# How would you define with one word Rachmaninoff's works?



## helenora (Sep 13, 2015)

What is it for you music of Rachmaninoff? Define it with one or two words or you can vote.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Everything from above, except boring. Not really depressing either (dark, yes, at places, but nothing pretentious or shallow). He was very much like Tchaikovsky in those respects, but ultimately, he became his own man.


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

Moving a lot of the time, perhaps a little cloying at others and then sometimes a little bothersome, especially when he yet again uses a dotted rhythm (long then short). I do love him though.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

With one word?: Undefinable.  It's gonna require more words.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Rachmaninovesque.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

thick, muddy...


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Blancmange


,m c smxmxnx


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Heartfelt .


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## robin4 (Jun 9, 2019)

His beautiful music makes me think of how this life could be, ought to be, and never will be. 

And there is another life to come.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Quintessentially Russian.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm going with "nice". Have a nice day!


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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

Rachmaninov, *Megabiquitus!*


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Fifty years ago the word would have been _"Aykantgetinov!"_ Over the years my passions have moderated, but he remains a favorite. I don't find the sentiment cloying or the melancholy depressing, but find these qualities, and more, absolutely honest and disarming. And few composers are able to expand a melodic idea so persuasively.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

From the words given in the poll, "nostalgic", "melancholic" and "refreshing" are the ones that come closer to how perceive it. I don't think that (what I know of) the music of Rachmaninoff can be defined as "energetic", "boring", "solemn" nor "depressing", so I marked the "nothing from above" option.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Allerius said:


> From the words given in the poll, "nostalgic", "melancholic" and "refreshing" are the ones that come closer to how perceive it. I don't think that (what I know of) the music of Rachmaninoff can be defined as "energetic", "boring", "solemn" nor "depressing", so I marked the "nothing from above" option.


I think "energetic" can be fitted surely to portions of the _Symphonic Dances_, the First Symphony, some of the Preludes and Études Tableaux, and the suites for two pianos. I know I get up and march or dance wildly about the dacha when I hear some of these. :lol:


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Strange Magic said:


> I think "energetic" can be fitted surely to portions of the _Symphonic Dances_, the First Symphony, some of the Preludes and Études Tableaux, and the suites for two pianos. I know I get up and march or dance wildly about the dacha when I hear some of these. :lol:


Yes, perhaps I have not chosen the right words for my last post but I meant that _overall _ the music of Rachmaninoff that I know is not in my opinion well described by the word "energetic", although some moments are of course. I think that "energetic" music can be found in many composers, but not necessarily this word will fit as a good definition for a big picture of their respective oeuvres.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

nothing from above.
He was virgin


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

robin4 said:


> His beautiful music makes me think of how this life could be, ought to be, and never will be.
> 
> And there is another life to come.


Aw, that's beautiful!


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

I’m confused by the first choice. Not sure how ‘nostalgic’ relates to depressing or melancholic.


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## Rubens (Nov 5, 2017)

Dripping.
Dripping.
Dripping.
Dripping.
Dripping.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Rhapsodic, nostalgic. He was a great composer, tho it took me a while to realize this.



hammeredklavier said:


> nothing from above.
> He was virgin


Why does it not surprise me that you are into incel memes...?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I am more troubled about whether to write Rachmaninov or Rachmaninoff. As for the music, I mainly only know the three symphonies and Isle of the Dead. All excellent works. Don't fine his opera topics very appealing though.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Fritz Kobus said:


> I am more troubled about whether to write Rachmaninov or Rachmaninoff. As for the music, I mainly only know the three symphonies and Isle of the Dead. All excellent works. Don't fine his opera topics very appealing though.


He spelled it Rachmaninoff.

I agree that his operas are the weakest part of his output.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Fritz Kobus said:


> I am more troubled about whether to write Rachmaninov or Rachmaninoff. As for the music, I mainly only know the three symphonies and Isle of the Dead. All excellent works. Don't fine his opera topics very appealing though.


A very humble and admirable response in my opinion. I should have admitted that I don't know enough Rachmaninoff to answer this aswell. I wanted to participate because I like the music of the russian.


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## brunumb (Dec 8, 2017)

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.


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## helenora (Sep 13, 2015)

Allerius said:


> From the words given in the poll, "nostalgic", "melancholic" and "refreshing" are the ones that come closer to how perceive it. I don't think that (what I know of) the music of Rachmaninoff can be defined as "energetic", "boring", "solemn" nor "depressing", so I marked the "nothing from above" option.


You will be surprised I included this option because one of my friends used exactly this word 'energetic' to define Rachmaninov's music. I don't think this word fits to his music, but since then I think that some people really think that Rachmaninov's music is uplifting and energetic


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

flamencosketches said:


> Why does it not surprise me that you are into incel memes...?


I didn't know stuff like this is called "incel memes". I found it in another classical music community I go to and I thought it was pretty funny.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Everything above but not boring or depressing


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> He spelled it Rachmaninoff.
> 
> I agree that his operas are the weakest part of his output.


I quite agree, although The Miserly Knight stands out pretty well: scene two has to be one of Rachmaninoff's most gripping utterances, very much in the neighborhood of The Isle of the Dead.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

hammeredklavier said:


> I didn't know stuff like this is called "incel memes". I found it in another classical music community I go to and I thought it was pretty funny.


Not only unfunny, but uninformed. Rachmaninoff was having a torrid affair with a married woman in his teens. The First Symphony seems to parallel her with Anna Karenina and consign her to hell in the finale.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Sublime! ... or Возвышенное!


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

EdwardBast said:


> unfunny


Try these:


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## mitka (Apr 22, 2012)

Brooding.

Alright, the local artificial unintelligence needs at least fifteen characters; take it, thing.


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## mitka (Apr 22, 2012)

Brooding.

Alright, the local artificial unintelligence needs at least fifteen characters; take it, thing.


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