"Rachmaninoff's music tenderly glorifies the beautiful in life.
It has static moments of long contemplation, when it seems as if the tonal flow has come to a standstill or hardly moves. At times, the music storms and roars in passionate and exciting scales of anger or indignation. Then follows a holiday celebration of "ringing" of joy or gloomy chimes. This is how Rachmaninoff's music uplifts, lets down, and lulls the emotions of a listener."
~ James Bakst
Excerpt of "A history of Russian-Soviet Music"
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Sergei RACHMANINOFF
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) wrote most of his impressive Songs's repertoire (68 songs) between 1890 and 1916. Divided in seven different Cycles (Opus 4, Opus 8, Opus 14, Opus 21, Opus 26, Opus 34 and Opus 38), the Master used poems by German poets Goethe and Heine, as well as Ukrainian Shevchenko for most of his early pieces. When he composed
his "14 Romances" Cycle Op 34 in 1912,
the Genius Master was still recovering after a long period of depression, deeply affected by the severely disappointing outcome of his First Symphony, which caused him a three-year break in his
artistic career.
During this difficult period, Poetess Marietta Shaginyan became his
closest friend and fervent admirer. Between them began a long and
tender correspondence, as well as a beautiful and productive artistic collaboration.
Nicknamed "Re" by the Composer, Marietta became
Rachmaninoff's Muse. She introduced him to the work of the Symbolism School of Poetry, which was already very popular in France but also in Russia. Soon, she was asked by the Composer to write and choose several poems for his love Songs' Cycle.
Beside Marietta's poems, Rachmaninoff found his musical inspiration with texts
by Tolstoy, Pushkin, Tyutchev, Polonsky, Khomyakov, Maykovsky, and Korinfsky.
Titled "The Muse", the first song of the "Romances" Cycle was dedicated to Marietta.
Count Leo Tolstoy
Suffering and loss were frequent to Rachmaninoff's life.
Inside one of his numerous letters addressed to Marietta, Rachmaninoff recognized that he was more creative, and even a "better Composer"
when he had to work with "sad texts", than with "happy ones". The Master wrote:
"The light, happy colors do not come easily to me..."
As Felix Mendelssohn did before him when he wrote his famous
"Songs without words", and later Gabriel Faure, Maurice Ravel or
Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff decided to use the impact of his
wonderful talent as a genius melodist, by composing the last Song of his Cycle without any lyrics. With the extreme beauty
of the melodic line,
aswell as the emotional side amplified by the deep intensity,
"Vocalise" is an exquisite Gem.
(This piece will be performed on January 10th)
Written in April 1915 and finally revised a few months later, the wordless score was first composed for Soprano. Later the Master indicated that his work could also be sung by a Tenor. Dedicated to the famous Russian Opera Singer Antonina Nezhdanova, the piece premiered in
Moscow on February 7, 1916. Even though his songs were popular during Rachmaninoff's life, they remain rarely performed today.
Antonina NEZHDANOVA
After returning from Kiev in 1892, Rachmaninoff wrote his "Elegiaque" Piano Trio n.1 in G minor in Moscow, during the same period as most of his Songs. Instead of writing a three or four movements Piano Trio, the Master composed a one-movement Trio titled Trio "Elegiaque" n.1. Divided in twelve sections, each of the string instruments interacted as a soloist, developing the main theme. As a tribute to his friend and mentor P.Tchaikovsky, the Trio ended with a
funeral march, reminiscent of the famous Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio in A minor Op 50.
(This piece will be performed on January 10th)
The "Elegiaque" title was shared with his second "Piano Trio" in
D minor Op 9, which was composed in 1893, a year after Tchaikovsky's death. Dedicated "to the memory of a great Artist", the piece was definitely the "Elegiac" score mourning his friend's death.
Sergei Rachmaninoff was the last connection between Russian Romanticism and Modernism movements. With forty-five Opus numbers, including Symphonies, Piano Concertos, Orchestral tone Poems, Operas, Chamber works, Solo piano repertoire, Transcriptions, and Choral pieces, the Master combined all the talents as Genius Composer, Pianist Virtuoso, Conductor and Teacher.
"I was forced to leave my homeland... One place and one place only remains closed to me and that is my own country,
the land where I was born." ~ Sergei Rachmaninoff
Born near Novgorod, Rachmaninoff was in love with his native country. Two days before Christmas 1912, he left his house at Ivanovka to flee from the Communist revolutionaries. He never saw his beloved homeland again. Profoundly sensitive, the Master was also a Humanist, always ready to share his own wealth and influence with colleagues and students.
"Twenty years of my life spent there. Every Russian feels strong ties to the soil. Perhaps it comes from an instinctive need for solitude. The endless fields of wheat stretching as far as the eye could see. The smell of the Earth, mowed rows and blossoms. I felt so good there. I could work - and work hard. Most of my music was written there, and even when I left Russia, my music was inspired by there.
There, at least, I found blessed happiness."
~ Sergei Rachmaninoff
Rachmaninoff was buried at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla,
New York. The last Russian Romantic "Music Tsar" remains
a Giant for Eternity.
LE SALON DE MUSIQUES-
MASTERS REDISCOVERED
"RACHMANINOFF,
THE LAST ROMANTIC "MUSIC TSAR"
SUNDAY JANUARY 10 @ 4:00 pm
"LE SALON DE MUSIQUES-
MASTERS REDISCOVERED"
features an exquisite Chamber Music program
for Voice, Strings & Piano,
celebrating four Genius Russian Masters
S.Rachmaninoff,
P.Tchaikovsky,
N.Rimsky-Korsakov,
&
D.Shostakovitch.
"In an intimate setting, without any stage or separation between the audience and the artists, feel the essence of Chamber Music , and immerse yourself in the "Heart of the Art" to become one with the Music."
A French Champagne reception with a Gourmet Buffet
catered by Patina follows the performance, and the Q & A
*(Including French Champagne & a Gourmet "High Tea Buffet" catered by Patina)
_________________________
S.Rachmaninoff
Piano Trio "Elegiaque" n.1 in G minor
__________________________________
CRITICS HAVE SPOKEN!
"If you want to hear great Chamber Music performed by outstanding musicians in an intimate atmosphere where you are only a few feet from the performers, and then be treated to Champagne and delicious treats from Patina, then you need to know about Le Salon de Musiques Chamber Music Series."
~ Henry SCHLINGER - Culture Spot LA
________________________________
"A success in every sense of the word for the performances and the thoughtful musical curating by Le Salon de Musiques' Artistic Director Francois Chouchan!"
~ Ted AYALA - Crescent Valley Weekly
________________________________________________
"Artistic Director Francois CHOUCHAN, with his keen sense of programming and recruitment of inspired Artists, has created a real Gem among the Los Angeles Chamber Music experiences."
~ Theodore BELL -
Culture Spot LA
________________________________
"Following the final moments closing on a tremendous chord, the audience rose to their feet, shouting well-deserved bravos. For this reviewer, this group of artists and the music selected created an exceptionally cohesive musical program, once again proving that Francois Chouchan's Le Salon de Musiques is truly an exceptional Chamber Music Series in Los Angeles."
