# Rachmaninov vocal works vs piano works?



## deprofundis (Apr 25, 2014)

So what do you think , i personaly preffer his vocal works even if people here would like his piano work more, i know he is a pianist first but Paganini theme did not impress me like vesper opus 37 all night vigil or lithurgy of st.Jean Chrysostom.

People are gonna probably think im mental since i think this way, maybe i did not heard enought Rachmaninov what his boldess move..

Any Rachmaninov specialist here??

Did you know Rachmaninov was Einstein favorite composer according to various source by the way.

:tiphat:


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

I've always liked his large-scale setting of Poe's "The Bells." Problem is, I first heard it in an old Philadelphia/Ormandy recording using Poe's English text, and most subsequent recordings I've seen are in Russian -- which is really disconcerting.


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## Abraham Lincoln (Oct 3, 2015)

I prefer his piano works, but it could just be me.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Rachmaninoff didn't write many purely vocal works. His many fine songs often give as much prominence to the piano as to the voice. The _All-Night Vigil_ (Vespers) is certainly his a cappella choral masterpiece, but _The Bells_, mentioned by MarkW, is a choral "symphony" in four movements for soprano, tenor and baritone soloists, chorus, and orchestra. Rach considered it his favorite among his works - not surprisingly, it's so gorgeously written and haunting in its moods.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I recently bought a recording of The Bells second hand on Naxos. Also an Isle of the Dead and the Symphonic Dances on the same label. Good performances and recordings. I enjoyed them but they will not replace Rach's piano works - especially the concertos - in my affections


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Seems odd to oppose Rachmaninoff's vocal works with his piano works since the vast majority of his vocal works are also piano works. 

Has anyone noticed how strongly the third movement of The Bells is related to a scene from Boris Godunov, the Saint Basil's scene, the one with the yurodiviy and the crowd screaming for bread?


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Apart from The Bells and All-Night Vigil I quite like his early opera _Aleko_ (the limp plot notwithstanding). That said, I play some of his piano works more than anything else by him. I haven't heard any of the songs - until looking it up I had no idea he wrote so many.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

_Vespers_ is sublime, but talking about the piano works, I really like _Études-tableaux_ op. 39.


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## Ilarion (May 22, 2015)

Rachmaninov is one of my "bookend composers", ergo, whose music is a staple in my library. So, his vocal music is high on my list.


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

His three short operas Aleko/Miserly Knight/Francesca da R(conveniently issued in one box by DG) indicate his operatic talent, not further explored. I wonder why?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

200 views and only 9 comments, I don't get it, really I don't.
As I do at the OP.

There's a whole world off differentness between vocal and instrumental music, so why would Rachmaninov be a exception


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## manyene (Feb 7, 2015)

I suspect we would get a bigger response if the question was recast; say: is Rachmaninov a great composer, equal to Tchaikovsky? I think there are still many who dismiss him as the man who wrote just one popular work(*that* concerto).


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## Skilmarilion (Apr 6, 2013)

manyene said:


> I suspect we would get a bigger response if the question was recast; say: is Rachmaninov a great composer...


Or maybe not much of a response at all given how obvious the answer is.


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## anthonycwein (Jan 20, 2016)

Piano works by a long shot - Concerto no. 2 (movement 2 & 3) is an all time favorite


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