Rachmaninoff!!!

[lisztmusicfan]

Well, it's Christmastime again, and I got a book full of the complete preleudes and etudes by Rachmaninoff for Christmas. The only problem is that I am very unfamaliar with all of these pieces (except the C# minor prelude of course). So if you could tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly pieces of this book, and also some of your favorites, that would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Logan

[awesom_o]

There are many gems in this book. My personal favourites are the two D minor Etudes-Tableaux... no. 4 or 5 from op. 33, depending upon the Edition, and no. 8 from op. 39.

Two of the most beautiful piano pieces in the entire world.

Both are extremely advanced, however. Unless you have an incredible technique, it will be difficult to render them with the beauty and grace that they deserve!

[perprocrastinate]

I can't tell you much specifically about the cycles, because I've never played any of them. However, the Etude-Tableau Op. 39, No. 5 might be my favorite.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIM0FM0cHb8

This is a piece in which Horowitz's playing characteristics really shine.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

The opus and numbers make no sense.

I was looking through my book of Etudes right?  And one of the Etudes was titled like this...

Op 33 no 8

[size=7.5pt]No 11[/size]

No 9

No 6...

[size=2.5pt]No 5 maybe?[/size]

It makes NOOO sense!!!


Anyways, my favorite prelude is op 32 no 10.  It's soo freaking ambient!  And apparently that was rach's favorite prelude.

My favorite etude is like 39 no 5 or something.  Kissin does a pretty kickass job with it.

[cabbynum]

Op.39 no.5 is pretty amazing! I also really like op. 32 nos.5 10 12 and 13

Also op.23 no.1 3 4 7

[pianoman53]

Oh for f sake!

Go onto YouTube or spotify. Listen, and learn something.

Geez!

[cabbynum]

Oh for f sake!

Go onto YouTube or spotify. Listen, and learn something.

Geez!

If he wasn't already doing that I'm very disappointed.

[lisztmusicfan]

Of course I've done that! I like his f sharp minor prelude as well  that is very beautiful. But I will look at the ones that you have specifically told me about. And pianoman, take a chill pill

[cabbynum]

Of course I've done that! I like his f sharp minor prelude as well  that is very beautiful. But I will look at the ones that you have specifically told me about. And pianoman, take a chill pill

The g major one isn't played often enough in my opinion. It's not crazy hard, of course none of rach is easy but this one isn't terribly difficult.
The f sharp minor one is boring to learn. But once you get it it is very rewarding.

[michaeljames]

The g major one isn't played often enough in my opinion. It's not crazy hard, of course none of rach is easy but this one isn't terribly difficult.
The f sharp minor one is boring to learn. But once you get it it is very rewarding.

I respectfully disagree.  I found 23/1 in F# minor to be quite quick to learn...just a couple of days.  If the G Major prelude you are referring to is 32/5, I know that some pianists struggle with playing the 5 notes per beat. which makes that prelude a bit trickier than it sounds/appears.

As for my favorites, I agree with the poster who said the D minor Etudes are gorgeous. 

The Preludes I love: from Opus 23: 1,3,4,5,6,7,10
                            from Opus 32: 2, 4, 5, 7 (the easiest), 8, 9, 10 and 12
Although Opus 3, no. 2 is over played, I am glad that it is in my repertoire. It's great fun to play and always impresses non-pianist listeners! haha

[cabbynum]

It was the third piece of music I ever played so it took a month and a bit and bored me to tears when learning it. I think if I just now tried to play it it would be a few days.

The g major one is tricky but not awful. My teacher wanted me to learn it so I did the first 3/4 and wanted to move on to a different piece and I've always regretted not finishing it.


For the first part: the third piece I learned from sheet music, before that it was all by ear, I learned to read music on op.3 no.2 and then a Chopin nocturne then that one.
Before that I learned a few Bach preludes and 2 part inventions and Chopin preludes and nocturnes by ear. It's funny, looking back at those pieces I found spots I had wrong by one note or a missing note! Ha

Etudes by Rachmaninov I love them all but defenitely favorite is op.39 no.5

[sako369]

Heyy there, Op 39 n 5 is my favorite also. However, don't get tricked or fooled by the tempo of this magnificent etude, I am also starting to learn it. It is quite difficult, rich in textures and layers.
Also, i suggest op 39 n 3, i adore it as well.

[bharatbash]

Rachmaninoff"s music has that ethereal quality which needs mature hands to do justice to it.

Oh, well Prelude no. 5 Op. 32(B minor) is a magnificient piece of expression

[redbaron]

There are many gems in this book. My personal favourites are the two D minor Etudes-Tableaux... no. 4 or 5 from op. 33, depending upon the Edition, and no. 8 from op. 39.

Two of the most beautiful piano pieces in the entire world.

Both are extremely advanced, however. Unless you have an incredible technique, it will be difficult to render them with the beauty and grace that they deserve!

Agreed, the D minor Etude from Op 33 is one of the most sublime pieces of music ever written for the instrument.

The G minor prelude Op 23, No 5 is one of the most well known. The B flat prelude from Op 23 is a fantastic piece but attempting to play it may very well kill you.

[lisztmusicfan]

I fell in love with prelude in b minor op 32 no 10! It is so beautiful!

[cabbynum]

I fell in love with prelude in b minor op 32 no 10! It is so beautiful!

Hard to play well...

[ale_ius]

Just a friendly FYI to OP if you really love these preludes you owe it to yourself to explore Bowen's 24. They are all uploaded on yt w audio-score video.  Here i a lovely short one ( the score videos are on sets so longer )

-Alee Marie.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I fell in love with prelude in b minor op 32 no 10! It is so beautiful!

I keep telling you guys 32 10 is the best one man!

[lisztmusicfan]

And you are so right!

[nanabush]

I've played a bunch of the preludes now, and 4 of the etudes.  There are a few preludes I'm on the fence about, but overall they are such great sets!

Op 32 #10 is my favourite.  I couldn't believe it was only 4 pages after having heard it for the first time.  The immense texture in that rising figure on page 2 blew me away.

Check these out as well:  Op 23 #4, 6 and Op 32 #3, 5, 10, 12

I find the difficulty level of the etudes much higher (if you count out the e minor and eb minor preludes).  These were pieces that I had a lot of tedious practice sessions to get passages to work.  The g minor from Op 33 is beautiful, and is probably one of the only entry points into the etudes haha.

You could also check out the d minor and Eb major from Op 33 (I won't put the numbers because they are all messed up across editions).

For Op 39 études... I guess you could try #2 but it is a pretty strange piece.  If you have good active double note technique, I'd strongly recommend the d minor #8 from Op 39.  I played this two years ago, and LOVED learning it.  The melody is haunting and beautiful, and I found compared to the other etudes I played, this one had a fun quality to it while I was working out fingerings.  It remains in d minor almost the whole way through, so unlike the two adjecent etudes (C minor #7 and D major #9), it doesn't feel like you are reading Messiaen.  It's easier on the eyes, fits VERY nicely under the hand, and is just a damn awesome powerful Rach piece.

If you've chosen a piece from among the suggestions on this thread, and you want some additional information, I'd be glad to help out.  I've geeked out over the etudes and preludes over the last 5-6 years, and feel like I could give some decent suggestions

[chicoscalco]

I've played a bunch of the preludes now, and 4 of the etudes.  There are a few preludes I'm on the fence about, but overall they are such great sets!

Op 32 #10 is my favourite.  I couldn't believe it was only 4 pages after having heard it for the first time.  The immense texture in that rising figure on page 2 blew me away.

Check these out as well:  Op 23 #4, 6 and Op 32 #3, 5, 10, 12

I find the difficulty level of the etudes much higher (if you count out the e minor and eb minor preludes).  These were pieces that I had a lot of tedious practice sessions to get passages to work.  The g minor from Op 33 is beautiful, and is probably one of the only entry points into the etudes haha.

You could also check out the d minor and Eb major from Op 33 (I won't put the numbers because they are all messed up across editions).

For Op 39 études... I guess you could try #2 but it is a pretty strange piece.  If you have good active double note technique, I'd strongly recommend the d minor #8 from Op 39.  I played this two years ago, and LOVED learning it.  The melody is haunting and beautiful, and I found compared to the other etudes I played, this one had a fun quality to it while I was working out fingerings.  It remains in d minor almost the whole way through, so unlike the two adjecent etudes (C minor #7 and D major #9), it doesn't feel like you are reading Messiaen.  It's easier on the eyes, fits VERY nicely under the hand, and is just a damn awesome powerful Rach piece.

If you've chosen a piece from among the suggestions on this thread, and you want some additional information, I'd be glad to help out.  I've geeked out over the etudes and preludes over the last 5-6 years, and feel like I could give some decent suggestions

Would you have some tips on the b minor prelude, your favorite one? I am currently studying it, and although I find it doesn't contain much "mechanical" issues (ie it falls nicely under the hands), can you help with insights, things you found most troublesome... I find that thick chordal section to be very difficult to play well, I'm having a hard time with those chords. And please, tell me you too weren't able to play everything there as written! There are things there I wouldn't even attempt to try, one would have to possess Rach's hands :p

[lisztmusicfan]

Thanks for your input nanabush! I will check out the other ones you mentioned, but I really am in love with the b minor one! I just think that the etudes are a little out of my reach.