Rachmaninoff Moment Musicaux No. 5 in D-flat Major

[musicluvr49]

I have an audtion coming up for my music school's End-Of-The-Year Concert, so any comments would be much appreciated.

[musicluvr49]

... Please?? 

[rachfan]

Hi musicluvr,

Most people read the title Moment Musical but miss the fact that this piece is actually in the form of a barcarolle.  It's true that most barcarolles are written in 6/8 or variations thereof, but probably only Rachmaninoff was clever enough to compose one in 4/4.  It sounds to me as though you figured this out, as you play it in a lyrical, dreamy way of a gondola slipping quietly over the water of a canal in Venice.  Good!  Do everything you can to subdue the LH accompaniment to keep it as quiet as possible.  

Throughout the piece you must voice the upper notes in the thirds in the RH bringing out the melodic line.  The clue is the tenuto marks over the thirds.  Think top note more than third.   

Your phrasing sounds pretty good.  

On page 2 first measure, where the E flat is tied, keep the underlying C natural uninterruptive as it's merely harmonic, not melodic.  So just a whisper.  Three lines down, this C comes back to haunt again, so needs to be muted.  

Page 2, line 2, notice in the middle RH phrase, the top notes comprise a long scale starting in E flat and ending on the B flat.  You'll want to etch that.

On page 3, second line down, third measure, that roll on the downbeat is marked ff, but sounds too soft--but it can't be, as it's the climax of the piece!!  The proper way to execute it is to take the top three whole notes in the RH hand with thumb on the F flat and the lower two whole notes in the LH (thumb on the B flat) along with the F flat initial note of the triplet below.  Once you've redistributed the music that way, to articulate the roll, play the two thumbs first and together, and playing outwardly in both hands in contrary (opposite) motion the next two notes together and then the last notes together.  Usually we play a roll starting in the LH moving up into the RH.  But not here.  If you use this technique, you can play the roll at ff.

Now, same page, two lines down you've got another roll there.  This one, given the precedent above, is best played simultaneously by the hands rather than the LH beginning and the RH ending it.  It makes it more consistent with the earlier treatment of the climatic roll.

Still on page 3, bottom line, first measure: There is voice leading there!  See the G# in the left hand on the first beat? That must lead to the A natural in the RH which goes to the B then to the C#.  It's a mini-scale.

In the second to last line on page 4, second measure: All through the piece you have to voice the tops of the thirds for clarity of melody.  But it's different here.  Notice the tenuto marks in the RH bottom notes.  That indicates that it will be more of a duet within the hand here at this spot.

I hope this helps.  

[musicluvr49]

Thanks so much, this helps a lot !

A lot of the things you mentioned I actually kind of knew, like emphasizing the melody, and voicing,  I guess I just didn't bring them out enough, that's something I have to work on. Maybe it's just because I was playing on a crappy piano, haha. Hopefully I get to practice on a Steinway or something more before the audition. But anywayz, thanks so much !

[omar_roy]

Thanks so much, this helps a lot !

A lot of the things you mentioned I actually kind of knew, like emphasizing the melody, and voicing,  I guess I just didn't bring them out enough, that's something I have to work on. Maybe it's just because I was playing on a crappy piano, haha. Hopefully I get to practice on a Steinway or something more before the audition. But anywayz, thanks so much !

A lot of the time we know exactly how we want it to sound in our heads, but because we listen so carefully to what's in our heads and get so caught up in the notes, we forget to listen to what we're actually doing.

Remember, the subtleties that you hear are nearly incomprehensible to an audience in most cases, so make sure everything is very clear.

Just listen to what you're doing and you'll do fine.

[musicluvr49]

Your so right. Thanks, I'm gonna work on that.

[musicluvr49]

Just to give an update, I had my audition yesterday. My piano teacher thinks I did really well, so I'm praying they choose me to perform. The performance will be at the Kimmel Center if I get picked, so wish me luck.

[prongated]

Oh, good luck!

To complement all the good comments (and your sincere effort in preparing this work!) that have been posted here, I have just one thing I'd like to share with you, which I think will help you achieve a more organic flow of the accompaniment and melody. You should "practise" this piece away from the music and piano.

Listen to the music in your head, and imagine as if you are the conductor to that music. Imagine the sound you want, feel the feeling you want to communicate, and conduct it - pace it - according to the way you think the music should flow. [I love practising like this - perfect excuse to go relax quietly in a lounge or somewhere nice and enjoy your favourite beverage!]

[musicluvr49]

Oh, good luck!

To complement all the good comments (and your sincere effort in preparing this work!) that have been posted here, I have just one thing I'd like to share with you, which I think will help you achieve a more organic flow of the accompaniment and melody. You should "practise" this piece away from the music and piano.

Listen to the music in your head, and imagine as if you are the conductor to that music. Imagine the sound you want, feel the feeling you want to communicate, and conduct it - pace it - according to the way you think the music should flow. [I love practising like this - perfect excuse to go relax quietly in a lounge or somewhere nice and enjoy your favourite beverage!]

Thank you.


I've taken every comment into consideration, and I think it sounds a lot better. Hopefully I will be able to post an updated version pretty soon.