Serge Rachmaninoff

Serge Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Nationality: Russian
Born: April 1, 1873, Oneg Died: March 28, 1943, Beverly Hills, CA (age 69)

Trio élégiaque No. 2 in d minor, Op. 9

(for violin, cello and piano)
19:06 I. Moderato - Allegro moderato
20:31 II. Quasi variazione
7:49 III. Allegro risoluto
Duration: 42 minutes (approximately)
Composed: 1893, 5 October-15 December, revised 1907 and 1917 (age 20-20)
Premiere: January 31, 1894. Yuly Konyus (violin), Anatoly Brandukov (cello), Sergei Rachmaninoff (piano)
Revised: 1917 (age 43-44)
Dedication: To the memory of a great artist [Pyotr Tchaikovsky]
6 recordings, 18 videos
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20:37
Gidon Kremer, Giedre Dirvanauskaite, Daniil Trifonov
I. Moderato - Allegro moderato
20:35
Gidon Kremer, Giedre Dirvanauskaite, Daniil Trifonov
II. Quasi variazione
8:24
Gidon Kremer, Giedre Dirvanauskaite, Daniil Trifonov
III. Allegro risoluto
17:47
Zsolt-Tihamér Visontay, Mats Lidström, Vladimir Ashkenazy
I. Moderato - Allegro moderato
21:44
Zsolt-Tihamér Visontay, Mats Lidström, Vladimir Ashkenazy
II. Quasi variazione
8:03
Zsolt-Tihamér Visontay, Mats Lidström, Vladimir Ashkenazy
III. Allegro risoluto
18:28
Beaux Arts Trio
I. Moderato - Allegro moderato
19:55
Beaux Arts Trio
II. Quasi variazione
7:50
Beaux Arts Trio
III. Allegro risoluto
20:55
Leonid Kogan, Fiodor Luzanov, Evgeny Svetlanov
I. Moderato - Allegro moderato
24:03
Leonid Kogan, Fiodor Luzanov, Evgeny Svetlanov
II. Quasi variazione
7:32
Leonid Kogan, Fiodor Luzanov, Evgeny Svetlanov
III. Allegro risoluto
19:08
Julian Rachlin, Mischa Maisky, Nikolai Lugansky
I. Moderato - Allegro moderato
18:20
Julian Rachlin, Mischa Maisky, Nikolai Lugansky
II. Quasi variazione
7:49
Julian Rachlin, Mischa Maisky, Nikolai Lugansky
III. Allegro risoluto
19:49
St. Petersburg Academy Trio
I. Moderato - Allegro moderato
20:13
St. Petersburg Academy Trio
II. Quasi variazione
7:21
St. Petersburg Academy Trio
III. Allegro risoluto
From Edition Silvertrust

Sergei RachmaninovRachmaninov's Piano Trio No.2 which also has the subtitle Élégiaque was composed in 1893 and written as a memorial for Tchaikovsky who was a close friend and mentor. Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) is well-known both for having been a famous piano virtuoso and for having composed several important piano concertos as well as other works for orchestra. Few, however, know that he wrote chamber music.

Although both of his piano trios are early works, they show a mastery of technique and an uncanny similarity to his later compositions. It is a huge work, written on a much larger scale than his first trio and as one might expect full of passion and genuine deep feeling. The work is in three movements. From the opening notes of the massive Moderato, one is aware of a deep sadness which is accentuated by the repeated funereal accompaniment of the strings in the piano. The music, though highly passionate, moves as a very deliberate, almost plodding pace. The second movement, Andante, quasi variazione, is also written on a grand scale. The piano alone announces the theme which is followed by eight substantial variations. The finale, Allegro risoluto, the piano states the very Tchaikovskian theme during a long opening solo. It is rough and punctuated by violent outbursts of emotion. The sense of pathos and passion is further heightened when the strings join in.

Here is a highly dramatic and powerful work which cannot fail to leave a deep impression upon any audience which hears it.

© Edition Silvertrust. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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1900 WWI WWII Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) Sergei Taneyev (1856-1915) Anton Arensky (1861-1906) Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) Serge Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) Konstantin Eiges (1875-1950) Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)
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Anton Arensky (1861-1906)
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Born: June 5, 1875, Bogodukhov Died: December 2, 1950, Moscow (age 75)