There are 13 preludes in Rachmaninov's Op. 32 set, and with the ten in his Op. 23 collection and the lone Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 10, the composer achieved his objective of covering all of the major and minor keys. This, then, is the fifth in Op. 32, and the 16th of the 24. Rachmaninov was known to be gloomy in his works, said to be more at home indulging this characteristic in minor, rather than major keys. This sweetly playful prelude might serve as evidence on the flip side of this assertion since it is bright and largely upbeat music in a major key. While there may be more than a grain of truth to the major/minor mood swings of Rachmaninov, he nevertheless could convincingly convey single or multiple emotions in either major or minor keys. This lovely Prelude in G major sounds a bit slower than its Moderato marking might suggest. Heard against a wavy, rocking figure in the left hand, the main theme floats along in the upper register with a tranquil, childlike innocence, but then playfully tumbles downward. The middle section turns somewhat tense, briefly bordering on the melancholy. But the mood from the opening returns and the piece quietly and soothingly ends. This prelude typically lasts three-and-a-half minutes in performance.

© All Music Guide

###

This is the penultimate of the 13 preludes making up Rachmaninov's Op. 32 set. It is one of the more popular works in this or any of his large collections and often appears on recital programs and recordings apart from its siblings in the set. It is very typical of Rachmaninov in that it is yet another work that uses the Dies Irae theme. The composer had a special fondness for it, employing it in many compositions, like his Isle of the Dead, Symphonic Dances, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and even in his symphonies. In this Prelude, the Dies Irae appears in a variation form and serves as the main theme. Unsuspecting listeners familiar with the Dies Irae melody might not notice its thematic connection to Rachmaninov's melody at first. The piece, marked Allegro, opens with a swirling, agitated figure in the right hand over which a melancholy theme is played, which, unlike the Dies Irae, first rises before falling. In the middle section, the music grows more agitated until an eruption is provoked and the theme is played at a faster tempo, taking on the identical contour of the Dies Irae. The main theme then re-appears in its original form, but in a colorfully haunting version with its first notes played in the bass ranges. The piece ends quietly, but without resolution of its agitated manner. This Prelude lasts about two-and-a-half minutes in performance.

© All Music Guide

###

At this point Rachmaninov decided to complete Chopin's model of a Prélude in each of the twenty-four major and minor keys. Including the 10 Préludes, Opus 23, and the Prélude Opus 3 #2, this set of thirteen completes the twenty-four. These pieces are representative of the more subtle and harmonically advanced style that Rachmaninov developed in his middle years. They are also somewhat more complex and original in their design than the earlier Préludes. #1, C major. This is introductory and brief, consisting of rapid triplet figuration in rising chromatic phrases. #2, b-flat minor. A dance-like dotted figure pervades this Prélude. It is increasingly ornamented by rapid figuration as it undergoes a number of tempo changes. There is a large central climax. #3, E major. Chord and octave technique figures heavily in this brilliant March. After a rousing climax, the Prélude ends quietly. #4, e minor. The longest and most complex of this set of Préludes, this piece is a series of passages propelled by a driving triplet figure. After a number of variants on the opening theme, it finally rises to a climax before subsiding to a quiet ending. The entire work is subtly organized and difficult to make cohesive in performance. #5, G major. A gentle and lyrical Nocturne, this Prélude sets a soaring melody above an arpeggiated accompaniment. There is a short cadenza before the dramatic change to the minor key just before the final statement of the main theme. #6, f minor. This is a fierce and aggressive Etude featuring rapid triplet passagework in both hands. #7, F major. This Prélude is a duet between left and right hands. The march-like accompaniment seems commonplace, but is used to original effect. #8, a minor. Another Etude-like work, this Prélude features Rachmaninov's typical rhythmic drive and sweeping figurations. #9, A major. A beautifully lyric rising melody is accompanied by throbbing figurations in this subtle Prélude. It rises to two climaxes, but the second is less effective than the first. The entire piece anticipates the style of the Fourth Piano Concerto. #10, b minor. The greatest of the Préludes. This is an epic and grand Elegy that rises to a huge climax featuring repeated triplet chords against a hammered melody. This is followed by a build-up to another climax, culminating in an effective cadenza. The ending is quiet and resigned. #11, B major. A subtle and charming dance featuring similar rhythms to those of number 3. Rachmaninov here makes effective use of syncopation and shifting accents. #12, g-sharp minor. In texture, this Prélude is similar to number 5, but in character is far more intense and driven. The apparent climax at the center of the Prélude is not the actual focal point of the piece, which occurs during the final reprise of the opening theme. The entire Prélude is infused with Rachmaninov's characteristic melancholy. #13, D-flat major. This is something of a pastiche arranged around quotations from several of the other Préludes of this set. Nevertheless, it is a magnificent and effective conclusion.

© All Music Guide

###

When Rachmaninov wrote the Op. 32 set of preludes, he was at the zenith of his creative powers as a composer and performing prowess as a pianist. He produced this brilliant collection of Preludes (13) which, with the Prelude in C sharp minor in Op. 3 and the ten in Op. 23, fill out a set of 24 and cover all of the keys. They would, of course, also become invaluable to him on his concert tours. At about a minute-and-a-half, this Prelude in F minor is, with the A minor (No. 8 in Op. 32), the shortest of the 24, but its brevity and agitated manner combine to produce one of his more thrilling keyboard efforts. The piece angrily begins with an emphatic motif in the bass register, from where an anxious, rippling theme emerges and eventually rises to the upper register, only to rapidly retreat downward. The churning, roiling manner of the music persists throughout, notes rushing about half-manic, half-playful. After the opening motif re-appears midway through, the music seems to be winding down, but it gradually works into a near-frenzied manner again before the bass motif dramatically ends the work .

© All Music Guide

###

There are many among pianists and public alike who assert that this Prelude in B minor is the deepest and most substantive of the ten in the Op. 32 set and indeed, that it is perhaps the composer's finest from among the 24 he wrote. Stylistically, it embodies much of Rachmaninov's complex musical persona: brooding, dark, and stormy, it builds from a gentle, forlorn opening to a powerful, grandiose climax midway through and closes in a subdued, melancholy mood. Marked Lento, this prelude presents its main theme in gentle chords, the feeling at the outset seemingly one of consolation or of loss. The music gradually builds, the chords taking on greater muscle and accumulating tension. The mood is soon conflicted, the music exhibiting heroism but struggling in its cumbersome ascending gait. It collapses and the gentle melancholy from the opening soon returns, the main theme itself now struggling to express its somber tones. The music slowly fades at the close, leaving a desolate and listless impression. This prelude is, with No. 13 (D flat major), the longest in the Op. 32 set at around seven minutes.

© All Music Guide

Portions of Content Provided by All Music Guide.
© 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. All Music Guide is a registered trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.