Rachmaninov's Prelude Op.3 No.2

[rob_the_dude]

I've got the Boosey and Hawkes version of this score and I don't know what the natural sign followed by the sharp sign before the majority of the 'F's means. Is this a 'play what you want' sign (although I seriously doubt it) or a fundamental part of music theory that I have missed out on?

It is found in bars:
3, 4, 7, 9 etc.

(I noticed that it is on the Piano Street score for any of you Gold members out there)

Cheers xx

[lelle]

They probably do it because earlier in the measure there has been an f with a double sharp, and they want to restore the f to a natural first before putting a normal sharp in front of it again. But it is just stupid

It means "since we are music editors we probably know a hell of a lot of music theory but still we are retarded enough to put a natural sign before the sharp signs, you know, just in case somebody doesn't understand that an f with a sharp in front of it is an f sharp"


long story short, if there is a natural sign and a sharp before the f, just play a normal f sharp.

[allthumbs]

They probably do it because earlier in the measure there has been an f with a double sharp, and they want to restore the f to a natural first before putting a normal sharp in front of it again. But it is just stupid

Not really, it's a written music convention to cancel out double sharps or flats. You'll also see it when there is a key change as well. All the flats or sharps will be canceled by natural signs before the new key signature is instituted.

[rob_the_dude]

Cheers Guys!!!!!!

I was just playing the 'normal' F#'s, otherwise it would take the piece into a completely different key, but needed to know if it meant something drastic!

As an aside, the last page and a bit is split up into four staves, two for each hand. What does the m.d. (right hand) and m.g. (left hand) mean in relation to this?

ta very muchly, rob

[rob_the_dude]

I've just been bothered enough to find out myself.
M.D. stands for 'mano destra (italian)' or 'main droite (french)', both literally meaning 'right hand'.
M.G. stands for 'main guache (french)' and means 'left hand'.

I kinda answered my own question above then 

RJ

[lontano]

Don't kill the messenger!....but

This old warhorse, arguably Rachmaninov's "greatest burden" (in that he wished he never composed it), can be played any way you see fit, and everyone will love it!

When you analyze the piece it is just a "jolt" that initiated a marvelous career for one of the finest, and final, great Russian Romantic composers!

This prelude might intrigue you today, but look towards the 2 sets of Preludes, a romantic pianists dream on the page.

PS: In Rachmaniniov's later years he was reported to hate the audiences pleas to perform this (now dreaded) piece. My parents were in one of those audiences. 

[rob_the_dude]

It's still a good piece though!

And I started learning Op.23 No.5 before the No.2  .

It must have been amazing to hear Rachmaninoff play! What pieces did he play for the concert?

Rob

[lontano]

It's still a good piece though!

And I started learning Op.23 No.5 before the No.2  .

It must have been amazing to hear Rachmaninoff play! What pieces did he play for the concert?

Rob

I personally don't know what he played on the night my parents were in the audience (let's see, Rachy died in 1943 - my parents married right about that time and I believe he was still performing to some extent right up to the end), but he had a wide repertoire. My mom remarked at his enormous stance and hands that could grasp the entire keyboard at once! There are many recordings, now digitally remastered, of everything he recorded and they are powerful performances. I discovered the original LPs at my local library back in my teens. One cool dude...

[franz-liszt]

It's still a good piece though!

And I started learning Op.23 No.5 before the No.2  .

It must have been amazing to hear Rachmaninoff play! What pieces did he play for the concert?

Rob

Ya! I'm learning 23/5 too. It's perfect, not too hard / easy, while lots of BIG RUSSIAN sounds come from the piano. YUMM!

[rob_the_dude]

I won a 'talent' show the other day playing it, but completely cocked up and had to improvise the last bit of the 'graceful' bit it took a good few bars to get back in the right key

[like_um_yeah]

The natural sign before the sharp sign is a courtesy reminder.  Chances are, you were probably playing a double sharp (notated as "x") previous to the confusing sign.  It is the composer reminding you that the actual sharp sign ("#") needs to be canceled out with a natural first.  If they left it blank (as per key signature rules), it renders the performer to play the piece with a higher margin of error.


Hope that helps.
Allan

[mrnicktjones]

The natural sign before the sharp sign is a courtesy reminder.  Chances are, you were probably playing a double sharp (notated as "x") previous to the confusing sign.  It is the composer reminding you that the actual sharp sign ("#") needs to be canceled out with a natural first.  If they left it blank (as per key signature rules), it renders the performer to play the piece with a higher margin of error

Like_Um_Yeah is correct on the mater of the double sharps and the canceling out. And what the form would look like in the music. The sheet music for C# minor found at music stores are different then the music found on this website. They have been edited on this website for OUR help. And of course sometimes, like yourself, you would get confused. 

Yes. I like repeating stuff that has been said already. Im just cool like that.