Sergei Rachmaninov the best famous musical works. Rachmaninoff. Description of selected works
Romances occupy a special place in the composer's work. In them, Rachmaninov appears as a different side of his creative image.
Rachmaninov's romances rival his piano works in their popularity. Rachmaninov wrote about 80 romances (including youth songs that were not published during the composer’s lifetime). Most of them were composed on the texts of Russian lyric poets of the second half of the 19th and the turn of the 20th centuries, and only a little more than a dozen - on the words of poets of the first half of the 19th century (Pushkin, Koltsov, Shevchenko in Russian translation, etc.).
Often turning to poems of low poetic merit, Rachmaninov “read” them in his own way and in musical embodiment gave them a new, immeasurably deeper meaning. He interpreted romance as an area of expression of predominantly lyrical feelings and moods. Epic, genre-everyday, comedic or characteristic images are almost never found in him.
Several of Rachmaninov's romances reveal a connection with folk songs and urban everyday music.
Rachmaninov turned to the genre of Russian lyrical song (“romance song”) mainly in the early period of his creativity, in the 90s. He does not strive to reproduce all the features of the folk style (although he retains some of them) and freely uses the harmonic and textural means of professional music. At the same time, the genre is interpreted mainly in dramatic terms. An example is the romance song “I fell in love with my sadness” (verses by Taras Shevchenko, translated by A. N. Pleshcheev). In terms of content, the song is related to the theme of recruitment, and in style and genre - with lamentations. The composer based the melody on a terza chant, repeated many times. Also characteristic are mournful turns of phrase at the end of melodic phrases. Dramatic, somewhat hysterical, chants at the climax (“This is such a lot for me”) enhance the closeness of the vocal part to lamentation and crying. The “goose” arpeggiated chords at the beginning of the song emphasize its folk character.
The dramatic center of the work is the second verse. Ascending sequences in the melody, supported by agitated triplet figurations of the piano, are interrupted by declamatory exposition ("And as a soldier I..."); the subsequent climactic phrase is wider in range than the first verse and is the dramatic climax of the song. After it, the “crying” wordless vocalizations of the coda sound especially expressive. With their hopelessness they emphasize the drama of a lonely female soldier.
The brilliant “Vocalise”, written in 1915, occupies a very special place in Rachmaninov’s vocal lyrics. It is adjacent to the composer’s romances, which in their origins are associated with Russian songwriting. Elements of folk song style here organically flow into the melody, marked by a bright individuality.
The connection between “Vocalise” and Russian plangent song is evidenced by the breadth of the melody, the leisurely and seemingly “endless” nature of its development. The smoothness and fluidity of movement is facilitated by the lack of strict repetition and symmetry in the structure and sequence of phrases, sentences, and periods (“Vocalise” is written in a simple two-part form). The music is so expressive, so meaningful that the composer considered it possible to abandon the poetic text. I would like to call “Vocalise” a Russian “song without words.”
Against the backdrop of measured and calm piano chords, the soprano sings a thoughtful, slightly sad melody-song.
Smoothly, with soft twists, it moves down from the III degree to the V, then rises steeply up an octave and slides with a smooth downward turn to the main tone of the fret.
The musical fabric of the play is full of “singing” melodic voices, intonationally related to the main theme. In the second sentence, the vocal melody is joined by two more piano voices, presented in the form of a duet-dialogue. In the third sentence, the melodic movement in the accompaniment is doubled by an octave. In the last sentence, the vocal melody forms a free echo (“second”) to the theme heard at the piano.
The deeply Russian character of the music of “Vocalise” is also emphasized by harmonic means: diatonic (see the natural minor at the heart of the melody in the first sentence, the sequence of the seventh chord of the natural VII degree and the tonic in bars 5-6), plagal turns (for example, bars 2-3 at the beginning third sentence), frequent parallelisms in voicing (in particular, see the sequence of parallel triads in measure 3 from the end of the romance).
As a kind of continuation of the genre of “oriental song”, characteristic of the work of Russian composers of the first half of the 19th century and the Kuchkists, the romance “He sing, beauty, in front of me” (words by A. S. Pushkin) can be considered - a true masterpiece of Rachmaninov’s vocal lyrics and 90- x years. The main theme of the romance, pensive and sad, first appears in the piano introduction, where it is presented as a completed song melody. The monotonously repeated A in the bass, the chromatically descending movement of the middle voices with colorful changes in harmonies give the intro music an oriental flavor.
At the same time, they possess signs of the composer’s individual style. For them, a special condensation of feeling, a special languid-sultry passion of expression, a long stay in one emotional sphere and an emphasized sharpness of the climax are indicative.
“In the Silence of a Secret Night” (words by A. A. Fet) is a very typical example of love lyrics of this kind. The dominant sensual and passionate tone is already determined in the instrumental introduction. The languid intonations of the diminished seventh in the upper voice appear against the background of expressive harmonies of the accompaniment (diminished seventh chord, dominant non-chord). The triplet chord texture of the accompaniment is preserved even with the introduction of a vocal melody, melodious and declamatory-expressive.
In the middle section of the romance, the accompaniment takes on a more agitated character. The imitative development of new melodic turns in the voice and piano and a chain of ascending sequences lead to a pathetic climax with the successive achievement of the peak sound (F-sharp) in the vocal part, then in the piano part (“to awaken the darkness of the night with a cherished name”). Here love's delight reaches its climax. In the final section that follows this (Piu vivo), the modified theme of the first movement gradually dissolves into ascending triplet figurations.
Romances of a lyrical-landscape nature form one of the most important areas of Rachmaninov’s vocal lyricism in terms of artistic value. The landscape element either merges with the main psychological content or, on the contrary, contrasts with the latter. Some of these works are designed in transparent, watercolor tones, imbued with a calm, contemplative mood and are distinguished by exceptional subtlety and poetry. One of the first such romances in the work of the young Rachmaninov was “Island” based on poems by the English romantic poet P. Shelley, translated by K. Balmont.
The most perfect and subtle romances associated with images of nature were created by the composer in his mature period. This is “Lilac”, “It’s good here”, “At my window”. They are included in the cycle of romances Op. 21, which appeared almost simultaneously with the Preludes of Op. 23 and the Second Concerto and possessing the same high merits: depth of content, grace and refinement of form, richness of expressive means.
“Lilac” (words by Ek. Beketova) is one of the most precious. The pearl of Rachmaninoff's lyrics. The music of this romance is marked by exceptional naturalness and simplicity, a remarkable fusion of lyrical feelings and images of nature, expressed through subtle musical and pictorial elements. The entire musical fabric of the romance is melodious and melodious. Calm, sing-song vocal phrases flow effortlessly one after another. The expressive figuration of the piano is associated with the idea of foliage being swayed by a light breeze. A feeling of peace also arises due to the pentatonic mode coloring: the vocal melody and accompaniment of the first bars of the romance are sustained in the half-tone scale A-flat - B-flat - C - E-flat - F.
Later, as he develops, the composer goes beyond the pentatonic scale. In the middle of the romance, a broad melodic phrase (“There is only one happiness in life”), supported by a beautiful instrumental echo and shaded by a soft turn into the tonality of the second degree (B-flat minor), stands out with its sincerity and warmth. . The reprise has also been significantly updated. (The romance is written in a simple two-part form.) The composer retains only the tonality and pattern of the piano accompaniment. The melody itself is new here, with wide intervals and sharp delays at the climax (“My poor happiness”). But at the conclusion, the diatonic melody and the old pentatonic figuration that conclude the romance sound all the more fresh and crystal clear at the piano. .
The romance “It’s Good Here” (words by G. A. Galina) also belongs to the outstanding examples of Rachmaninov’s lightly contemplative lyrical works. In this romance, the fluidity of musical development characteristic of the composer’s mature romance style is revealed with great clarity, giving rise to a special integrity of the form, its internal indivisibility. The romance was built, one might say, “in one breath” - the music flows so continuously in a flexible interweaving of melodic phrases of voice and piano, in plastic harmonic and tonal transitions. The melody of the romance is born from the initial vocal phrase. Its characteristic melodic-rhythmic outlines - the smooth movement of three eighths in thirds upward and a stop on the last, fourth, sound with a slight descent - is easy to notice in all the vocal and piano phrases of the romance.
By varying this motif, the composer with remarkable skill creates broader melodic structures from it. They lead to the melodic peak, which is a quiet climax full of deep, but hidden, enthusiastic feeling (“Yes, you, my dream!”).
The impression of continuity in the flow of music is facilitated by the uniformity of the texture of the accompaniment, the almost complete absence of caesuras and the desire to avoid tonics. The A major tonic triad appears in the middle of the romance only once (at the end of the first sentence - before the words “there are no people here”) and is firmly established only in the conclusion. But repeatedly the composer introduces dominant or subdominant harmonies to the secondary steps of the mode, creating the appearance of deviations in different keys: see, for example, with the words “The clouds are turning white” (plagal cadence with a quintessex chord of the second degree in harmonic E major), at the climax of the romance “Yes, you , my dream!" (authentic cadence in F sharp minor). Such diversity and iridescence of tonal colors not only has great landscape and coloristic significance, but also enriches the lyrical and psychological content of the romance, giving the music special spirituality and expressiveness.
In Rachmaninov's romances, images of nature are used not only to express quiet, contemplative moods. Sometimes they help embody stormy, passionate feelings. Then romances of a virtuosic nature are born, distinguished by their breadth of form, richness and density of colors, brilliance and complexity of piano presentation.
Rachmaninov wrote the romance “Spring Waters” in this style (words by F. I. Tyutchev). This is a musical picture of the Russian spring, a poem of enthusiastic, joyfully jubilant feelings. The vocal part is dominated by appealing melodic turns: motives built on the sounds of a major triad, energetic ascending phrases ending with an energetic leap. Their strong-willed character is enhanced by dotted rhythmic figures. The brilliant, one might say concert-like, piano part is very meaningful and plays an extremely important role in creating the general, life-affirming character of the work and its picturesque, picture-like appearance. Already the opening phrase of the piano part - in rapidly soaring passages, in the expressive sound of an enlarged triad - recreates the atmosphere of spring, giving birth to a musical image of foaming spring streams.
This phrase develops further throughout almost the entire romance and acquires independent artistic meaning, becoming, as it were, the leitmotif of spring. At the climax of the work, it turns into joyful ringing, heralding the triumph of the forces of light.
Musical development, thanks to unexpected tertian comparisons of major keys (E flat major - B major - A flat major, E flat major - F sharp major), is distinguished by bright tonal contrasts. Unusual for the chamber genre is the profound transformation of thematic themes.
The strength and intensity of musical development caused the appearance of two bright and powerful climaxes in the romance. One of them is achieved by comparing E-flat major and F-sharp major (“Spring is coming! We are messengers of the young spring”). In the vocal part here there appears a wide (in the volume of a decima), steeply rising upward, jubilant phrase “She sent us forward!”, supported by stormy upswings of chords at the piano (introductory motive). Following this, the music takes on a dreamy and restrained character: the sonority suddenly subsides, the tempo slows down twice, and the piano texture becomes lighter.
Andante (“And the quiet, warm days of May”) begins a new wave of growth: the tempo accelerates and the rhythmic pulse quickens (eighth notes are replaced by triplets). Energetic ascending piano sequences lead to a second, no less impressive, but this time purely instrumental climax. It is reminiscent of the pathetic virtuoso episodes of the composer's piano concertos. The last sound of the vocal part is “flooded” by an avalanche of rapidly falling octaves, leading to a pathetic, trumpet-like cry, “Spring is coming!” It is accompanied by a dense, seemingly “vibrating” (repeating triplets) accompaniment with a sharp-sounding overlay of the “dominant and sixth” chord on the tonic fifth.
The image of the night appears repeatedly in Rachmaninov's romances. In the romance "Excerpt from Musset" (translation by A. N. Apukhtin) he is associated with. a state of oppressive loneliness. The range of feelings expressed in the romance is excruciating mental pain and despair, intensified by darkness and silence. A certain nervousness and “hysteria” of the music in certain episodes of the romance apparently reflects the stylistic features of the gypsy pop performing arts, which Rachmaninov knew well. In the somewhat exaggerated pathos of such romances, as B.V. Asafiev rightly noted, “there was a strain and a cry that was understandable to the environment,” and “with this impulse, his aspirations, the composer instinctively responded to a painful feeling.”
A musical and poetic image is born already in the first bars of the romance. The melody is formed by phrases separated by pauses, but intonationally united. Expressiveness is enhanced by the excited figurations of the accompaniment.
In the middle section (it begins with the words “What am I excited about”), episodes appear that are contrasting in mood and musical content, revealing the complex change of thoughts and experiences of the lyrical hero. The melodic ariatic melody gives way to recitative presentation. The exclamation “My God!” sounds like an unexpected outburst of a bright and enthusiastic feeling of hope, emphasized by the major triad of the VI degree. The state of vague anxiety and tense expectation is further perfectly expressed in the repetition of the same melodic phrases (“Someone is calling me,” etc.), in the sad, aching sound repeated twelve times on the piano in F-sharp of the second octave (“It has struck midnight” ) and in the downward movement of the bass, sounding like soft footsteps receding. The dramatic climax comes in a compressed reprise-coda (“Oh, loneliness,” etc.) and, as often happens in Rachmaninov’s romances, comes at a piano conclusion. It combines the most significant and striking components of the musical content of the work: the intonation of the main theme and the major “shift” from the middle section of the romance. The secondary appearance of the D major triad here also gives the impression of a ray of light” suddenly penetrating the nocturnal atmosphere, saturated with tragedy.
Quite typical of Rachmaninoff's mature vocal style is the continuously developing musical form of the romance - a simple three-part composition, however, gravitating towards a one-part composition. Its unity is achieved by the intonational relationship of various melodic structures (see, for example, the initial phrases of all three sections - “Why is my sick heart beating so hard?”, “Why am I excited, scared in the night?”, “Oh loneliness, oh poverty!”) . The unity of the musical form is also achieved by the flexibility of the modulation plan, the frequent change of different episodes and textures, due to which the entire middle is unfinished and is perceived as the preparation of a reprise. Only the four-bar predicate (from the words “My cell is empty”) and the strong establishment of the main tonality in the reprise-coda give the whole the necessary completeness. All these features bring the romance closer to a type of dramatic vocal scene.
The image of the night also appears in the romance “Sad Night” (words by I. A. Bunin). However, the theme of tragic loneliness received a completely different embodiment here. “The Night is Sad” is a new type of Russian elegy. It is unlike the bright contemplative elegies of Glinka ("Doubt") or Rimsky-Korsakov ("The Clouds Are Thinning..."). Elegance is combined here with a densely gloomy mood, a consistent intensification of tragic coloring with restraint, emphasized by stillness. The basis of a romance is essentially not one but two melodies. The first is formed in the vocal part, consisting of short and sad in mood motives-sighs; the other - wider and more united - takes place in the piano part. The background is melancholic repeating quintuplets; they create a feeling of inescapable sadness and numbness:
The uniqueness of intonation development lies in the fact that numerous phrases and motives that arise during the development of a musical and poetic image are perceived as variants of a single melodic content. Some of them acquire the meaning of “key” intonations and chants. Such, for example, is the initial melodic turn to the words “The night is sad,” which frames the entire romance (see the last three bars of the piano conclusion). This should also include various variants of a melodic phrase based on an ascending movement to the fifth tone of the mode. Initially, this turn appears at the piano, then passes through the vocal melody (“Far away...”, etc.) and again continues to develop in the instrumental part (see bars 5-7). The conclusion is based on the interweaving of these two characteristic motifs.
The impression of unity and internal integrity of the musical form of the romance is facilitated by the consistency of harmonic development. The romance is dominated by the plagal harmonic sphere, manifested in the tonal relationships of the parts of the work (F-sharp minor - E minor - F-sharp minor) and in numerous plagal phrases scattered throughout the romance.
At the same time, it is not difficult to find subtle figurative and musical touches associated with individual details of the poetic content. Let us note, for example, the stop on the major triad of the VI degree - at the mention of a distant light, pleasing a companion lost in the endless steppe. The plastic melodic progression that appears next with a jump to a diminished fifth and a deviation into the key of a major dominant merges well with the words of the text “There is a lot of sadness and love in the heart.” During the transition to the reprise, the piano expressively sounds the course of parallel octaves, with its harsh character and regularity preparing the return of the musical picture of the deserted night steppe.
The amazing sensitivity and penetration of the music, the figurative richness achieved by the composer with a very economical use of expressive means, make this romance one of the pearls of Rachmaninov’s vocal creativity.
As we can see, dramatic themes are widely represented in Rachmaninov’s vocal works. The bitter consciousness of the irreversibility of happiness and, in spite of everything, the uncontrollable desire for it, an angry protest against undeserved suffering and deprivation - these are the moods and motives of Rachmaninov’s dramatic romances. Most of them are found among the romance cycles of 90Q.-x (op. 21 and 26).
“Everything passes” (op. 26, words by D. N. Ratgauz). The theme of regret about an irretrievably passing life is resolved here by the composer in a sharply dramatic way: it develops into a passionate protest against everything that fetters and suppresses the bright and beautiful impulses of a person. In this way, Rachmaninov's romance is decisively different from the pessimistic and weak-willed mood of Rathaus's poem. The protesting pathos breaks through with particular force in the climactic, last phrase. This climax, prepared by two successively increasing phrases - voice and piano - ascending pattern with an energetic fifth with Tchaikovsky. Rachmaninov's romances excite with their passionate power, spontaneity of feeling, and captivating sincerity. This is the composer’s lyrical confession, in which both the rebellious impulses characteristic of his work and the uncontrollable pressure of strong-willed life-affirming emotions - Rachmaninov’s “flood of feelings” - were expressed; his romances reflect both the tragic moods of loneliness and reverent love for nature.
The composer's vocal style is distinguished by its length, breadth and freedom of melodic breathing, a combination of smooth and plastic cantilena with sensitive, always psychologically justified declamation. The vocal principle, singing dominates in Rachmaninov's romances, the vocal melody is the main means for the composer of revealing the lyrical and psychological content and creating generalized musical images. The principles of the romance style of Glinka and Tchaikovsky are continued in Rachmaninov’s vocal lyrics. At the same time, in Rachmaninov's romances there are features that indicate their stylistic connection with the lyrics of the composers of the Mighty Handful - most of all Rimsky-Korsakov, partly Balakirev and Borodin; The “Korsakovian” beginning is felt in the general light-elegiac tone of many of Rachmaninov’s contemplative romances, in the richness and richness of their harmonic coloring.
One of the significant features of Rachmaninov’s romance style is the exceptionally large role and variety of piano accompaniment. The piano part of Rachmaninov’s romances cannot be called simply an accompaniment. It is interesting to quote the composer’s remark regarding the romance “Sad Night”: “... actually, not for him [i.e. e. the singer] needs to sing, and the accompanist on the piano." And indeed, in this romance (as in many others) the voice and piano merge into a vocal-instrumental duet ensemble. In Rachmaninov’s romances there are examples of concert-virtuoso, decorative and lush piano texture, along with a transparent chamber presentation, requiring from the pianist exceptional sound mastery in conveying the rhythmic and polyphonic details of the musical fabric, the finest register and harmonic colors. Rachmaninov biography romance opera
Rachmaninov's inherent sense of form was clearly manifested in the convex and intense dynamics of his romances. They are distinguished by their special dramatic sharpness, the “explosiveness” of the climaxes, in which the internal psychological conflict, the main idea of the work, is revealed with extraordinary force. No less typical of the composer’s vocal lyrics are the so-called “quiet” climaxes - using high sounds on the most delicate pianissimo.
Such climaxes, despite all the external restraint, have enormous emotional intensity and produce an indelible artistic impression, being an expression of the author’s innermost thoughts and feelings.
The vocal works of Rachmaninov (as well as his contemporary Medtner) complete the history of Russian classical romance of the pre-revolutionary era.
The predominant sphere of Rachmaninov's chamber vocal creativity was lyricism, the world of personal feelings and moods. In its origins, it is associated mainly with the legacy of Tchaikovsky, which is manifested in the general emotional “openness”, sincerity and spontaneity of expression, and in some more specific stylistic features. Like Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov sought first of all to capture the main mood of a particular poetic text in a bright melodic image, showing it in growth, dynamics and development. Hence those long lines of rise, build-up and pathetic climaxes that abound in Rachmaninov’s romances. At the same time, he did not ignore the experience of the senior masters of the “St. Petersburg school” with their careful, attentive attitude to the poetic word. Rachmaninov, with some rare exceptions, does not allow arbitrary rearrangements of words or repetitions that violate the form of the verse; his vocal recitation is, as a rule, precise and distinct. In this respect, he stands completely at the level of his time - the era of the highest, most refined poetic culture.
One of the features that characterized the development of the chamber vocal genre at the beginning of the 20th century was the growing role of the piano part, which often acquired not only an equal status with the singer’s part, but even a dominant one. The piano accompaniment in Rachmaninov's romances is also distinguished by its exceptional richness, colorfulness and variety of forms. Rimsky-Korsakov even thought the sound richness and density of Rachmaninov’s accompaniments, their complex multi-layered texture, which sometimes seemed to develop completely independently, to be excessive. However, the melodically bright, textured vocal part never gets lost in this dense dense fabric, clearly standing out against its background. Sometimes the piano has a special melodic voice that intertwines with the vocal line, resulting in an expressive dialogue between the two partners. Regarding the romance “Sad Night” to the words of I. A. Bunin, Rachmaninov notes in one of his letters that “actually not to him (Sobinov. - Yu. K.) you need to sing, and the accompanist on the piano.” But whatever the degree of complexity and form of presentation, the parts of the voice and piano are almost always in close interaction, forming a single inseparable artistic whole.
Over the twenty-five-year period of time separating Rachmaninov’s first vocal opus from the last group of his romances, the nature of his chamber vocal lyrics experienced significant changes: not only did the sound palette become more complex and enriched, the selection of expressive means became more strict, but its figurative and emotional structure also changed in many respects .
Rachmaninov's early vocal work of the 90s is not yet completely independent stylistically and, in general, develops within the framework of the established forms and traditions of Russian romance of the 19th century. The influence of Tchaikovsky is especially noticeable (for example, “ I'm waiting for you", "Oh, don't be sad"). The composer also pays tribute to such traditional genres as a song in the folk spirit (“You, my field”, “I fell in love with my sadness”), elegy (“It’s been a long time, my friend” with an insufficiently justified bravura ending). At the same time, already in the very first youthful examples of Rachmaninov’s vocal lyrics, the features of independent creative individuality appear with sufficient clarity. The nineteen-year-old composer’s romance “Don’t sing, beauty, in front of me” is remarkable for its unity and consistency of mood. Unlike Balakirev, Rachmaninov does not strive for ethnographic accuracy of color in the musical interpretation of this Pushkin poem; the music of his romance is colored only in the most general, conventional oriental tones (patterned melodic pattern of the refrain, the material of which develops mainly in the piano part, numerous organ points). The main thing in it is a feeling of deep nostalgic sadness, longing for something beautiful, dear, but distant and unattainable. This characteristic motif of Rachmaninov’s lyrics is expressed with artistic strength and completeness that is striking in such a young author.
Noteworthy is the beautiful poetic romance to the words of A. A. Fet “In the Silence of a Secret Night,” in which a passionate lyrical feeling merges with the image of nature. As in the previous romance, the piano part is distinguished by its careful development, developing independently and as if parallel to the vocal line. This unique counterpoint contributes to the special expressive richness of the music. The dreamy atmosphere of a quiet night landscape gives way at the moment of climax to an enthusiastic impulse, in which one can hear a joyful rapture of life and a thirst for merging with the surrounding world.
In the elegant vocal miniature “Island” to the words of K. D. Balmont, Rachmaninov achieves a subtle expressive effect using extremely simple and economical means. The mood of serene peace and silence, disturbed only by a light breeze, is conveyed by the even and smooth movement of the vocal melody, invariably returning to the original sound, with a spare, transparent piano accompaniment that is almost graphic in design.
One of the peaks of Rachmaninov’s vocal creativity of the 1890s is “Spring Waters” to the words of F. I. Tyutchev, this, according to the characterization of V. A. Vasina-Grossman, “a hymn to spontaneous impulses, the wild flowering of young forces.” Here you can already hear those moods of spring renewal, emancipation and uplifting spiritual strength that will resound loudly in the works of Rachmaninov at the beginning of the new century. Thus, the image of nature acquires a broader symbolic meaning. The vocal part of the romance, unfolding against the backdrop of rolling, wave-like piano passages, is imbued with active, inviting intonations. The phrase “Spring is coming!” sounds almost like a battle cry. at the moment of climax, which occurs at the beginning of the reprise.
The 1900s brought a new rise in Rachmaninov's vocal creativity. Among the two series of romances op. 21 and , written in the period between the Second and Third piano concertos, we find a number of the most perfect examples of Rachmaninov's lyrics, in which the composer appears as a fully established master with his own unique creative personality. “Rachmaninov’s romances, like “Lilac”, “At My Window,” notes Asafiev, “although they were not a confession of symbolism, in reality they were a reflection of the atmosphere of a new, subtle (but not modernist refined) soulfulness and a touch of the music of Russian nature - quality, which was heard both in Chekhov’s wise “Pipe” and in a number of lyrical moments in Bunin...”
The romances “”, “The Night is Sad” are imbued with a similar Chekhov-Bunin poetic feeling of nature. At the same time, the composer is not interested in the landscape as such: nature in all these romances is only a kind of resonator of lyrical experience. Sound-written elements are kept to a minimum and are entirely subordinated to the expression of internal emotional experience. The selection of expressive means is strictly thought out and excludes everything unnecessary, unnecessary, serving only to fill the sound space. In “Lilac” to the words of the once popular poetess E. Beketova, the vocal part, accompanied by an invariably smooth rhythmic ostinato movement at the piano, is born from a short half-tone trichord chant. The predominance of anhemitonic turns conveys both a feeling of morning freshness and a state of unclouded mental peace. Only gradually does the expression grow, thicken, and the chromatic progression of the melody on the final words “My poor happiness is blooming” introduces a hint of aching sadness.
The melodically prominent initial phrase of the voice becomes the source of all further development in the romance “” to the words of G. Galina. In the second stanza, a gradual increase in sonority, leading to a pitch climax, is accompanied by a simultaneous thickening of the texture; the piano has an independent melodic voice, intertwined with the vocal melody. This counterpointing voice continues to develop even after the end of the vocal part, as if proving what was not fully expressed in words. The constant fluctuation of modal coloring between major and parallel minor emphasizes the peculiar duality of the expressed feeling. As in “Lilac,” the mood of quiet, serene joy and peace is mixed with a note of some hidden, unaccountable sadness.
The same subtlety of nuance, constant “play of chiaroscuro” with unity and consistency of the main emotional tone is distinguished by the romance “At my window” to the words of G. Galina, close to the previous one not only in general color and language, but also in the nature of the presentation and even the direct similarity of some intonation turns.
One of the most remarkable examples of Rachmaninov’s vocal lyrics in terms of depth and capacity of figurative content is the romance “The Night is Sad” to the words of I. Bunin. The image of a lonely traveler wandering at night in the remote steppe towards a distant, unclear, but irresistibly attractive goal acquires symbolic meaning in this short, laconic poem by Bunin.
The eternal desire for the unattainable is one of the main motives of romantic art - such, in the view of the romantic artist, is the whole of human life. Rachmaninov subtly grasped the lyrical ambiguity of the poetic text, which he conveys through the simultaneous combination of several independent musical planes. The even, monotonous movement of fifths at the piano, which forms a constant background, is associated with the infinity of the wanderer’s path and at the same time contributes to the unity and consistency of the main mood of hopeless melancholy. The vocal part, unfolding in a relatively limited range, is stern and restrained in expression. At the same time, a broad, expressive melody emerges in the piano part with a typical Rachmaninov long, gradual ascent to the top, in which one can hear a passionate thirst for life.
The other side of Rachmaninov's lyrics is represented by romances of the dramatic type, imbued with feelings of loneliness, dissatisfaction or passionate protesting pathos. This group includes “Excerpt from Musset” (translation by A. Apukhtin), “I’m lonely again” based on the words of Bunin and a number of others. In the first of these romances, Rachmaninov unexpectedly comes close to Mussorgsky: in terms of the power of tragedy, it can be compared with some of the songs in the “Without the Sun” cycle. Stormy outbursts of despair are contrasted with an eerie numbness of silence and silence in the declamatory middle section, distinguished by a subtle differentiation of expressive means. Each phrase of the text, each word is intonationally outlined and shaded with the help of special textural and harmonic techniques.
The large dramatic monologue “Fate” based on poems by Apukhtin, dedicated to Chaliapin, is also presented in a declamatory manner. In form, this romance is an expanded composition of a ballad-narrative type, consisting of a sequence of more or less independent contrasting episodes. The unifying principle is the “rhythm of fate” from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony as a symbol of inexorable fate that overtakes a person at different moments of his life and in different situations. However, a certain touch of stiltedness and monotony of color reduce the artistic value of this work, which does not belong to the best examples of Rachmaninov’s vocal creativity.
Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov was born into a noble family under the Novgorod sky, which absorbed both the ringing of bells and ancient chants. For a long time, the place of his birth was considered to be the estate of his parents Oneg, not far from Novgorod. Research in recent years names the Semyonovo estate in the Starorussky district of the Novgorod province. Be that as it may, from childhood he touched the harsh temples and divine music of Ancient Russia. The composer's father, Vasily Arkadyevich, came from the nobility of the Tambov province. Mother, Lyubov Petrovna, was a native Novgorodian. A penchant for music was a characteristic feature of the Rachmaninovs. It was particularly evident in the composer’s grandfather, who performed at charity concerts and in music salons in Tambov, Moscow, and St. Petersburg. Rachmaninov’s paternal roots brought him to the Tambov province. In 1910, after marrying Natalya Satina, he became a co-owner of the Ivanovka estate and became interested in agriculture. Now there is a wonderful museum there, headed by Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation Alexander Ivanovich Ermakov.
http://ivanovka-museum.ru/
RACHMANINOV.Description of selected works
The first publicly performed piano piece by the young Rachmaninov was the Prelude in C sharp minor. It was performed by the author at the Electric Exhibition concert on September 26, 1892. The fate of this prelude is unique. Thus, in the mid-1890s, it entered the repertoire of almost all pianist students at the Moscow Conservatory. A. Ziloti, performing in Europe and America, included the prelude in his concert program, and very soon it was published in England and America. Already a recognized virtuoso pianist, Rachmaninov performed this prelude as a mandatory number. The enormous success of this work, which literally “haunted” the composer all his life, was explained by Rachmaninov himself as follows: “One day the prelude just came, and I wrote it down. She approached with such force that I could not get rid of her even if I tried. It had to be - and it became.”
Gilels plays: Rachmaninoff - Prelude in C sharp minor Op. 3 No. 2
The genre of concerto for piano and orchestra most harmoniously synthesized Rachmaninov's pianistic and compositional talents. “Take away my concerts, and then I will be finished,” he told his friends.
Rachmaninov’s piano concertos can be called “musical novels”, comparable to the pages of Tolstoy, Chekhov, the canvases of Levitan, the poetry of Bunin, Tyutchev... In each of the four concerts - the youthfully romantic First (1891), the festive and soulful Second (1901), the poetic Third (1909) and the harsh Fourth (1926) - the best features of Rachmaninov’s talent are revealed; These concerts made him famous throughout the world. It is significant that the finals of the concerts feature brightly optimistic and life-affirming music, in contrast to many of Rachmaninoff’s works of a dramatic and tragic nature.
First Concerto for piano and orchestra in F sharp minor, Op. 1, Rachmaninov dedicated to his cousin, conductor and pianist A.I. Ziloti. The widely known main theme of the first part of the concert - a broad romance melody with lamentous leaps - “sighs” - was written by the composer at the age of seventeen. The concerto was first performed in 1892 at the Moscow Conservatory under the direction of V. I. Safonov. In the concert, the 2nd and 3rd parts are performed without interruption. In 1917, the composer significantly reworked the score, and in a modified form the concert was performed in New York, with the author performing as a soloist.
Second Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, C minor, Op. 18 was first performed in the Moscow Philharmonic season of 1901/1902 under the direction of A. I. Ziloti, the author was the soloist. The next day, the concert was performed “in reverse” - Rachmaninov stood at the conductor’s stand, and Ziloti performed the piano part. Critics wrote: “Mr. Ziloti’s piano sounded much fuller, but Mr. Rachmaninov’s orchestra sounded more confident. Yes, it is understandable: when the author stood at the conductor’s stand, Mr. Siloti was much more comfortable in conformity with his intentions than when the author was sitting at the piano... There is no doubt that the concert, so well received in Moscow, will soon become one of the most popular works everywhere concert repertoire".
Third Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, D minor Op. 30 was created in 1909 on the eve of a grandiose tour of America. In 89 days, Rachmaninov performed 26 times in 10 US cities and 1 time in Canada. Rachmaninov performed solo 16 times, accompanied by an orchestra. He played the Second Concerto 13 times and performed the Third Concerto three times. The tour was incredibly successful. “They forced me to encore up to seven times,” Rachmaninov recalled.
The third concert became one of the peaks of Rachmaninov's creativity. It can be called a “concert-symphony” due to the significance of its content and the scale of its figurative and dramatic development. About the main theme, the “song,” Rachmaninov wrote: “... I wanted to “sing” the melody on the piano, as singers sing it - to find a suitable, or rather, orchestral accompaniment that would not drown out this “singing.”
4th Concerto, Op. 40. Sergei Rachmaninov completed his Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40 in 1926 and the work currently exists in three versions. After the unsuccessful premiere, he made revisions before publishing it in 1928. With continued lack of success, the author revised and republished it in 1941. The work is dedicated to Nikolai Medtner, who, in turn, dedicated his Second Piano Concerto to Rachmaninov. The concerto is probably the least known of all Rachmaninov's piano concertos, however, it was often performed in Russia.
The concert is written in three parts:
- Allegro Vivace (G minor)
- Largo (C major)
- Allegro Vivace (G major)
The concerto was first performed in Philadelphia on March 18, 1927, with the composer as soloist and Leopold Stokowski as conductor.
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
Rachmaninov worked on this composition at Villa Senard (near Weggis in Switzerland) from July 3 to August 18, 1934. The premiere took place at the Lyric Opera House in Baltimore on November 7, 1934, the piano part was performed by the author, accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski. In this music, nostalgia is combined with outright “devilishness”. It is not for nothing that Rachmaninov included the motif “Dies irae” in it. The premiere performance was recorded. Other famous performers who recorded Rhapsody include Arthur Rubinstein, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Van Clyburn.
The work consists of twenty-four variations on the theme of the famous twenty-fourth caprice by Nicolo Paganini - previously a source of inspiration for other composers, including Johannes Brahms, who used its theme to create Variations on a Theme of Paganini.
Although this work by Rachmaninov is performed without interruption, it can be divided into three parts: from the first to the eleventh, from 12 to 18, and the remaining ones form the finale.
At the end of 1892, Rachmaninov, who was only 19 years old, wrote five solo piano works, publishing them under the title “Fantasy Pieces” (Op. 3). The first number of this opus was Elegy in E flat minor. In this lyrical genre, the young composer managed to combine vocal and declamatory melody with conflict drama and textural techniques that distinguish concerto-symphonic writing.
Waltz in A major, Op. 10, No. 2 refers to dance genres associated with everyday music playing. This is a kind of portrait of the Skalon sisters - distant relatives of Rachmaninov, with whom the composer had warm, friendly relations. In this charming, graceful waltz, the main theme is a graceful melodic soar.
Bright, joyful Prelude No. 6, E flat major, Op. 23 was written on May 14, 1903, on the “happy day” when Rachmaninov’s eldest daughter Irina was born. In the following Prelude No. 7 in C minor, the Beethoven-Chopin traditions are refracted. Against the backdrop of alarming figurations, the volitional principle gradually asserts itself in the theme.
In Prelude No. 8 in A minor Op. 32 the impetuous motive against the background of figurations permeated with Russian song chants, sometimes resembles a racing troika, sometimes the echoes of a bell ringing. Prelude No. 10 in B minor presents a gloomy picture of a funeral procession. The main theme with the drawn-out intonations of Russian funeral chant is accompanied by the heavy tread of a funeral step.
Etudes - paintings, op. 33 were created in 1911 in Ivanovka. The plays were first called “preludes-pictures”, and only at the Moscow premiere they were renamed “Etudes-pictures”. The title “picture” indicates a certain programmatic nature of the works. “When I compose,” Rachmaninov wrote, “it helps me a lot if I have in my mind a book I’ve just read, or a beautiful painting, or poetry. Sometimes a certain story will stick in my head, which I try to turn into sounds, without revealing the source of my inspiration.” Etude-picture, E flat major, No. 4 conveys the feeling of a fair festival (Rachmaninov later called this piece “Fair”).
The Second Piano Sonata in B flat minor was written in 1913. This brilliant virtuoso sonata consists of three movements connected by continuous development. The alternation of energetic dramatic (first and third parts) and fragile contemplative (second part) images, close intonation and thematic interaction leads to the final hymnic apotheosis.
Cycle of nine Etudes-Paintings, Op. 39 appeared at an alarming time - at the end of 1916 - beginning of 1917. Often these works are performed separately, but Rachmaninov himself played the entire cycle more than once. The gloomy music of the Etude - paintings in F sharp minor, No. 3 conveys the elements of a raging hurricane with frequent flashes of lightning. Gradually fading at the end of the play, these flashes turn into a mysterious flicker. In Etude - painting in E flat minor, No. 5, the theme of the indomitable elements finds its further development in conflict dramaturgy. Researchers even call this play “Russian Appassionata”.
The final Etude is a painting in D major, No. 9 - this is the only major piece in the cycle. Rachmaninov gave this etude the designation “At the tempo of a march.” The sharp-sounding extended second gives the music of the piece a certain orientalism, similar to an “eastern march”. In the middle part of the etude, a choral melody appears with Russian epic intonations. Gradually, the festive chime, in which the original march phrase dominates, becomes more and more powerful.
The elegiac trio in D minor was created at the end of 1893 under the impression of the death of P. I. Tchaikovsky. The dedication before the title of the Trio reads: “In memory of the great artist.” After finishing work on the Trio, Rachmaninov wrote: “... all my thoughts, feelings and strength belonged to her, to this song. As they say in one of my romances, I was tormented all the time and was sick at heart. I trembled for every sentence, sometimes crossed out absolutely everything and began to think and think again.”
In the music of the Trio, the composer conveyed mournful images of loss, bright memories of the life of the great musician, and philosophical reflections on the transience of life. To realize the monumental concept, a form of two parts was chosen - a sonata allegro and variations with a coda, in which the original theme turns into a funeral march.
Alexander Rachmaninov-Konyus in Ivanovka
Visit of grandson S.V. Rachmaninov, Alexandra Rachmaninova-Konyus, to the Ivanovka Estate Museum, Tambov region, Uvarovsky district. Excerpt from Tony Palmer's documentary: "The Harvest of Sorrow" (1998)
