Album insights
Towards the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century, the piano prelude had already become a well-established genre. It was often either combined with a fugue in a baroque manner by composers like Mendelssohn, Liszt, and Brahms, or more commonly existed as a standalone work. Some composers, following Chopin's op. 28 model, grouped preludes in a cycle of 24 works in all major and minor keys. These preludes typically were short, non-programmatic pieces, allowing performers and listeners flexibility in interpretation. They served a range of purposes, from elegant musical calling cards at private soirées to rousing encores at grand public concerts.
Rachmaninov's 24 Preludes mostly align with the latter type. Leveraging the power of a grand concert grand piano, they fill even the largest concert halls with orchestral depth. Often beginning impressively, these pieces gradually unfold their true range of textures, creating a breathtaking effect. Mastering Rachmaninov's preludes presents a dual challenge for performers—exploring both the athletic and poetic aspects of the works—which also make them suitable for demanding music school requirements and international competitions.
While Skrjabin's earlier preludes closely echoed Chopin, Rachmaninov's preludes drew inspiration from Liszt, being at least twice as long. Though Rachmaninov's pieces leaned towards confessional works, exploring themes of heroic struggle and desire, contrasting Skrjabin's later, more mystical pieces. Notably, Rachmaninov's works exude emotional intensity throughout, delving into the complexities of human emotions.
The C-sharp minor Prelude spotlights these characteristics conspicuously. Composed in the autumn of 1892 by Rachmaninov, who had recently received a prestigious gold medal, its popularity quickly soared, especially in Britain and the USA. Its Lisztian depiction of bells captures attention, while the layered textures and pauses allow audiences to savor the harmonics of chord overtones. The piece's ability to achieve maximum impact from minimal substance, a hallmark of Rachmaninov's work (often criticized by some), proved irresistible to audiences, who could attempt to reproduce its effects at home on their pianos.
Rachmaninov had accepted a one-time payment for the C-sharp minor Prelude without international copyright protection, leading to no financial gains despite numerous arrangements and reissues of the piece. Even as jazz versions emerged, he found joy in listening to them. When a fan sent a postcard suggesting the piece described "the tortures of a man being nailed alive in a coffin," he chose not to disillusion her. Whatever associations the composer held for this piece, it wouldn't be a quintessential Rachmaninov work without the emotional turmoil depicted, especially evident in the lyrical middle section that concludes the repeated use of the "bells," affirming their role as symbols of fate once more.
Ten years later, Rachmaninov returned to the genre, buoyed by artistic highs after overcoming a two-year creative block and composing his 2nd Piano Concerto. This artistic expression is reflected in the ten Preludes of his op. 23, penned between 1901 and 1903, with the renowned G minor Prelude, No. 5, kicking off the series. Rachmaninov drew on personal experiences for emotional fuel, including his interrupted privileged upbringing and rigorous piano training under Zverev and Siloti. Despite a dislike for assignments, he honed his composition skills under Sergei Taneyev, becoming adept at crafting textures of immense grandeur without resorting to superficial sensationalism.
The opening Preludes of op. 23 serve as prototype pieces for the entire cycle. The sighing motifs of the slow F-sharp minor piece set a melancholic, introspective tone, while the florid arpeggios, untamed chords, and lush cadences of the swift B major Prelude convey a determination to overcome adversity. The subsequent Preludes maintain this established tone: No. 4 resembles a Schumannesque Song without Words, while the famous G minor Alla marcia juxtaposes melting lyricism with militant energy. Rachmaninov's mastery of embellished accompaniment shines in the sighing, lyrical E-flat major Prelude. The extensively unfolding Bach-style C minor Prelude showcases Rachmaninov's brilliance. The final three Preludes of the op. 23 cycle are by no means an anticlimax, each offering unique musical journeys.
Unlike Chopin, Scriabin, and even Shostakovich, Rachmaninov did not systematically arrange his Preludes by key. The decision to complete the cycle of 24 pieces may have occurred when he composed the 13 Preludes of his Opus 32 in 1910. There are informal tonal relationships between the Préludes, especially in the Opus 32 cycle, where eight Preludes are paired with contrasting modes. The variability in tempos and moods across the cycles allows all 24 Preludes to be performed as a concert program by a bold pianist.
The C major Prelude often starts these cycles, initiating Rachmaninov's Op. 32 Preludes. While not as frenetic as Liszt's Transcendental Etudes, it still poses a challenge, courtesy of the ascending motifs countering Rachmaninov's usual descending figures. An unexplored neoclassical model emerges in the swaying Siciliano rhythm of the B minor Prelude, No. 2. Constructed on two accelerating waves, it struggles to shake off melancholy while avoiding a conclusion in stoic resignation.
The lively E major Allegro vivace bursts forth energetically, resembling a solo adaptation of a Brandenburg Concerto. Ghosts of Gigue might haunt the backdrop of the shadowy E minor Prelude, No. 4, culminating in a slow middle section. The G major Prelude unfolds a comforting lyrical melody, offering a contrast to the furious passion of the F minor Prelude. The ingenious F major Prelude exudes playful cheer, leading up to the relentless, driven character of the A minor Prelude, presaging Rachmaninov's Etudes-Tableaux. After a richly woven B minor Prelude comes two Sicilianos: the slow B minor Prelude features contrasting, grinding passages, followed by the quicker and more controlled D major Prelude.
The G-sharp minor Prelude is the cycle's popular encore piece, adorned with harp-like embellishments cascading down like water on rural Russian windows. The D-flat major Prelude closes the cycle, referencing the infamous C-sharp minor Prelude from Opus 3, serving as a summary featuring Siciliano rhythms, sighing motifs, etude-like figurations, a quickening middle section, and a resounding chordal apotheosis. In a move almost protective of his pianistic expression, Rachmaninov ends with a piece demanding a huge hand span, something only he could manage.