Rachmaninoff, "Daisies", Op. 38, No. 3

[rachfan]

A companion piece to "Lilacs", this is another of Rachmaninoff's own piano transcriptions of his song by the same title.  I think it can be effective in a recital as a first quiet encore.  "Daisies" is an evocative and charming miniature. 

Incidentally, Earl Wild has made an important contribution to the piano literature by composing many more transcriptions of Rachmaninoff's Songs, which he has also recorded.  These include "Floods of Spring", "In the Silent Night", "Where Beauty Dwells", "The Little Island", "Do Not Grieve", and more.  Rachmaninoff transcribed "Lilacs", "Daisies" and "Vocalaise".  I suspect he would like to have transcribed more of his songs, but probably never found the time.  Wild has filled that void.

[rachfan]

I post this trifle as a change of pace.  Incidentally, to add to my comments above, Volodos has also transcribed a couple of the Rach Songs more recently, "Morning" and "Melody". 

[amanfang]

This is such a lovely piece.  You play it nicely.  The ending sweep is just a tad heavy for my own taste, but not a huge deal.

I'm working on Lilacs right now and am having the worst time with it.  I was hoping to open my recital with it - something short, nice, and something that just sort of says "Thanks for coming to my program."  But if it keeps up, I don't know that I want to open with something that I struggle so much with.  Hopefully it will fall into place shortly.  I orginally wanted to play Daisies also, but won't have time for it. 

[rachfan]

Hi amanfang,

Thanks for the compliment!  Here is my own recording of Lilacs for you to consider.  I hope it is helpful.

[pianistimo]

the harmonies in 'daisies' are really wonderful!  you play it daisiish - the only thing is that the beginning sounding like they were wilting for a minute - until you picked the tempo up.  very cool piece.

[amanfang]

The beginning is supposed to be slow.

[amanfang]

thanks for posting lilacs too.  It's nice to hear at a slightly slower tempo.  There are a few places that sound just a bit disjunct - it doesn't quite flow as well - 3rd and 4th pages.  But of course, I can't play it any better (in fact it's much worse) at the moment.  Overall I think you have done a nice job with it! 

[rachfan]

Hi amanfang,

I'm glad you liked Lilacs.  I think it's often good to hear other renditions, as you can get ideas that way.  Probably the two spots you're referring to are the junctions with the descending double note passages on pages 4 and 5.  They're not easy to play.  I spent only a few weeks on the piece.  Had I lived with it longer, I'm sure I could have smoothed those two figures out out a bit more.

[rachfan]

Hi pianistimo,

"Daisies" is marked lento which accounts for the slow start as amanfang mentioned.  The first measure and the first two beats of the second measure (it's in 3/4 time) comprise the piano's mini-introduction to the song.  Please keep in mind, this is Rachmaninoff's piano transcription of his song, not an original work composed for piano.  What's happening in that introduction is that a couple of people are quietly taking in a view of a field of daisies.  On the second half of the second beat, while the pianist is holding a tie in the RH and about to play one note in the LH,  the singer enters with the words, "Behold, my friend, the daisies sweet and tender ...". 

Having accompanied singers many times, I've found that the accompanist plays a crucial role in any piano introduction in setting up the cue for the singer in terms of pitch and timing of entry.  Often there is, in fact, a tiny pause where the signer has just finished taking her starting breath and then opens the vocal line.  It's minor, nearly imperceptible, but it's often there.  The role of the accompanist is simply to accommodate that and not rush the singer at any time.  So I just naturally play the consolidated  singer's and  piano parts as I hear them in my "mind's ear". 

[ymc15]

thanks!!!!!

[costicina]

 
I was missing your Russian sensibility, David!!! Thanks for sharing this suave piece, beautifully played. Your way to interpret a piece can learn a lot to all of us: so much care for the detail that makes the difference.....

[rachfan]

Hi ymc,

Wow!  You found this recording way, way back in the archives here!  It's an analog recording dating from 1989.  (I don't think digital recording technology for room recordings had yet arrived back then.)  I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for listening!

David

[rachfan]

Hi Marg,

I've always loved this beautiful song transcription of Rachmaninoff suggesting a large field of daisies (margheritas) with the wind gently nudging them, and in the the coda sweeping through them all.  I've also played the actual song accompaniment (same opus and number).  A brief excerpt of my recording was used in the short-subjects film "Through the Needle" produced by the Inner Below and the Benjamin Capps Foundation for the Arts.  For the film, some static was added to the sound of my recording to make it seem like an older phonograph record.

I really appreciate your nice compliment on my "Russian sensibility".  This particular late romantic genre is what I enjoy the most in playing the piano.  It never fails to motivate me in developing an interpretation, and always inspires me in performance.  I'm so glad you liked it!  

Thanks!

David

[liszt85]

Thanks to whoever dug this up. I enjoyed listening to it! Would love to hear more transcriptions from you David, you have a certain aptitude for this kind of music.

[rachfan]

Hi liszt,

It was ymc actually who dug it up. I'm glad you liked it. Seems to be taking on another life now. If you like Rachmaninoff's music, here is one that's not a transcription, but in a way it comes close.  It's Rachmaninoff's own 1940 revision to his "Melodie", Op. 3, No. 3, which is more opulent than his original version composed in 1892. It's believed that he intended to use it as an encore in his recitals. The piece is seldom heard, so I posted it here last year as it's almost "new music" for many listeners.  Here's the link for you:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=41132.0

David

[liszt85]

 It's Rachmaninoff's own 1940 revision to his "Melodie", Op. 3, No. 3, which is more opulent than his original version composed in 1892. It's believed that he intended to use it as an encore in his recitals. The piece is seldom heard, so I posted it here last year as it's almost "new music" for many listeners.  Here's the link for you:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=41132.0

David

I enjoyed that as well, and yes, that is new music to me. Thanks for sharing.

[emill]

Hello David ....

I usually avoid commenting anyone's manner of playing as I am not a pianist but rather comment on the effect of the piece has on me. Sort of from an audience's perspective, one audience that is! In your posts there another reason . . . the amount of information you give regarding the piece or the composer and the generated responses often are quite interesting and definitely adds to my education.

Personally, except for his concertos and a few more pieces, I do not seem to really "love" Rach's compositions for reasons I can't understand as it seems a lot people do like his works.  Unlike the way I am inclined to many of Beethoven's sonatas and Chopin's works .... probably I am a typical audience.   THANKS...

[rachfan]

Hi liszt,

Compared to the 1892 version, this 1940 revision is very lush!  I'm glad you liked it.  I had been intending to learn it for years, so finally did it.

David

[rachfan]

Hi emill,

I'm not a musicologist, but there are  often many interesting background facets to a piece of music.  So if I become aware of them in my travels, then I like to share those insights with the listeners.  Over time I've gotten much feedback from people who found my comments about the composer and a particular work helpful to them in developing a perspective on the music.  So I always enjoy adding that bit of commentary whenever possible.

Well, like any other composer, I think Rachmaninoff is not for everyone.  We all have different aesthetic preferences about musical forms, stylistic periods, and composers' very different and varying idioms.  So it's not surprising that we're not all the same in that respect.  One thing I try to do myself is to occasionally listen to a composer's music that is not high in my regard to see if I can "stretch" my ears.  Sometimes I come away feeling the same about it; but once in awhile I come away with a new appreciation for that composer.  Even at that, composers can rarely appeal to everyone, and listeners will always have their own favorites.  We're so very lucky that the piano has the largest repertoire of all the instruments, and furthermore, that the piano literature is incredibly vast.  That ensures that there is plenty of music to suit everyone's personal taste.

David

[drazh]

Dear Rachfan
Do you usually play these pieces by memory or sight reading?
Best regard

[rachfan]

Hi drazh,

If by sight-reading you mean the tradition definition of playing at sight for the first time, no! Nor do I memorize.  I prepare the pieces thoroughly and then record them while reading from the scores. 

David

[drazh]

Dear rachfan
I mean the second option not prima vista . Because my teacher says to play correctly every pieces should be memorized. But I see you are playing beautifully and precisely by sight reading.
Thanks

[rachfan]

Hi drazh,

Actually your teacher is quite right.  Problem is, I'm too old to memorize now.  So I have no choice but to read from the score.  Youth has its advantages.  Thanks for that nice compliment on my playing!

David