Description
The fifth of the ten preludes of Op. 23, and the best known in the set. Having made his name early with the prelude of Op. 3 No. 2, Rachmaninov went on with Opp. 23 and 32 to complete a body of preludes covering all twenty-four keys, of which this is one of the central pieces.
In G minor, marked alla marcia, forceful chords are driven into a springing rhythm. The middle section opens out completely elsewhere, a sweet melody over broken-chord accompaniment, before the march rhythm returns and the opening motif dies away quietly. Over 3,800 notes fill about four minutes.
Its advanced rating reflects the stamina needed for sustained repeated chords and octaves. The march invites more volume, but striking hardens the sound and blunts its edge: sound it with arm weight and put the crispness of the rhythm first. In the middle section, switching colour completely — making it barely sound like the same piece — is the effective approach.
A collection of preludes not tied to a specific set, featuring short, evocative works by composers from Bach to more modern voices.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
Sergei Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer and pianist who represents the late Romantic era, later emigrating to Europe and the United States after the Russian Revolution. His music is marked by lush melody, dense harmony, and sonorities evoking Russian church bells, with his Piano Concerto No. 2 among his best-known works. His many Preludes are also cherished masterworks. This site includes nine of the Preludes from Op. 23 along with the C-sharp minor Prelude, Op. 3 No. 2, that made his name.
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