What works did Rachmaninov write? Works of Rachmaninov: list

The great Russian composer, pianist and conductor Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov is the author of a huge number of works of various genres - from etudes to operas. His brilliant music is known all over the world. Famous works of Rachmaninov are still heard today in different parts of the world. The composer began studying music at the age of 5, and when he was 13, he was introduced to P.I. Tchaikovsky, who highly appreciated his talent.

Rachmaninov's works are imbued with romance and lyricism, energy and freedom. The theme of the Motherland finds particular embodiment in his music.

Works of Rachmaninov - list

Here is a list of works that the composer gave to the world:

four concertos for piano and orchestra;
three symphonies;
three operas;
suite “Symphonic Dances”;
vocalise for voice accompanied by piano, dedicated to the opera singer Antonina Nezhdanova;
3 poems (“Prince Rostislav”, “Bells” and “Island of the Dead”);
2 symphonies
five fantasy pieces for piano;
2 piano sonatas;
sonata and two pieces for cello and piano;
capriccio on gypsy themes;
two pieces for cello and piano;
cantata "Spring";
six pieces for piano four hands
2 works for choir acapella;
Vantasia "Cliff".

And also preludes, etudes, romances, Russian songs and so on.

The composer's student years

In 1882, Sergei Vasilyevich entered the conservatory in St. Petersburg, and from 1885 he continued his further studies at the Moscow Conservatory in two departments at once - piano and composition. In 1981, Rachmaninov graduated from the piano department with a gold medal, and a year later he completed his studies as a composer.

Works of Rachmaninov (list), which were written by him during his student years:

piano concerto No. 1;
Youth Symphony;
the symphonic poem “Prince Rostislav”, based on which was first performed for the public after the death of the author;
opera “Aleko”, the plot of which was the poem by A.S. Pushkin, became Rachmaninov’s diploma work at the composition department.

Works written in 1893-1899

In 1893, Rachmaninov wrote an Elegiac Trio entitled "In Memory of the Great Artist", which is dedicated to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and created on the occasion of his death. In this work one can hear the grief of loss and at the same time bright memories of a great man, as well as philosophical discussions about how fleeting life is. Other works by Rachmaninoff, which he wrote between 1893 and 1899: symphonic fantasy “The Cliff”, Musical Moments for piano, prelude for piano in C sharp minor. The year 1895 was marked by the writing of Symphony No. 1, which premiered only two years after its creation. The symphony failed, the composer perceived himself as creatively incompetent and for several years he performed exclusively as a pianist and conductor and did not write music.

1900s in the creative life of the composer

At this time, the composer overcomes and begins to write again. From then on, the most fruitful period in his activities began. Rachmaninov, created during these years:

second concerto for piano and orchestra;
sonata for cello and piano;
cantata “Spring”, which was created based on poems by N. A. Nekrasov;
Symphony No. 2;
Concerto No. 3 for piano and orchestra;
a gloomy symphonic poem “Island of the Dead”, which the composer was inspired by a black and white copy of a mystical painting by Arnold Böcklin.

In the period from 1904 to 1906, Sergei Vasilyevich wrote two one-act operas: “Francesca da Rimini” based on Dante and “The Miserly Knight” based on the work of A. S. Pushkin. In 1906, both operas were staged at the Bolshoi Theater, but did not gain wide popularity. At the same time, Rachmaninov was working on the opera “Monna Vanna” (based on the play by M. Maeterlinck), but it remained unfinished.

In 1910, the composer turned to choral music and wrote the Liturgy of the Saint in 1913 - the poem "Bells", and in 1915 - the liturgical composition "All-Night Vigil". Two notebooks of preludes for piano and the same number of notebooks of “Etudes-Paintings” were created.

In 1917, the composer went on tour and did not return to Russia. Until his death he lived in the USA. In the first nine years of his life in exile, Sergei Vasilyevich did not write music. After these nine years, he wrote Concerto No. 4 for piano and orchestra (a not very well-known work, which did not have success during the author’s lifetime and was revised several times by himself), “Three Russian Songs” (a tragic work in which longing for Russia is embedded) , Variations on a Theme of Corelli (which have an unusual form for this genre of music), the famous Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Symphony No. 3, “Symphonic Dances” for orchestra. Rachmaninov's last works are permeated with longing for the Motherland.

Romances

The history of Russian classical romance of the pre-revolutionary era is completed by the vocal works of Rachmaninoff. List of romances written by Sergei Vasilyevich in different years:

“At the gates of the monastery” based on poems by M. Yu. Lermontov;
“In the Silence of the Night” to the words of A. Fet;
“Do you remember the evening” based on poems by A.K. Tolstoy;
“April” translated from French by V. Tushnova;
“Don’t sing, beauty” based on poems by A. S. Pushkin;
“River Lily” to the words of A. Pleshnev from G. Heine;
“Spring Waters” based on poems by F. Tyutchev;
“Oh, don’t be sad” to the words of A. Apukhtin;
“They Answered” a translation of Victor Hugo’s poems;
“At Night in the Garden” to lyrics by Alexander Blok;
“Aw” to Balmont’s words.

The most famous works of S. Rachmaninov

One of the greatest Russian composers, Rachmaninov, left a huge legacy to his descendants. The most famous works of Sergei Vasilyevich are his three operas, piano concertos, a rhapsody on a theme by Paganini, the suite “Symphonic Dances”, vocalise for voice accompanied by piano, the poem “Bells”, romances.

The famous “Vocalise” was written for a tenor or soprano, but still more often it is performed by sopranos. Vocalise is sung without words, on one (any) vowel sound. The work is also arranged for performance accompanied by an orchestra, for a choir with an orchestra, for an orchestra without a vocalist, for an instrumental soloist, there are many interpretations of this work.

The suite “Symphonic Dances” was written in exile in 1940 and became Sergei Vasilyevich’s last work; he created it three years before his death. This music is all permeated with anxiety for the fate of people who suffered the Second World War.

The opera “Francesca da Rimini” - its plot is taken from Dante’s Divine Comedy. The author of the libretto for this opera was M. I. Tchaikovsky.

Poem "Bells"

Perhaps Rachmaninoff's most famous work is the symphonic poem "The Bells". It is written for three soloists (baritone, tenor, soprano), choir and symphony orchestra. Edgar Poe's poem of the same name served as the basis for this work. The poem consists of four parts of different nature, which reveal different stages of human life. Parts 1 and 2 (wedding chimes and bells) express serene happiness, parts 3 and 4 are already an alarm bell, a death knell that sounds tragic. In the first movement of the Allegro the tenor is the soloist; in the second part Lento is the soloist - wedding bells sound and the music talks about love; the third part of Presto is performed by a choir and orchestra - the alarm sounds, the music expresses fear; in the fourth movement the baritone is the soloist - here the death knell sounds and the music is an expression of death. According to Rachmaninov himself, it was this composition that he loved more than any other and it was this composition that he created with particular passion.

Opera "Aleko"

Rachmaninov's operatic works are few in number. His very first opera, which he wrote as a student at the conservatory, was “Aleko” based on A. Pushkin’s poem “Gypsies”. This was the composer's graduation work. The author of the libretto is V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko. The opera premiered a year later at the Bolshoi Theater and was a great success. The great Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was very delighted with the opera. In the story, the beautiful gypsy Zemfira cheats on her husband Aleko with a young gypsy whom she fell in love with. Aleko, in anger, kills Zemfira's lover and herself. The gypsies do not accept Aleko’s cruel act and leave, leaving him alone with his melancholy.

Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Sergei Rachmaninoff's works for piano and orchestra are also some of his most famous works. Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is one of them. The work was written while in exile. It includes 24 variations on the theme of one of the most famous Caprices by Nicolo Paganini - Caprice No. 24. This is one of Rachmaninov’s most popular creations to this day; it can be heard as a soundtrack to many foreign films.

The diversity of S.V. Rachmaninov’s talent was expressed in the guises of a conductor, composer, and performer, although the composer himself often said that he was afraid of not finding himself, and at the end of his life he wrote:

“...I haven’t found myself...”

This composer is called one of the most outstanding melodists. He himself said:

“I would like to sing the theme on the piano the way a singer would sing it.”

V. Bryantseva notes the organic combination in his melody of already formed aphorism with just emerging breadth of breathing, processuality, embodying the features of the original Russian epic melodies. This is how Rachmaninoff’s original “dali melodies” (B. Asafiev) are born with a complex interaction of individual dramatic and song-generalized lyrical principles.

This is a lyrical-epic melody of a new type, bearing dramatic potential, whose nature is in a special ratio and rapid mutual switching of static and dynamic methods of development (L. Mazel).

Rachmaninov's melody is always connected with folk origins, themes of the homeland, and the bell ringing of Russia.

From the rich heritage, covering a wide range of genres and themes, we will dwell on only a few works of the composer:

Piano works of S.V. Rachmaninov

In the master's work, piano works form the most important part; most of them were written in Russia. The image of a sounding piano created by him serves to convey the depth of existence itself. Having introduced bell images that have a philosophical and ideological meaning, the composer affirms them in piano music culture as an Eternal Theme.

Fantasy plays (op. 3, 1892) include the plays: “Elegy”, “Prelude”, “Melody”, “Punichinelle”, “Serenade”. The cycle celebrates the combination of the individuality of Rachmaninov's language and the connection with its predecessors. In “Elegy” there are features of Chopin’s melodicism and Schubert’s songfulness; Liszt’s sarcasm and grotesquery are in “Open China.”

“Six Musical Moments” (1896) is the embodiment of Rachmaninov’s idea of affirming an optimistic principle. At first they were created as separate works, then they were combined into a cycle according to the principle of developing the image from darkness to light. The peak of darkness and tragedy is No. 3; further, the path of development of the image passes through stormy excitement in No. 4 - to the lyrics in No. 5, reaching the climax (triumph of light) in No. 6.

Etudes-paintings (six etudes-paintings, op.33, 1911; nine etudes-paintings, op.39, 1916-1917) are basically “sketches”; they have a conditional relationship to the sketch genre as such.

Preludes by Rachmaninoff

Traditionally, foreplay has been thought of in connection with two ways of being:

as an introduction to a fugue (in cycles, for example, by J.S. Bach);
miniature (in the works of Chopin, Lyadov).

In Rachmaninov’s work, a third direction in the life of the genre appears:

— independent large-scale play.

In the cycles of preludes there is a combination of three principles: lyric, epic and dramatic. They cover a wide range of images, are distinguished by virtuosity, brilliance, extensive forms, and monumentality; They do not have program names.

A comparison of the cycles of preludes (ten preludes op. 23, 1903 and thirteen preludes op. 32, 1910) demonstrates changes in the relationship between figurative spheres and emotions in music: the moods of light poetic lyrics characteristic of the earlier cycle are replaced in the later by an increasing role of disturbing, dramatic, fatal; also - majestic epic and increasing the brightness of the national color. This influences the manner of piano writing: increased monumentality and richness of colors give it orchestral features.

Sonatas

The piano sonata genre as a whole was not typical for this composer, unlike his contemporaries. Snata No. 1 in d-moll (op. 28, 1907) (like No. 2 in b-moll, op. 36, 1913) impresses with its depth, although it is not among the most performed and popular works.

Concertos for piano and orchestra

Before Rachmaninov, the genre of the piano concerto was realized in the works of Balakirev and Rubinstein, but was not decisive for anyone. For this composer, this genre became one of the most important, absorbing the entire figurative world of his work. One of the most important features is the unity of three principles in his concerts (as in preludes): lyrical, epic and dramatic.

The piano concertos of S.V. Rachmaninov can be called a unique result of his work: they summarized what the composer accumulated in preludes, symphonies, etc. This is mainly -

monumentality,
concert performance,
virtuosity.

He symphonizes his 4 concerts, marking the most important milestones in his work, picking up this tradition from Tchaikovsky.

No. 1 (fis-moll, 1891)– graduation from the conservatory. The first piano concert, marked by sincere, emotional lyrics, was successfully received;

Second Piano Concerto (C-moll, 1901) marked the exit from the crisis and opened a mature period of creativity. As a sign of gratitude, the composer dedicates it to V. Dahl, a psychotherapist and hypnotist, who managed to convince him of the inevitable success of the work;

Third Piano Concerto (d minor, 1909) denotes one of the peaks of the composer’s entire work. Its true meaning will be understood only with time (then it will be ranked among the greatest masterpieces of Russian piano music of the 20th century);

No. 4 (g-moll, 1926), dedicated to N. Medtner, it was created over many years, summarizing creative quests.

Often included among the concerts is “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” (a-moll, 1934), where its inherent concert quality allows the work to “rightfully be considered the Fifth Concerto” (written in the form of variations).

Symphonies of Rachmaninoff

(No. 1, d-moll, 1895; No. 2, e-moll, 1906-1907; No. 3, a-moll, 1935-1936)

The first symphony of S.V. Rachmaninov was not accepted by his contemporaries, marking a turning point in the master’s work: its execution was a failure. The work is monumental, going back to the lyrical-dramatic symphonism of Tchaikovsky, the imagery and complex of musical expressive means of the composers (in combination with the features of the author’s individual style). Failure becomes a strong blow for the composer, causing long-term depression. The composer wrote:

“After this Symphony, I didn’t compose anything for about three years. He was like a man who had suffered a blow and whose head and arms were lost for a long time...”

Music of the Second Symphony reveals the majestic and sad image of Rus', epic monumentality and breadth are combined with the soulful depth of the lyrics.

Moods Third Symphony express tragedy and fatality, they are filled with longing for what was lost (as in the “Symphonic Dances”, the theme of the medieval sequence “Dies irae” (“Day of Wrath”) sounds here, firmly entrenched in the musical consciousness as a symbol of death and rock.

"Symphonic Dances" is the composer’s last work, written in 1940, when the breath of World War II had already touched Europe.

Vocal and choral creativity

The vocal work of S.V. Rachmaninov as a whole is marked by a tendency towards a gradual strengthening of the role of the declamatory principle (cycle of romances op. 26, 1906; in subsequent cycles op. 34 and 38 this tendency will manifest itself even more clearly).

One of the most significant philosophical works of the composer is the poem “Bells” for orchestra, choir and soloists. Edgar Poe in a free retelling by Balmont (1913). This work - an example of a mixed genre that combines the features of a symphony and an oratorio.

The other side of the composer’s ideological aspirations in "All-Night Vigil"(1915, for a capella choir) based on the canonized liturgical text. Its most important feature is the deep nationality of its figurative structure and intonation content. The composer here uses the melodies of Znamenny and other ancient chants, realizing discoveries in the field of polyphonic choral presentation, harmonization of musical fabric, and its intonational nature.

Rachmaninov's operatic work

The operas “The Miserly Knight” (1905, based on the text of the tragedy by A. Pushkin) and “Francesca da Rimini” (1905, after Dante, libretto by Tchaikovsky), containing signs of the small opera genre, are based on tragedy. In addition, in 1906 the composer created the opera “Salambo” (libretto by M. Slonov, now lost), and from 1907. worked on the opera “Mona Vanna” (based on Maeterlinck), but left it unfinished, no longer turning to the opera genre in his work.

Maintaining a close connection with tradition throughout his entire creative career, composer S.V. Rachmaninov developed, updated, and rethought them in his works. The highest evaluation criteria for him are spontaneity and sincerity of expression, which, in interaction with the extraordinary beauty, depth and power of impact of his music, make it immortal and relevant, placing it above the boundaries of time.

For this topic we have prepared an online crossword puzzle about the music of this master -

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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 on 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 accompaniment texture, 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 acquires 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.

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 Rachmaninoffs. 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 Rachmaninoff. 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)

Rachmaninov's romances rival his piano works in popularity. Rachmaninov wrote about 80 romances. Most of them were written on texts by Russian lyric poets of the second half of the 19th century and the turn of the 20th century, and only a little more than a dozen on poems by poets of the 1st half of the 19th century. - Pushkin, Koltsova, Shevchenko in Russian translation.

He interpreted romance as an area of expression of lyrical feelings and moods. Occupies a very special place in Rachmaninov’s vocal lyrics. "Vocalize", written in 1915 (dedicated to the great singer Nezhdanova). The breadth of the melody, the leisurely and seemingly “endless” nature of its development speaks of the connection of “Vocalise” with Russian plangent song. 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.

"Lilac"(lyrics by Beketova) is one of the most precious pearls of Rachmaninov’s lyrics. The music of this romance is marked by exceptional naturalness and simplicity, a remarkable fusion of lyrical feelings and images of nature.

Romance "It is nice here"(lyrics by Galina) also belongs to the outstanding examples of Rachmaninov’s lightly contemplative lyrical works. This romance reveals with great clarity the fluidity of musical development characteristic of the composer's mature romance style. The romance is built “in one breath.” The music of the romance is particularly spiritual and expressive.

"In the silence of a secret night"(words by A. A. Fet) is a very typical example of love lyrics. The dominant sensual and passionate tone is already determined in the instrumental introduction.
Rachmaninov's romances have long and firmly entered the golden fund of Russian classics, rivaling in popularity with works for piano. It was in the romances - the pearls of vocal lyrics - that the composer's melodic genius was most clearly manifested: wide chanting and expressive "infinity" of the melody, sensual expression and brightness of national color. It is noteworthy that during 25 years of creativity in Russia (until 1917), Sergei Rachmaninov wrote more than eighty romances, but over the next quarter of a century abroad he did not create a single one.

Lilac

sl. E. Beketova - Spanish Irina Arkhipova

It is nice here

sl. G. Galina - Spanish Alibek Dnishev

Migratory wind

sl. K. Balmont - Spanish Irina Arkhipova

In front of the icon

sl. A. Golenishchev-Kutuzov - Spanish. Valentina Levko

April

sl. E. Payeron - Spanish Pavel Lisitsian

In the soul of each of us

sl. N. Minsky - Spanish Vladimir Zakharov