little more accelerando.

o There is a little more crescendo for the final.

o http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/55579/Sergei-Rachmaninoff-Piano-Concerto-no.-2-in-C-Minor,-op.-18/

o YOUTUBE

o The great piano works of Sergei Rachmaninoff, warner bros publication (book)

o http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/rachmaninoff.php

Bibliography