Rachmaninov's complete set of 24 Preludes, though written somewhat haphazardly, maintains stylistic consistency and is unified by connecting 'cells' of stepwise motion, particularly recalling the C sharp minor Prelude.
Composer Biography
Rachmaninov, at age thirteen, was accepted as a pupil by Nikolai Zverev at the Moscow Conservatory, despite lacking systematic musical training, and graduated with the highest honors as a pianist within four years.
Performer Biography
Leon McCawley, the pianist on this recording, achieved prominence in 1993 by winning First Prize in the International Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna and Second Prize in the Leeds International Piano Competition at age nineteen.
Composer Biography
Rachmaninov's father, Vassily, squandered the family's substantial resources on madcap business ventures, leading to the sale of all their estates and his abandonment of the family.
Composition History
Rachmaninov's muse for composition returned after a course in hypnotherapy under Dr Nikolai Dahl in Moscow in 1900, following a period of disinterest after the disastrous premiere of his First Symphony.
Cultural Impact
Rachmaninov's Prelude in C sharp minor became so universally popular that he heard a jazz version played by the Paul Whiteman band in New York and was often forced to play it as an encore during his tours.
Composition History
Rachmaninov's professional debut on October 9, 1892, at the Moscow Electrical Exposition, coincided with the first performance of his most famous composition, the Prelude in C sharp minor.
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