Rachmaninoff composed his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43, in a concentrated burst of creativity between July 3 and August 18, 1934.
Composer Biography
The celebrated cellist Anatoly Brandukov, who was 14 years Rachmaninoff's senior and a close friend, was the best man at Rachmaninoff's wedding in 1902.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rachmaninoff, though revered for his piano compositions, also possessed a remarkable ability to create soaring, vocal melodies throughout his musical output.
Composer Biography
Rachmaninoff often retreated to the countryside to compose, finding that quiet and solitude were more conducive to his creativity.
Compositional Technique
Rachmaninoff's only sonata for a solo instrument other than piano is the Sonata in G Minor for Cello and Piano, which features a piano part as challenging as his piano concerti.
Instruments
Cellist John-Henry Crawford performs on a rare 200-year-old European cello, which was smuggled out of Austria by his grandfather, Dr. Robert Popper, who evaded Kristallnacht in 1938.
Compositional Technique
Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, Op.34, No.14, is unusual because it has no text; the vocalist chooses a vowel sound to articulate the imploring melody, treating the voice like an instrument.
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