Rachmaninov repetoire

[ajp]

I have a grade 7/8 student who desperately wants to learn some rachmaninov but i am all too aware that a lot of it is very hard, any ideas of an appropriate piece?

[m1469]

Okay, I do not have any official grades for these, but I went through and picked out the ones I felt may be around that level and would be worth a look (of course, it greatly depends on the individual), and perhaps other people will add to this list. 

I hope this helps,
m1469 




Elegie in Ebm, Op 3 no 1


"Morceaux de Salon"



From 6 Moments Musicaux, Op 16
No 3, in b minor :  Andante cantabile - a real hand stretcher
No 5, in Db Major : Adagio sostenuto - Slow thirds, some 3 against 2


From Ten Preludes, Op 23[/u]
No 1, in f# minor - largo - very beautiful
No 4, in D Major - Andante cantabile


From Thirteen Preludes, Op 32
No 5, in G Major - Moderato
No 7, in F Major - Moderato
No 11, in B Major - Allegretto


From Etudes Tableaux, Op 33
No 2, in C Major
No 3, in c minor (maybe)
No 7, in G minor


From Nine Etudes Tableaux, Op 39
No 2, in A minor
No 8, in d minor

[ajp]

many thanks for your help.  Any other ideas much appreciated.

[bernhard]

Rachmaninoff had huge hands, and his music shows it. He was also a consummate virtuoso (some have argued he was the greatest pianist ever), and again his music shows it. There is nothing there that could be called “easy” . However, if your student is on grade 7/8, s/eh should be at the stage of starting to tackle the advanced repertory, so Rachmaninoff may just be the challenge s/he needs.

The most accessible pieces of his are the “Four Improvisations” which are around grade 7, and completely obscure. Each improvisation is just one page long and they are based on themes by Arensky, Glazunov, Taneyev and Rachmaninoff himself. They are published by Hinshaw.

Next come his “Three Nocturnes” (Hal Leonard), around grades 7/8. Nocturne no. 3 is similar to the famous prelude in C#minor and could be used to lead on to it.

More difficult, but still around the grade 8 level are the ”Two Fantasy pieces” (Hinshaw). No. 2 is the easiest of the two, and they have no opus number. Not to be confused with the

”Fantasy pieces” op. 3, the easiest of which is arguably no. 3 (”Melodie”) where a cello like melody appears successively in four voices. All of them (no. 1 ”Elegie”; no. 2 Prelude in C#m;  no. 4 ”Polichinelle”; no. 5 ”Serenade”) are grade 8 or slightly above.

As m1469 mentioned, the ”Morceaux de Salon” op. 10 – of which there are five, are also grade 8 or just above it. Particularly satisfying are no.1 Nocturne, no. 2 ”Valse” and no. 5 ”Humoresque”.

Finally, of the preludes the easiest (grade 8 or just above) are op. 23 no. 5 in Gm, op. 32 no. 5 in G and op. 32 no. 12 in G#m

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[Jacey1973]

Rachmaninoff had huge hands, and his music shows it. He was also a consummate virtuoso (some have argued he was the greatest pianist ever), and again his music shows it. There is nothing there that could be called “easy”

Oh tell me about it! I'm learning Etudes-Tableaux op 39 nos 8 and 9 at the mo, and i keep coming across stretches which i just can't reach by a fraction. It is becoming irritating, also my hands ache quite quickly when i'm practising them. I'm giving them a miss for a couple of days because they are slowly driving me mad, i think i will make more progress on them when i'm more refreshed.

Lovely pieces though 

[ahmedito]

heh, op. 39 number 8 made my hand ache for weeks (nothing serious though.)

Just arpeggiate. Listen to Volodos' recording from his Carnegie Hall debut. Its incredibly good, and he hardly ever plays the stretches simultaneously, even though he can. It seems the effect is almost intended, as if it were akin to a portato on a string instrument.

In response to the original question. Id stay completely away from the etudes that m1469 suggests. They only look easier. They're not. Has anyone mentioned any of the countless transcriptions of vocalise? Some of them are very playable and sound quite impressive for grade 7.

[tompilk]

Thanks for all this info!!! I'm doing my Grade 8 in September and want to learn more Rachmaninov!!! I have tried to play Op. 23 No. 5 (in the Audition Room "Similar Pieces to Rachmaninov Prelude in G Minor") very badly missing out parts because I'm not good enough. This is a post I was about to make!!! Thanks everyone for great suggestions.
Tom Pilkington

[llamaman]

Is this Grade 7/8 RCM or ABRSM?

[bach_ko]

Thanks for all this info!!! I'm doing my Grade 8 in September and want to learn more Rachmaninov!!! I have tried to play Op. 23 No. 5 (in the Audition Room "Similar Pieces to Rachmaninov Prelude in G Minor") very badly missing out parts because I'm not good enough. This is a post I was about to make!!! Thanks everyone for great suggestions.
Tom Pilkington

the notes are not difficult, just the technical... I played it b4, a lot things have to work on... I like Opus 32 no.10 too, it's a very wonderful piece... have u ever try it?

[gaer]

I like the Op. 23, No. 7 Prelude in C minor because the main difficulty is in the speed. As a teacher I am actually able to enjoy hearing it at half tempo, and I've had students who have not minded playing it that way.

I teach it "backward", starting with the coda, then teaching what is very much like a heavier "recapitulation" (but without two themes), then the center section, then the first section.

I use Final to renote difficult pieces when they are learned for the first time, so in this case I divided all measures in two, doubled the note values, used a cut-time signature and put in all the flats and accidentals, removing the key signature. I teach it in this version first. No notes are really changed.

The technique required seems more standard than that so often required for Rachmaninov's music.

I follow this re-notated version with the standard one, about a year later, again in Finale but still with very clear fingering, reviewing, acclerating and switching the student to the standard notation. I tend to teach new pieces "down-tempo" while reviewing older ones at full speed. It enables me to cover more music and to be stricter about not ruining playing by trying for speed too soon, always a disaster.

It's only the speed and the look of the piece on the page that is difficult!

I would say that any student who is willing and able to tackle Rachmaninov is unusual and probably a pure joy to teach.

Gaer

[lani]

Thanks for the post, this is very helpful to us also. My daughter is also around a level 7 and tends towards level 8 pieces, too - a piece her teacher gave her was the Paganini 18th variation for solo piano (H. Eichorn arrangement).  Very popular and intermediate level arrangement.  That satisfied her Rach craving until she develops more skills to tackle the preludes.  Good luck.