Why Listen to Rachmaninoff?

[Music] Rachmaninov wrote some of the darkest most luscious and most powerful music you will ever experience his second piano concerto is a masterpiece filled with brooding orchestral figures and virtuosic piano passages that depict often violent outbursts of emotion through this music he tells a harrowing story of Crisis and personal transformation and he evokes powerful images of love and Redemption I remember listening to it for the first time and being absolutely flawed by some of the most soaring and passionate Melodies I had ever heard but what shocked me even more was the fact that rankmaninov's music was so under appreciated during his lifetime that's why I'm on a mission to change that and show you why you need to experience rachmaninov's music and how his music can impact your life so let's start at the beginning [Music] I'm excited to partner with Apple for this video to present Apple music classical the new streaming service for classical music whether you're new to classical or a seasoned listener you can use the tailored playlists X expert recommendations and companion guides to take you on your classical Journey Why not start with the Rachmaninoff Essentials playlist today this app makes exploring the world of classical music accessible immersive and hugely enjoyable it has the world's largest classical music catalog a powerful search designed specifically for classical nuances and the highest audio quality with options for immersive spatial audio in Dolby Atmos and all of it is included with your Apple music subscription so click the link below to learn more about Apple music classical was born on April 1st 1873 into a wealthy family near the city of Novgorod despite a privileged upbringing rachmaninov's childhood was troubled the devastating loss of his older sister Jelena and his parents divorce took a toll on the young composer he was very reserved a fellow student noted there was no one with whom he could be said to be fraternal he was quite shy but despite these challenges ragmaninov's musical Talent would soon shine through and Captivate the world his talent was undeniable from a young age and at just 14 years old he was enrolled at the prestigious Moscow Conservatory to study piano Harmony and composition Moscow was a Melting Pot of musical styles where the elegant sounds of western music would collide with the rich exotic flavors of Russian orchestral and folk music Rachmaninov was constantly soaking up these diverse influences attending concerts and Opera Houses and growing as a musician with each experience you can see these influences in many of his works such as his first piano concerto which borrows a lot of its underlying structure from Greg's piano concerto foreign but it was Tchaikovsky who was rachmaninov's greatest influence Greg mananov idolized him and when the older composer heard Rachmaninoff perform at an exam he said for him I predict a great future but as rachmanino's reputation rapidly grew problems piled up in his personal life his father gambled away their family fortune and financial difficulties would plague him for much of his life he was subject to Great bouts of depression loneliness and Melancholy feelings that often crept into his music take his Prelude in C sharp minor this piece begins with a haunting three-note motive [Music] that lingers filling you with hopelessness and despair as if foretelling your impending doom a contrasting uneasy Melody follows like an inner voice stumbling over itself offering glimpses of Hope as the second section unfolds the tempo accelerates frustration and anger take hold you ask why Destiny has treated you so cruelly why must you suffer in its bondage finally The Familiar three note Motif returns but this time in a powerful fortitude [Music] the music then begins to die down fading to a resigned whisper it's over and you can't escape your fate [Music] death is another major theme that resonates throughout rackmanino's music even weaved to the DS era Melody into his compositions a Latin chant portraying the day of Wrath which is frequently heard in funeral masses one such work that masterfully incorporates the DS era is the Isle of the Dead a symphonic poem inspired by a black and white photo of this painting by Arnold berklin piece captures an unparalleled sense of dread and foreboding demonstrating rachmaninoff's profound contemplation of mortality part of what makes his music so compelling it's not just the complexity of emotion but the way his compositions invite you to explore the depths of The Human Experience from the despair of Heartache to the inevitability of death but what rackmaninov is best known for is his piano concertos especially his second piano concerto to understand the sheer emotional depth of this work we must delve into the story behind its creation after his graduation rang mananov embarked on composing his first Symphony the process proved slow and challenging as self-doubt crept in but despite this struggle he held high hopes for his success fate had other plans the premier was a total disaster the performance was poorly rehearsed totally flat emotionless and the conductor seemed to be drunk on stage devastated Rachmaninoff hid behind the stairs to the balcony his fists pressed against his ears and he later wandered aimlessly through the streets in despair it destroyed him critics were merciless the shame that he endured left him almost unable to compose for three agonizing years he would try to write something down anything but it was impossible his creative Spirit had been shattered in a desperate attempt to overcome his creative block Rachmaninoff sought help from the psychiatrist Nikolai Dahl and underwent extensive hypnotherapy the result was his triumphant second piano concerto can be interpreted as a reflection of his battle with depression and composition the concerto begins with these detached desolate chords played over a subdominant pedal its tone echoing the torment Rachmaninoff felt after his first symphony's failure then we hear this heavy oppressive theme played by the lower strings accompanied by Restless piano arpeggios creating a sense of tireless searching second theme let's call it rachmaninoff's theme is a beautiful Melody which weaves itself throughout the whole concerto uniting its movements [Music] later we hear this theme being played over and over as if striving to rise above its limitations churto takes listeners on a journey from resigned Acceptance in the second movement to renewed strength in the third in its final climax rachmaninoff's theme re-emerges triumphantly [Music] eternal struggle and [Music] everyone this concerto dedicated to his therapist Dahl rekindled public interest in rachmaninov's works and reignited his career if you choose to listen to Just One of rachmaninov's compositions then make it this one it showcases his full range of talent colorful and Lush orchestration harmonic depth virtuosic piano passages Unforgettable Melodies orientalism expressiveness and harmonic development the second piano concerto is perhaps the ultimate culmination of rachmaninov's abilities as both a composer and a Pianist [Music] Greg mananov continued to explore these various elements in works such as his second Symphony his third piano concerto and his choral Symphony the bells although we can't cover them all in this video there are other masterpieces such as his Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini and his cello Sonata that are definitely worth discovering the early 1900s marked some of his happiest years he married his cousin Natalia satina with whom he had two daughters and he taught extensively throughout the West sadly the Great War brought an end to these prosperous times as the pre-war World crumbled Rachmaninov retreated to his Russian estate where he composed his all-night vigil this work extensively features Slavic chant with the Deep richness of Russian octavists that is ultra low singers pitted against the Angelic sounds of Sopranos antennas this mournful Refuge against the horrors of the first world war marked the end of an era as the performance of religious music would soon be banned by the Soviet Union following the Russian Revolution suspicious of the new Soviet regime Rachmaninoff fled with his family in 1917 eventually settling in the United States never to return to Russia having lost almost everything he abandoned composition for years focusing on providing for his family as a concert pianist yet deep within he yearned for Russia and its old way of life he later lamented for when I left Russia I left behind my desire to compose losing my country I lost myself also between his Exile in 1917 and his death in 1942 rackmaninov would only complete six major works thank you the symphonic dances was the last of these compositions Rachmaninov knew that this would be his final work it's filled with references to the various pieces he composed over his career its final climax features a bombastic rendition of the all too familiar DS era theme [Music] but this time it's overpowered by a Melody from the all-night vigil representing resurrection and the ultimate Triumph of Life over Death At Last the death motive was vanquished upon completion Rachmaninov wrote on the manuscript's last page I thank thee Lord he would die three years later from aggressive melanoma rachmaninoff's unwavering commitment to the Romanticism of Tchaikovsky Chopin and list left some to label him as the last romantic while he wasn't the final composer to embrace the Romantic style there is truth in this title he pushed Romanticism to its limits experimenting with ever more daring chromaticism while remaining true to the essence of Romanticism just as Mala was the last in the lineage of great romantic symphonic writers Rachmaninov represented the final chapter of Superstar romantic piano virtuosas his music stands as a testament to the piano's expressive capabilities an instrument that would gradually lose its predominant place in the 20th century he once wrote melodic inventiveness in the highest meaning of this word is the main life goal of a composer and oh how many great Melodies he left us thank you foreign

Channel: Inside the Score

Views: 378,742

Keywords: Rachmaninov

Id: 7tYB1Oxkt7E

Length: 14min 18sec (858 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 06 2023