Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor (1917)
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Vivace; Andante cantabile; Allegro scherzando
Sergei Rachmaninov was dissatisfied with the first version of this concerto: a student work displaying precocity but insufficient musical discipline. When, to his surprise, he was asked to perform it in the UK, he refused but promised a new work instead. That new work turned out to be his Second Piano Concerto, which pleased its audiences beyond measure.
The revisions to the First Concerto mostly affect the texture and the balance between soloist and orchestra, while the thematic material in the 1891 version remains largely unchanged. Although the architecture and discipline are tauter, the youthful outpourings of emotion still shine. Hints of the Second and Third Concertos are discernible, and one might wonder whether they were influenced by this work or vice versa. Rachmaninov modelled his First Concerto on Grieg’s Piano Concerto, and that influence can be felt in the opening flourishes and elsewhere, especially in the frequent cadenza-like passages for the soloist.
The rhapsodic first movement reveals many of Rachmaninov’s compositional fingerprints such as romantic melodies interwoven with faster interludes of scherzo-like skittishness. While marvelling at his compositional brilliance, we begin to realise what an astonishing performer Rachmaninov must have been. He was noted for his unusually large hands which could span wider intervals than could those of many other virtuosi. Writing for himself as soloist, Rachmaninov exploited this advantage and all the other sparkling facets of his technique. Knowing this, enthusiasts should explore the internet for recordings made by Rachmaninov, including one of this concerto.
The short slow movement begins and ends with the horn offering a rising scale figure that will be fundamental to this tranquil interlude. The soloist picks it up, then presents an expressive melody that never reappears. A dialogue between the woodwind and soloist leads back to the solo horn and a calm close.
The opening of the Finale, a vigorous orchestral fanfare interrupted by a thundering piano chord and a splash of figuration, was the only fundamentally new material that Rachmaninov added in his 1917 revision. The movement consists of interplay between two rhythmically energetic themes on one hand and a contrasting melody that is both relaxed and romantic in character on the other. Eventually, majestic chords on the piano herald a return to the Allegro vivace and a triumphant conclusion.
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Vivace; Andante cantabile; Allegro scherzando
Sergei Rachmaninov was dissatisfied with the first version of this concerto: a student work displaying precocity but insufficient musical discipline. When, to his surprise, he was asked to perform it in the UK, he refused but promised a new work instead. That new work turned out to be his Second Piano Concerto, which pleased its audiences beyond measure.
The revisions to the First Concerto mostly affect the texture and the balance between soloist and orchestra, while the thematic material in the 1891 version remains largely unchanged. Although the architecture and discipline are tauter, the youthful outpourings of emotion still shine. Hints of the Second and Third Concertos are discernible, and one might wonder whether they were influenced by this work or vice versa. Rachmaninov modelled his First Concerto on Grieg’s Piano Concerto, and that influence can be felt in the opening flourishes and elsewhere, especially in the frequent cadenza-like passages for the soloist.
The rhapsodic first movement reveals many of Rachmaninov’s compositional fingerprints such as romantic melodies interwoven with faster interludes of scherzo-like skittishness. While marvelling at his compositional brilliance, we begin to realise what an astonishing performer Rachmaninov must have been. He was noted for his unusually large hands which could span wider intervals than could those of many other virtuosi. Writing for himself as soloist, Rachmaninov exploited this advantage and all the other sparkling facets of his technique. Knowing this, enthusiasts should explore the internet for recordings made by Rachmaninov, including one of this concerto.
The short slow movement begins and ends with the horn offering a rising scale figure that will be fundamental to this tranquil interlude. The soloist picks it up, then presents an expressive melody that never reappears. A dialogue between the woodwind and soloist leads back to the solo horn and a calm close.
The opening of the Finale, a vigorous orchestral fanfare interrupted by a thundering piano chord and a splash of figuration, was the only fundamentally new material that Rachmaninov added in his 1917 revision. The movement consists of interplay between two rhythmically energetic themes on one hand and a contrasting melody that is both relaxed and romantic in character on the other. Eventually, majestic chords on the piano herald a return to the Allegro vivace and a triumphant conclusion.