Rachmaninoff: Moments musicaux - Études-tableaux, Op. 33 - Variations on a Theme of Corelli
6/5/2012, 15 Tracks, 1:09:17
Featuring
Xiayin Wang
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Did you know?
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Composition History
The Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42, were written during Rachmaninoff's busy touring schedule as a virtuoso in the West, and he felt his inspiration was waning.
Composer Biography
Serge Rachmaninoff's solo piano works are not evenly distributed throughout his life, with a main block composed before he fled Russia in 1917 and later works being transcriptions or variations on others' themes.
Compositional Technique
The title Études-tableaux implies pieces that both paint a picture and serve as musical studies.
Composition History
Rachmaninoff gave 'secret explanations' for some of his Études-tableaux to Ottorino Respighi, an Italian composer who orchestrated some of them.
Composition History
Rachmaninoff composed the Moments musicaux, Op. 16, due to financial difficulties after completing his First Symphony in late 1896.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The Moments musicaux, Op. 16, share Rachmaninoff's characteristic use of stepwise, sometimes scalic patterns, which are traceable to Russian orthodox chant.
Notable Performances
Rachmaninoff would sometimes omit variations from his 'Corelli' Variations during performances if the audience seemed restless.
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