The analysis of Rachmaninoff prelude (Research Paper Sample)

The Analysis of Rachmaninoff Prelude in C Sharp Minor
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Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Introduction PAGEREF _Toc381720201 \h 3The Analysis of Rachmaninoff Prelude in C Sharp Minor PAGEREF _Toc381720202 \h 5Discussion PAGEREF _Toc381720203 \h 10Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc381720204 \h 15References PAGEREF _Toc381720205 \h 17
Introduction
The prelude of Rachmaninoff in C sharp minor is one of the most expertly crafted pieces of music by Sergei Rachmaninoff. This composition anticipates the later musical technique of Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff has dedicated this prelude to his teacher named Arensky. This prelude was being so frequently played by Rachmaninoff that he had become somewhat exhausted by this prelude.
In this paper the analysis of Rachmaninoff’s prelude in C sharp minor will be done. In doing this analysis, the several different recordings of the prelude will be compared on the basis of their rhythm, harmony, melody, form, timbre, texture and dynamics.
Sergei Rachmaninoff is considered as one of the brightest and the dazzling musical stars of the 20th century. He was a great music composer, a legendary and a celebrated pianist and a masterful orchestra conductor. Rachmaninoff should undoubtedly be believed as the last among all the romantic Russian composers CITATION Mag99 \l 1033 (Magill & Aves, 1999).
Considering Rachmaninoff’s family, Rachmaninoff cannot be considered as the first person who has entered in the field of music. Rachmaninoff’s grandfather has studied with John Field, a well known Irish music composer and he himself was also a well known and a gifted pianist CITATION Rob01 \l 1033 (Cunningham, 2001).
Rachmaninoff’s family has shifted to Moscow, in the year 1885 CITATION Dan04 \l 1033 (Glover, 2004). In the year 1891, Rachmaninoff earned his graduation degree from the highly acclaimed Moscow State Conservatory as pianist, the year Rachmaninoff finished his very initial piano concerto. The conservatory spell of Rachmaninoff has marked the starting point of the very first stage in his compositional profession. During that period of time, besides Aleko and his initial piano concerto; Rachmaninoff has also composed such great art pieces like, Morceaux de fantaisie, 1892’s Op. 3, which consists of the well known and the most celebrated C- sharp minor prelude, Elegiac Trio, Morceaux de salon and many others CITATION Jul13 \l 1033 (Murray, 2013).
In the year 1897, these favorable initial years of Rachmaninoff has come to a sudden end after the tragic failure of his very initial symphony. He then got treatment from Dr. Nicholas Dahl, a renowned psychotherapist of that time. Rachmaninoff was successful in repossessing his creative voice and had written his eternal 2nd piano concerto. In the year 1900, this piano concerto has achieved success at an international level.
But once again, there were some sudden changes in the life of Rachmaninoff. Because of the 1917’s revolution, he left Russia and then he adopted a full time profession in the West, as a pianist in different concerts.
After the arrival of Rachmaninoff in the New York in the year 1918, he signed a deal with Edison Company, in order to make his very initial recording. Rachmaninoff was really insecure and nervous in his first recording, having no knowledge of the recording practice. So at the New York studio of the Edison Company, in April; year 1919, Rachmaninoff was able to record a really small number of compositions, after several different takes.
The Edison Company forced Rachmaninoff to play on a piano kept in an upright position. Further, Rachmaninoff wanted the company to only publish the superior quality takes, but the takes which consists of shameful mistakes and slips were also being published by the Edison Company. Thus it was said that 1920 records of the Edison Company have got a large number of defects and there was also found a very high level of noise in the recordings which has toned down all the subtlety of the music.
Rachmaninoff was highly disheartened and discouraged with his first recording experience. On 21st April, year 1920, the second deal was being signed by Rachmaninoff with Victor. Here, Rachmaninoff was granted a leverage of having artistic authority over the launch of the record and Victor has also offered Rachmaninoff a significant and a worthwhile contract.
In the starting, Victor had refrained from duplicating the recordings of the Edison. But in the year 1923, Rachmaninoff’s prelude in C sharp minor was again recorded. The well known system of Wester Electric was originated for the purpose of making electric recordings in the year 1925. Rachmaninoff was among the very few artists who had firstly made recordings on an electric piano. But once again, the prelude was considered as of an inferior priority and till the year 1928; there was no electric regeneration of this prelude CITATION The97 \l 1033 (Anon., 1997).
The Analysis of Rachmaninoff Prelude in C Sharp Minor
Rachmaninoff prelude in C sharp minor is one of his most admired pieces of art. He has composes it at such a tender age of 19. At that time, money was a real serious need for Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff’s first performance of his prelude in C sharp minor has taken place at Moscow Electrical Exposition, on 26th of September, year 1892. This work of art is a severely intense piece and it was presented in the form of ternary, along with coda CITATION Mur87 \l 1033 (Baylor, 1987).
The Aristotle magazine has reported about this concert in these words:
The involvement of S. V. Rachmaninoff has contributed an extraordinary interest to this concert. Rachmaninoff has earned his graduation degree from Moscow Conservatory in this spring. A group of solitary numbers, inclusive of a prelude from the Rachmaninoff’s very own composition has created a lot of excitement and passion in the concert (Bertensson, et al., 1956).
Likewise, the Musical Opinion magazine has praised Rachmaninoff in these words:
When talking about the extraordinarily and unexpectedly famous works, the first two things which come to the minds are Sergei Rachmaninoff and the prelude of Rachmaninoff in C sharp minor. The popularity of this specific piece of music is undoubtedly due to the preferably sensational essence of music; and additionally to the fact that it appears much tougher than the prelude literally is (Thiman & H., 1926).
The A section consists of melodious and ringing chords just like a bell, which had become a monogram of Rachmaninoff. It is slow, melodic and rhythmic. This section is being conveyed in huge and dark chords. The theme of the prelude, i.e. the Bells of Moscow, has offered no relief in its outrageous gloom. Alternatively, it proceeds to satisfyingly proclaim its charming pessimism.
The section B marked agitato, and it is highly impassioned and ends with the interlinked triplet thirds and chords of Lisztian. Then again the A section comes back with a texture that is thicker in nature, using 4 staves; despite of the fact that traditionally only 2 staves were being used. In each of the chord, the five measure short coda comprises of the usual C sharp; hence successfully creating a mood that is really calm and soothing, despite of the altering harmonies, that happen inside it CITATION Mur85 \l 1033 (Baylor, 1985).
The c sharp minor prelude has ended with a quiet and a short coda having seven measures. The basic aim of this coda is to highlight the impact of conclusion at the finishing of the movement. The coda of the prelude has undoubtedly added many new elements to the musical form of the prelude and has illustrated the 4th significant division in the structure of the prelude. Yet, the movement of the volume and the pitch has hardly strays away from tonic.
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1: C Sharp Minor Prelude CITATION she14 \l 1033 (Anon., n.d.)
When Rachmaninoff was asked to explain that what he was trying to communicate with the help of this prelude, he replied that it was not linked with any sort of past events. In fact he had just solely written the music.
When this prelude is being compared with the other piano performances by Rachmaninoff, then it can very easily be said that it is not as much challenging and demanding. That is the sole reason that a lot of average pianists have always loved to perform it. CITATION Mur88 \l 1033 (Baylor, 1988)
Rachmaninoff also said about himself that he was really gratified and contented at the feeling that he was the very first prime composer to be successfully able to walk out on the ultimate recordings of each of his significant art works. Without any doubt a large number of Rachmaninoff’s recordings are traditionally very remarkable, and have persisted as among very few of the remaining audio records from time period of the passionate composer- performers, a path that has been kept undamaged since the time of Mozart, and concluding with Rachmaninoff. CITATION Nea12 \l 1033 (Costa, 2012)
In this paper, firstly the three different recordings of Rachmaninoff will be analyzed. These three recordings include Rachmaninoff’s initial recording with the Edison Company, after it his recording with the Victor and then Rachmaninoff’s third recording on an electric piano. Moreover, the other three recordings of the C sharp minor prelude that can be analyzed are the Emil Gilels recording of C sharp prelude, Vladimir Ashkenazy’s explanation of preludes that were recorded between the years of 1974 and 1975 and then finally the most contemporary recording of Boris Berezovsky, which was released in the year 2005.
The several unique differences among these recordings can be analyzed and an attempt can be made to interpret these rec...