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| {{Short description|1911 set of piano études by Sergei Rachmaninoff}} | |||
| {{italic title}} | |||
| {{About|the first set of ''études-tableaux'' by Rachmaninoff, Op. 33|the second set|Études-Tableaux, Op. 39}} | |||
| The '''''Études-Tableaux''''' ("study pictures"), Op. 33 is the first of two sets of piano ]s composed by ]. | |||
| ], 1910]] | |||
| {{use list-defined references|date=September 2014}} | |||
| These sets were supposed to be "picture pieces", essentially "musical evocations of external visual stimulae". Rachmaninoff did not disclose what inspired each piece, stating, "I don't believe in the artist that discloses too much of his images. Let them paint for themselves what it most suggests." | |||
| {{use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} | |||
| {{Use British English|date=September 2014}} | |||
| {{italic title|string=Études-Tableaux}} | |||
| The '''''Études-Tableaux''''' ("study pictures"), Op. 33, is the first of two sets of piano ]s composed by ]. They were intended to be "picture pieces", essentially "musical evocations of external visual stimuli". But Rachmaninoff did not disclose what inspired each one, stating: "I do not believe in the artist that discloses too much of his images. Let paint for themselves what it most suggests."<ref name="Bertensson" /> However, he willingly shared sources for a few of these études with the Italian composer ] when Respighi orchestrated them in 1930. | |||
| == History == | == History == | ||
| {{listen|type=music|filename=Рахманінов-етюд-картина-тв33-5.ogg|title=''Étude-Tableau'' No. 5 in E{{music|flat}} minor|description=Oksana Yevsyukova performing (1:50)| | |||
| Rachmaninoff composed the Op. 33 Études-Tableaux at the ] between August and September 1911, the year after completing his second set of ], Op. 32. While the Op. 33 Études-Tableaux share some stylistic points with the preludes, they are actually very unlike them. Rachmaninoff concentrates in the preludes on establishing well-defined moods and developing musical themes. There is also an academic facet to the preludes, as he wrote 24 of them, one in each of the ]. Rachmaninoff biographer Max Harrison calls the Études-Tableaux "studies in composition"; while they explore a variety of themes, they "investigate the transformation of rather specific climates of feeling via piano textures and sonorities. They are thus less predictable than the preludes and compositionally mark an advance" in technique.Rachmaninoff initially wrote nine pieces for Op. 33 but published only six in 1914. One étude was subsequently revised and used in the Op. 39 set; the other two appeared posthumously and are now usually played with the other six. Performing these eight études together could be considered to run against the composer's intent, as the six originally published are unified through "melodic-cellular connections" in much the same way as in ]'s '']''. | |||
| |filename2=Рахманінов-етюд-картина-тв33-6.ogg|title2=''Étude-Tableau'' No. 6 in E{{music|flat}} major|description2=Oksana Yevsyukova performing (1:50)}} | |||
| Rachmaninoff composed the Op. 33 ''Études-Tableaux'' at his ] in ], ] between August and September 1911, the year after completing his second set of ], Op. 32. While the Op. 33 ''Études-Tableaux'' share some stylistic points with the preludes, they are actually not very similar. Rachmaninoff concentrates on establishing well-defined moods and developing musical ] in the preludes. There is also an academic facet to the preludes, as he wrote 24 of them, one in each of the ]. | |||
| Rachmaninoff biographer Max Harrison calls the ''Études-Tableaux'' "studies in composition"; while they explore a variety of themes, they "investigate the transformation of rather specific climates of feeling via piano textures and sonorities. They are thus less predictable than the preludes and compositionally mark an advance" in technique.<ref name=Harrison/> | |||
| ==Structure== | |||
| The Op. 33 Études-Tableaux were originally meant to comprise nine études when Rachmaninoff wrote them at ]. The composer decided to publish only six of them in 1911. Numbers three and four were published posthumously and are often inserted among the six études; number four was transferred to Op. 39, where it appears as number six of that set. (As a consequence, many recordings omit it from Op. 33). | |||
| Rachmaninoff initially wrote nine pieces for Op. 33 but published only six in 1914. One étude, in A minor, was subsequently revised and used in the ]; the other two appeared posthumously and are now usually played with the other six. Performing these eight études together could be considered to run against the composer's intent, as the six originally published are unified through "melodic-cellular connections" in much the same way as in ]'s '']''.<ref name=Matthew-Walker/> | |||
| * '''No. 1 in F minor''' | |||
| * '''No. 2 in C major''' | |||
| Differing from the simplicity of the first four études, Nos. 5–8 are more virtuosic in their approach to keyboard writing, calling for unconventional hand positions, wide leaps for the fingers and considerable technical strength from the performer. Also, "the individual mood and passionate character of each piece" pose musical problems that preclude performance by those lacking strong physical technique.<ref name=Matthew-Walker/> | |||
| * '''No. 3 in C minor''' | |||
| * '''No. 4 in D minor''' | |||
| ==Numbering and character== | |||
| * '''No. 5 in E-flat minor''' | |||
| Rachmaninoff wrote nine études-tableaux at his ] in 1911. Six of them, the original Nos. 1–2 and 6–9, were published that year.<ref name=grove/> The original No. 4 is lost; the piece was revised and published as ].<ref name=grove/> The original Nos. 3 and 5 were published posthumously within Op. 33.<ref name=grove/> Probably best identified by their tempo markings and keys, the 1911 pieces are numbered by the ] (IMSLP) as follows,<ref>, IMSLP Petrucci Music Library.</ref> leaving aside the piece that is now part of Op. 39: | |||
| :This piece began with a 2-bar introduction marked ''non allegro'', then shifted to ''presto''. This piece is very technically difficult, because of the key, and it demands a tireless right hand at an almost impossible speed, with frequent dynamic changes. | |||
| {{listen|filename=Рахманінов-етюд-картина-тв33-5.ogg|title=''Étude-Tableau'' No. 5 in E-flat minor|description=Oksana Yevsyukova performing ''Étude-Tableau'' No. 5 in ], Op. 33|format=]}} | |||
| #<li value=1> Allegro non troppo in F minor | |||
| * '''No. ? (6 or 7) in E-flat major''' | |||
| ::This study has a ]. Rachmaninov admired the music of ], and there are often parallels between the music of the two composers. This study recalls the '']'' of Chopin. | |||
| :Nicknamed "Scene at the Fair" (as Rachmaninoff himself told ]), the piece conjures a playful and vibrant atmosphere, with its blaring fanfare opening thirds, wild alternating chords and bells in the end. The middle section poses a great pianistic problem with huge leaps of the hand that lead to chordal actions, which at points are 10th chords, rendering playing the figures at the correct tempo much more difficult. The piece requires strength, precision, endurance, rhythmic control, and dynamic and tonal balance. | |||
| {{listen|filename=Рахманінов-етюд-картина-тв33-6.ogg|title=''Étude-Tableau'' No. 7 in E-flat major|description=Oksana Yevsyukova performing ''Étude-Tableau'' No. 7 (6) in ], Op. 33|format=]}} | |||
| #<li value=2> Allegro in C major | |||
| * '''No. 8 in G minor''' | |||
| ::This study is characterized by a marked ] and a very expressive melody. Notice the similarity to Rachmaninoff's '']'', which was composed the year before, in 1910. | |||
| :A melancholy piece whose sixteenth note accompaniment interweaves between hands. The main difficulty of the piece is facilitating smooth alterations with the hands without affecting the fluency of the melody. | |||
| * '''No. 9 in C-sharp minor''' | |||
| #<li value=3> Grave in C minor (published posthumously) | |||
| :A big, loud piece with prevalent patterns of leaps in the left hand, creating a huge roar. The piece has grand dissonances but also contains a gorgeous romantic interlude. | |||
| ::This study was re-used in the ] of Rachmaninov's ], which was completed in 1926. | |||
| #<li value=4> Moderato in D minor (published posthumously, originally No. 5) | |||
| ::This study is similar to the ] composed by Rachmaninoff in 1903, both in tone and character. It is a simple march that grows into a thing of striking contrapuntal complexity. | |||
| #<li value=5> Non allegro—Presto in E{{music|flat}} minor (published as No. 3, originally No. 6) | |||
| ::This study ranks among the most difficult of the opus, to play. The right hand runs constantly throughout the whole keyboard with numerous octave leaps and chromatic scales. Note some similarity to the ] and the ] by Chopin. In Russia, this piece is nicknamed ''The Snow Storm''. | |||
| #<li value=6> Allegro con fuoco in E{{music|flat}} major (published as No. 4, originally No. 7) | |||
| ::This study has primarily a military aspect. The study concludes with a particularly virtuosic ]. Its joyous, exuberant character earned it the nickname of "The Fair", according to Rachmaninoff in his correspondence with ]. | |||
| {{Listen|type=music|filename=Ольга Боровських - Рахманінов-етюд-картина-g-moll-op.33 (audio).ogg|title=''Études-Tableaux'' No. 7, Moderato in G minor|description=Performed in June 2013 by Olga Borowski (4:22)}} | |||
| #<li value=7> Moderato in G minor (published as No. 5, originally No. 8) | |||
| ::This study parallels the finale of the ] by Chopin. | |||
| #<li value=8> Grave in C{{music|sharp}} minor (published as No. 6, originally No. 9) | |||
| ::This study is a thundering piece with violent wavering between minor and major, as well as a bravura display at the end featuring harmonic dips and turns, chromatic runs, huge left-hand leaps, and a countermelody that emerges apparently out of nowhere. This study was one of the three in this opus that were recorded in the Melodiya studios by ], the other two being ''Moderato'' in D minor and ''Non allegro—Presto'' in E{{music|flat}} minor. | |||
| {{Clear}} | |||
| == Arrangements == | |||
| In 1929, conductor and music publisher ] asked whether Rachmaninoff would select a group of ''études-tableaux'' for Italian composer ] to orchestrate. The commissioned orchestrations would be published by Koussevitzky's firm and Koussevitzky would conduct their premiere with the ]. Rachmaninoff agreed and selected five études from Op. 33 and Op. 39. Respighi rearranged the order of études, but was otherwise faithful to the composer's intent. He gave each étude a distinct title from the programmatic clues Rachmaninoff had given him: | |||
| # ''La foire'' (The Fair) – (Op. 33, No. 6(7)) | |||
| # ''La mer et les mouettes'' (The Sea and the Seagulls) – (Op. 39, No. 2) | |||
| # ''La chaperon rouge et le loup'' (Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf) – (Op. 39, No. 6) | |||
| # ''Marche funèbre'' (Funeral March) – (Op. 39, No. 7) | |||
| # ''Marche'' (March) – (Op. 39, No. 9) | |||
| == Recordings == | |||
| * Complete ''Études-Tableaux'' by ], ] (1997), ] (2007), ] (1992), ] (2020), ], ], and ] | |||
| * There is a popular recording that includes the originally excised numbers of Op. 33, by ] on the EMI Classics label. | |||
| * ] chose the recording by ] (Chandos Records) as the finest version of the Complete Études-Tableaux, in its programme ''Building a Library''. | |||
| * ] and the ] recorded the Respighi orchestrations for the ] label. | |||
| * Rachmaninoff himself recorded Op. 33, Nos. 2 and 7 (6) (electrical recording). | |||
| == References == | |||
| {{Reflist|refs= | |||
| <ref name=Bertensson>Bertensson, Sergei and Jay Leyda. ''Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Lifetime in Music''. New York: New York University Press, 1956.</ref> | |||
| <ref name=Harrison>Harrison, Max. ''Rachmaninoff: Life, Works, Recordings''. London: Continuum International Publishers group, 2005.</ref> | |||
| <ref name=Matthew-Walker>Matthew-Walker, Robert. ''Rachmaninov: His Life and Times''. London; New York: Omnibus Press, 1984.</ref> | |||
| <ref name=grove>]. . ''Grove Music Online''. Oxford University Press. Accessed September 2014. {{subscription required}}</ref> | |||
| }} | |||
| == External links == | == External links == | ||
| * {{IMSLP|work=Etudes-tableaux, Op.33 (Rachmaninoff, Sergei)|cname=''Études-Tableaux'', Op. 33}} | |||
| * {{IMSLP2 | |||
| |id=Etudes-tableaux,_Op.33_(Rachmaninoff,_Sergei)|cname=Op. 33}} | |||
| {{Sergei Rachmaninoff}} | |||
| {{Authority control}} | |||
| {{Portal bar|Classical music}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Etudes Tableaux 33 (Rachmaninoff)}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 17:12, 22 December 2024
1911 set of piano études by Sergei Rachmaninoff This article is about the first set of études-tableaux by Rachmaninoff, Op. 33. For the second set, see Études-Tableaux, Op. 39.
The Études-Tableaux ("study pictures"), Op. 33, is the first of two sets of piano études composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff. They were intended to be "picture pieces", essentially "musical evocations of external visual stimuli". But Rachmaninoff did not disclose what inspired each one, stating: "I do not believe in the artist that discloses too much of his images. Let paint for themselves what it most suggests." However, he willingly shared sources for a few of these études with the Italian composer Ottorino Respighi when Respighi orchestrated them in 1930.
History
Étude-Tableau No. 6 in E♭ major Oksana Yevsyukova performing (1:50)
Problems playing these files? See media help.
Rachmaninoff composed the Op. 33 Études-Tableaux at his Ivanovka estate in Tambov, Russia between August and September 1911, the year after completing his second set of preludes, Op. 32. While the Op. 33 Études-Tableaux share some stylistic points with the preludes, they are actually not very similar. Rachmaninoff concentrates on establishing well-defined moods and developing musical themes in the preludes. There is also an academic facet to the preludes, as he wrote 24 of them, one in each of the 24 major and minor keys.
Rachmaninoff biographer Max Harrison calls the Études-Tableaux "studies in composition"; while they explore a variety of themes, they "investigate the transformation of rather specific climates of feeling via piano textures and sonorities. They are thus less predictable than the preludes and compositionally mark an advance" in technique.
Rachmaninoff initially wrote nine pieces for Op. 33 but published only six in 1914. One étude, in A minor, was subsequently revised and used in the Op. 39 set; the other two appeared posthumously and are now usually played with the other six. Performing these eight études together could be considered to run against the composer's intent, as the six originally published are unified through "melodic-cellular connections" in much the same way as in Robert Schumann's Symphonic Studies.
Differing from the simplicity of the first four études, Nos. 5–8 are more virtuosic in their approach to keyboard writing, calling for unconventional hand positions, wide leaps for the fingers and considerable technical strength from the performer. Also, "the individual mood and passionate character of each piece" pose musical problems that preclude performance by those lacking strong physical technique.
Numbering and character
Rachmaninoff wrote nine études-tableaux at his Ivanovka estate in 1911. Six of them, the original Nos. 1–2 and 6–9, were published that year. The original No. 4 is lost; the piece was revised and published as Op. 39, No. 6. The original Nos. 3 and 5 were published posthumously within Op. 33. Probably best identified by their tempo markings and keys, the 1911 pieces are numbered by the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP) as follows, leaving aside the piece that is now part of Op. 39:
- Allegro non troppo in F minor
- This study has a martial character. Rachmaninov admired the music of Frédéric Chopin, and there are often parallels between the music of the two composers. This study recalls the Étude Op. 25, No. 4 of Chopin.
- Allegro in C major
- This study is characterized by a marked lyricism and a very expressive melody. Notice the similarity to Rachmaninoff's Prelude op. 32 no. 12, which was composed the year before, in 1910.
- Grave in C minor (published posthumously)
- This study was re-used in the Largo of Rachmaninov's Fourth Concerto, which was completed in 1926.
- Moderato in D minor (published posthumously, originally No. 5)
- This study is similar to the Prelude op. 23 No. 3 composed by Rachmaninoff in 1903, both in tone and character. It is a simple march that grows into a thing of striking contrapuntal complexity.
- Non allegro—Presto in E♭ minor (published as No. 3, originally No. 6)
- This study ranks among the most difficult of the opus, to play. The right hand runs constantly throughout the whole keyboard with numerous octave leaps and chromatic scales. Note some similarity to the Prelude op. 28 No. 16 and the Study Op. 25 No. 6 by Chopin. In Russia, this piece is nicknamed The Snow Storm.
- Allegro con fuoco in E♭ major (published as No. 4, originally No. 7)
- This study has primarily a military aspect. The study concludes with a particularly virtuosic coda. Its joyous, exuberant character earned it the nickname of "The Fair", according to Rachmaninoff in his correspondence with Ottorino Respighi.
Problems playing this file? See media help.
- Moderato in G minor (published as No. 5, originally No. 8)
- This study parallels the finale of the First Ballade in G minor by Chopin.
- Grave in C♯ minor (published as No. 6, originally No. 9)
- This study is a thundering piece with violent wavering between minor and major, as well as a bravura display at the end featuring harmonic dips and turns, chromatic runs, huge left-hand leaps, and a countermelody that emerges apparently out of nowhere. This study was one of the three in this opus that were recorded in the Melodiya studios by Sviatoslav Richter, the other two being Moderato in D minor and Non allegro—Presto in E♭ minor.
Arrangements
In 1929, conductor and music publisher Serge Koussevitzky asked whether Rachmaninoff would select a group of études-tableaux for Italian composer Ottorino Respighi to orchestrate. The commissioned orchestrations would be published by Koussevitzky's firm and Koussevitzky would conduct their premiere with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Rachmaninoff agreed and selected five études from Op. 33 and Op. 39. Respighi rearranged the order of études, but was otherwise faithful to the composer's intent. He gave each étude a distinct title from the programmatic clues Rachmaninoff had given him:
- La foire (The Fair) – (Op. 33, No. 6(7))
- La mer et les mouettes (The Sea and the Seagulls) – (Op. 39, No. 2)
- La chaperon rouge et le loup (Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf) – (Op. 39, No. 6)
- Marche funèbre (Funeral March) – (Op. 39, No. 7)
- Marche (March) – (Op. 39, No. 9)
Recordings
- Complete Études-Tableaux by Michael Ponti, İdil Biret (1997), Rustem Hayroudinoff (2007), Nikolai Lugansky (1992), Bruno Vlahek (2020), Nicholas Angelich, John Ogdon, and Vladimir Ashkenazy
- There is a popular recording that includes the originally excised numbers of Op. 33, by Vladimir Ovchinnikov on the EMI Classics label.
- BBC Radio 3 chose the recording by Rustem Hayroudinoff (Chandos Records) as the finest version of the Complete Études-Tableaux, in its programme Building a Library.
- Jesús López-Cobos and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra recorded the Respighi orchestrations for the Telarc label.
- Rachmaninoff himself recorded Op. 33, Nos. 2 and 7 (6) (electrical recording).
References
- Bertensson, Sergei and Jay Leyda. Sergei Rachmaninoff: A Lifetime in Music. New York: New York University Press, 1956.
- Harrison, Max. Rachmaninoff: Life, Works, Recordings. London: Continuum International Publishers group, 2005.
- ^ Matthew-Walker, Robert. Rachmaninov: His Life and Times. London; New York: Omnibus Press, 1984.
- ^ Norris, Geoffrey. Rachmaninoff, Serge: Works. Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press. Accessed September 2014. (subscription required)
- "Etudes-tableaux, Op.33 (Rachmaninoff, Sergei)", IMSLP Petrucci Music Library.
External links
- Études-Tableaux, Op. 33: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
