The Russian composer Sergey Rachmaninov was responsible for some of the most beautiful, emotionally charged and lushly orchestrated music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With its high emotional charge and big, swelling melodies, much of Rachmaninov’s music is the apogee of lyrical late Romanticism. His incredible skills as a pianist (he was undoubtedly one of the greatest pianists of all time) mean that many of his works are also showpieces for piano virtuosos.
But this most gifted melodist had other styles, too, as we’ll see during the course of this top ten great Rachmaninov works, We take a look at seven of the best works by Rachmaninov.
The best works by Rachmaninov
1. Prelude in C sharp minor Op. 3 No. 2 (1892)
Although less assertive than his later works, the early Prelude in C sharp minor won Rachmaninov much of his early popularity and became a frequently requested encore in concert. With its attractive ‘dark-hued’ disposition, it is impressive that this work was composed even before his graduation from the Conservatoire in St Petersburg in 1891.
Recommended recording:
Steven Osborne (piano) Hyperion CDA 67700
Read our review of this recording
2. Moments Musicaux (1896)
This set of solo piano pieces are similar to miniatures: each moment musical features unique passage work, and sound like separate introspective worlds. The miniature size of these pieces show a more humble side to Rachmaninov’s usual bravura virtuoso style.
NB Not to be confused with the (equally lovely) Moments Musicaux by Schubert.
Recommended recording:
Xiayin Wang (piano) Chandos CHAN10724
Review: Rachmaninov Moments Musicaux etc
3. Piano Concerto No. 2 (1901)
Rachmaninov composed his Second Piano Concerto after a particularly low period, professionally and emotionally, spurred by the difficult reception of his first symphony (the premiere was famously conducted by fellow composer Alexander Glazunov, who was significantly the worse for drink on the night).
The piece is notoriously difficult to play (not everyone can span 12 piano keys with one hand!), and was dedicated to his therapist, Dr Nikolai Dahl, who encouraged him to start composing again despite bouts of depression. Despite (or alongside) its difficulty, however, Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto is an extraordinarily captivating and moving work, featuring by turns moments of great drama, poignancy, and pure lyrical beauty. One of the greatest piano concertos, by anyone’s reckoning.
Recommended recording:
Daniil Trifonov (piano), Philadelphia Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin DG 4835335
4. Prelude Op. 23 No. 5 (1901)
One of the ten preludes that make up Rachmaninov’s Opus 23 set, No. 5 is a brief, melodic and delicate piece. The floating melody, which gradually gains momentum, shows something of Rachmaninov’s idiomatic piano writing and perhaps even subtle evocations of Debussy’s piano music.
Recommended recording:
Yuja Wang (piano) DG 483 6280
A great record of a Berlin concert that saw Yuja Wang also performing works by Prokofiev, Ligeti and Scriabin.
Read our review of Yuja Wang’s Rachmaninov
5. Cello Sonata (1901)
Rachmaninov didn’t write a whole lot of chamber music, tending to prefer either the technical challenges of his beloved piano or the bigger soundscapes of a full orchestra. However, 1901’s Cello Sonata in G minor is one of the most fascinating and emotionally rewarding works in the chamber repertoire.
In many chamber sonatas, one or other of the two instruments will take the lead role. Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata is striking in the way that it gives equal voice Unlike some sonatas where one instrument takes the lead, Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata gives equal voice to both players. They do, though, have distinct roles: the piano part is detailed and virtuosic, the cello on more of a thoughtful and lyrical commentary.
The work comes from a similar time in Rachmaninov’s life to the Second Piano Concerto above: still nursing his wounds from the failure of his First Symphony, the composer found great solace in his sessions with the psychologist Nikolai Dahl (himself, incidentally, a cellist).
Best of Rachmaninov, continued
6. The Isle of the Dead (1908)
This atmospheric orchestral tone poem shows the ease with which Rachmaninov was able to evoke a sense of place via musical means (tone-painting). Inspired by a painting by Arnold Böcklin, the orchestral colours reflect the sounds of waves and oars as they meet the dark waters, in a characteristically late Romantic style.
Recommended recording:
Bergen Philharmonic/Andrew Litton BIS BIS1751
Rachmaninov from Litton and the Bergen Philharmonic: our review
7. Prelude Op. 32 No. 7 (1910)
This prelude possesses a mysterious, elusive quality, thanks to the recurring dotted rhythmic motif. Tonal ambiguity constantly asks the listener to interpret whether the piece leans more towards a major or minor tonal world.
Recommended recording:
Steven Osborne (piano) Hyperion CDA 67700
8. The Bells (1913)
Rachmaninov’s ‘choral symphony’ takes its inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe’s poem The Bells. Scored for baritone, tenor, soprano, choir and orchestra, it’s a stunning example of what you might call a psychological journey in music. The piece depicts various stages of life, through four types of bells (sleigh bells, wedding bells, alarum bells, and funeral bells), each representing a different stage of human experience. Rachmaninov was fascinated by the themes and imagery of Poe’s poem, which resonated with his own fascinations with mortality, fate, and the rituals of the Russian Orthodox church.
- We named Edgar Allan Poe one of the ten best poets of all time
Recommended recording:
John Shirley-Quirk (baritone), Robert Tear (tenor), Sheila Armstrong (soprano); London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra / André Previn Warner 9029669587
9. ‘Bogoroditse Devo’ (‘Rejoice, o Virgin’) from the All-Night Vigil (1915)
This painfully evocative movement is set to the well-known Ave Maria text taken from the Russian Orthodox All-Night Vigil ceremony. The texture is dense throughout and reaches an emotional climax.
Recommended recording:
Latvian Radio Choir/Sigvards Kļava Ondine ODE12065
Rachmaninov All-Night Vigil (Latvian Radio Choir / Kļava: our review
10. Symphonic Dances (1940)
One of his very last works, the Symphonic Dances actually makes for an excellent gateway work into Rachmaninov’s dramatic, widescreen world. With its rhythmic vitality, lush orchestration, and deeply felt emotional content, this swan-song work is a brilliant blend of Rachmaninov’s deep-rooted Romanticism with some modern influences (such as the eerie alto saxophone that snakes its way into the first movement).
- Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances: four great recordings (and one to avoid)
- The best classical music for the saxophone
Recommended recording:
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra / Vladimir Ashkenazy Decca 410 1242
- We named the Concertgebouw one of the greatest orchestras in the world