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Sergei Rachmaninoff

Sergei Rachmaninoff. Composer, Conductor, and Performer. Childhood. Born April 1, 1873 in Russia Mother taught his first piano lessons Later taught by Anna Ornatskaya Completed his schooling in a music conservatory. Wrote his still-famous opera, Aleko , while attending. Career.

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Sergei Rachmaninoff

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  1. Sergei Rachmaninoff Composer, Conductor, and Performer

  2. Childhood • Born April 1, 1873 in Russia • Mother taught his first piano lessons • Later taught by Anna Ornatskaya • Completed his schooling in a music conservatory. • Wrote his still-famous opera, Aleko, while attending.

  3. Career • Upon graduation, Sergei was an active composer and performer until 1897. • His first Symphony debuted in March 1897, and was not well-received. • The poor receipt of his symphony launched him into 3-year depression • After receiving hypnotherapy, he was able to write again and wrote his Piano Concerto no.2

  4. Career • While composing again, Sergei was the conductor of the Bolshoi Theater until 1906. • When the Revolution began, Sergei and his music were banned from Russia • He took his family on to Denmark for a short time, then to New York. • Sergei finished his career mostly performing and making recordings, with a little composing.

  5. Performance Style • Showed extreme enthusiasm in each piece he performed • Compositions influenced by hymn, chant, folk songs, and his sister’s compositions • Known for precision in rhythm, staccato, and clarity • Large hands helped him maintain clarity

  6. Performance Style “Interpretation demands something of the creative instinct. If you are a composer, you have an affinity with other composers. You can make contact with their imaginations, knowing something of their problems and their ideals. You can give their works color. That is the most important thing for me in my interpretations, color. So you make music live. Without color it is dead.” -Rachmaninoff

  7. History of Work • Piano Concerto no. 4 movement 1 in g minor • Uncharacteristic lack of easy to notice melody • Lots of chromatic scales used and jazz- like style • Dedicated to Nikolai Medtner, a contemporary of Rachmoninoff. • Underwent two revisions after initial composition

  8. Listening Guide • To listen to the concerto, go to this link: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI-crGUPyhs • 0:00 The first 21 seconds of the recording I found were silent. • 0:21 The orchestra begins the piece with the woodwind and string instruments playing successive major scales, ascending in pitch each time a new one begins. • 0:26 Trumpets begin a triplet rhythm and set up for piano entrance. • 0:28 Piano comes in and begins to play a basic ascending melody. • 0:40 Other symphony instruments join the piano on the accented notes, accentuating them even further. • 0:50 Piano slows down and allows for the symphony to come in just as in the beginning. • 1:00 Piano repeats beginning phrases. • 1:22 Pianist begins integrating chromatic scales with the melody. • 1:34 Oboe and piano interplay a sort of duet, each taking a different spin on the melody each time they take their turn.

  9. Listening Guide • 1:42 Now it is the flute’s turn to take over with the piano in the same playful style. • 2:02 Piano begins a rhythmic trill entertaining ideas that something new is coming. • 2:04 Oboe takes on the melody while the piano plays descending scales, but starting on new pitches on each count to keep the listener guessing. • 2:10 Piano gives way to oboe which has the melody. • 2:22 Lower brass instruments join oboe. • 2:27 Piano comes back in featuring a simple right-handed melody with an arpeggioed left-hand accompaniment. As the pianist gains momentum, more notes are added to the underlying workings of the melody.

  10. Listening Guide • 3:00 Clarinet comes back in to take over the melody while the piano plays accompanying rhythms. • 3:10 Piano takes on the melody using octaves, making a stronger statement and fuller sound, while the symphony accompanies softly in the background, playing almost a different song that somehow all work together. • 3:43 One single note from the flute marks a new overall feel in this part of the piece. The piano begins a descending, but playful scale that makes one think that it’s playtime. • 3:48 Instruments play a playful theme back and forth. The piano plays an eight-note melody while the other instruments answer back with two. This continues on different starting pitches. As the theme continues, the piano adds more notes to add variety. • 4:04 Trumpets take on the lead of a new theme with the piano answering. • 4:10 Piano begins to take on a sort of jazz feel with its extensive use of chromatic scales and improvisation-like style, with the symphony and piano exchanging turns at the spotlight. • 4:58 This part of the piece reaches new heights with an accented chord from the symphony and a fast trill from the piano.

  11. Listening Guide • 5:06 The mood changes again with the left hand of the piano takes over the melody which consists of half steps played in octaves, producing a darker, more foreboding feeling. As the melody continues, it becomes higher and higher and more and more complex. • 5:52 The symphony slowly makes its entrance again beginning with playing the same notes as the piano does, adding to the fullness of the piano notes. • 6:13 The trumpets come in with the melody while the piano continues the trills it began a few moments ago. • 6:20 The piano melody and the trumpet melody collide, in a sense, into a polyphonic texture. • 6:29 Piano again brings back the beginning theme, but this time is broken up by eighth notes as the rest of the instruments come in and begin again the back and forth with the piano. • 7:07 The piano begins an almost dreamlike section, with jumping octaves and running scales. • 7:29 The flute continues the dream by taking over and producing a sweet, conjunct melody. The French horns also take a turn at the melody.

  12. Listening Guide • 7:50 The piano takes us to a familiar theme, just introduced with the jumping octaves, and the clarinet comes in again to help out with the melody. • 8:02 Strings come in and act as a bridge between the clarinet and the piano. • 8:18 The piano fades out and lets the symphony take over with the same melody that has been heard the past few moments, then the piano comes back in with the same ascending chromatic scales that were heard in the beginning of the piece. • 9:00 Piano takes over a harp-like tone, while the violins take over in a minor tune. • 9:38 Clarinet comes back in as a reoccurring theme. • 9:50 As the clarinet fades out, the orchestra and piano combine to create the climax of this great movement, and end all together in a great accent.

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