Great Russian composer, pianist and conductorSergei Vasilyevich Rakhmaninov is the author of a huge number of works of various genres - from sketches to operas. His brilliant music is known all over the world. Famous works of Rachmaninov and today sound in different parts of the world. The composer began to study music at the age of 5, and when he was 13, he was introduced to PI Tchaikovsky, who highly appreciated his talent.
Rachmaninov's works are imbued with romance and lyrics, energy and freedom. A special embodiment in his music is the theme of the Motherland.
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";
- vocal for voice with piano, dedicated to opera singer Antonina Nezhdanova;
- 3 poems ("Prince Rostislav", "The Bells" and "The Island of the Dead");
- 2 symphonies
- five fantasy plays for piano;
- 2 sonatas for piano;
- 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 pieces for choir a capella;
- cliff vantasia.
As well as preludes, etudes, romances, Russian songs and so on.
Student years of the composer
In 1882, Sergey Vasilyevich enteredConservatory in St. Petersburg, and from 1885 he continued his further studies at the Moscow Conservatory at once in two departments - piano and composition. In 1981, Rakhmaninov graduated from the piano department with a gold medal, and a year later he completed his studies as a composer.
The works of Rachmaninoff (list), which he wrote in his student years:
- Concert for piano and orchestra №1;
- Youth Symphony;
- the symphonic poem “Prince Rostislav”, written after the work of A. Tolstoy, which was first performed for the public after the death of the author;
- the opera Aleko, the plot for which was the poem by A.S. Pushkin, became the thesis of Rachmaninov in the department of composition.
Works written in the years 1893-1899
In 1893, Rachmaninoff wrote an elegiac triounder the title “In Memory of a Great Artist”, which is dedicated to Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and was created on the occasion of his death. In this work, one can hear the sorrow of loss and at the same time the fond memories of a great man, as well as philosophical speculations about how fleeting life is. Other works of Rachmaninov, which he wrote in the period from 1893 to 1899: the symphonic fantasy “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 took himself creatively untenable and for several years acted exclusively as a pianist and conductor, he was not engaged in writing music.
1900s in the composer's life
At this time, the composer overcomes the creativecrisis and starts writing again. Since then, begins the most fruitful period in its activities. Rachmaninov’s musical works created during these years:
- second concerto for piano and orchestra;
- sonata for cello and piano;
- the cantata "Spring", which was created on the verses of N. A. Nekrasov;
- Symphony No. 2;
- Concert №3 for piano and orchestra;
- dark symphonic poem “The Island of the Dead”, to which the composer was inspired by a black-and-white copy of the mystical painting by Arnold Becklin.
In the period from 1904 to 1906 Sergey Vasilyevichwrote two one-act operas: “Francesca da Rimini” by 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 receive wide popularity. At the same time, Rachmaninov worked on the opera Monna Bath (to the plot of the play by M. Meterlink), but it remained unfinished.
In 1910 the composer turned to choral music.and wrote the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, in 1913 - the poem "The Bells", and in 1915 - the liturgical composition "All-Night Vigil." Two notebooks of preludes for piano and the same notebooks of “Etudes-pictures” were created.
In 1917, the composer went on tour andback to Russia did not return. Until his death, he lived in the United States. 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 (not very well-known work, which was unsuccessful during the life of the author and was forwarded several times by him), Three Russian Songs (a tragic work in which longing for Russia is invested) , Variations on the theme of Corelli (which have an unusual form for this genre of music), the famous Rhapsody on the theme of Paganini, Symphony No. 3, “Symphonic Dances” for orchestra. Recent works Rachmaninov permeated longing for the motherland.
Romances
The history of the Russian classical romance of the pre-revolutionary era is completed by Rachmaninov’s vocal works. The list of romances written by Sergey Vasilievich in different years:
- “At the gates of the monastery” on verses by M. Yu. Lermontov;
- “In the silence of the night” on the words of A. Feta;
- “Do you remember the evening” verses by AK Tolstoy;
- "April" to translate from the French V. Tushnova;
- “Do not sing, beauty” on the verses of A.S. Pushkin;
- "River Lily" to the words of A. Pleshnev from G. Heine;
- "Spring Waters" verses by F. Tyutchev;
- “Oh, do not be sad” on the words of A. Apukhtin;
- “They answered” to the translation of the poems of Victor Hugo;
- “At night in the garden” to the words of Alexander Blok;
- "Ay" on the words of Balmont.
The most famous works of S. Rachmaninoff
A great legacy left to descendants one ofThe greatest Russian composers - Rachmaninov. The most famous works of Sergei Vasilievich are his three operas, piano concertos, rhapsody on the theme of Paganini, the suite “Symphonic Dances”, vocals for voice accompanied by the piano, the poem “The Bells”, romances.
The famous "Vocalise" is written for a tenor eithersoprano, but still more often it is performed by the owners of soprano. Vocalise is sung without words, on one (any) vowel sound. The piece is also arranged for performance accompanied by an orchestra, for choir and orchestra, for an orchestra without a vocalist, for an instrumental soloist, there are many interpretations of this work.
The Symphonic Dances Suite was written inemigration in 1940 and became the last work of Sergei Vasilyevich, he created it three years before his death. This music is filled with anxiety for the fate of the people who have fallen to the Second World War.
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 the most famous work of Rachmaninoff- This 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 was the basis of this work. The poem consists of four parts of different nature, which reveal the various stages of human life. Parts 1 and 2 (the wedding chime and bells) express undisturbed happiness, parts 3 and 4 are already the alarm, the death knell that sounds tragic. In the first part of the Allegro the tenor soloist; in the second part Lento is the soloist of the soprano - the wedding ringing sounds, and the music tells about love; the third part of Presto performs the choir and orchestra - the alarm sounds, the music expresses fear; in the fourth part, the baritone soloist - here the death knell sounds and music - is the expression of death. According to Rakhmaninov himself, he loved this essay more than any other, and it was he who worked especially enthusiastically.
Opera "Aleko"
Rachmaninov's operas are few.His very first opera, which he wrote while a student at the conservatory, was Aleko after Pushkin’s poem Gypsies. It was a thesis by the composer. The author of the libretto is V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko. The premiere of the opera took place a year later at the Bolshoi Theater and was a great success. Great delight from the opera was the great Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. 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. Gypsies do not reconcile themselves with Aleko’s cruel deed and leave, leaving him alone with his longing.
Rhapsody on the Paganini Theme
Works by Sergei Rachmaninov for piano andThe orchestra is also one of his most famous works. Rhapsody on the theme of Paganini is one of them. Written work is already in exile. It includes 24 variations on the theme of one of the most famous Caprices of Niccolo Paganini - Caprice №24. This is one of the most popular creations of Rachmaninov to this day, it can be heard as a soundtrack to many foreign films.
