Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43
The Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, (Russian: Рапсодия на тему Паганини, Rapsodiya na temu Paganini) is a concertante work written by Sergei Rachmaninoff for piano and orchestra, closely resembling a piano concerto, all in a single movement. Rachmaninoff wrote the work at his summer home, the Villa Senar in Switzerland, according to the score, from 3 July to 18 August 1934. Rachmaninoff himself played the piano part at the piece's premiere on 7 November 1934, at the Lyric Opera House in Baltimore, Maryland, with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski.
Rachmaninoff, Stokowski, and the Philadelphia Orchestra made the first recording, on 24 December 1934, at RCA Victor's Trinity Church Studio in Camden, New Jersey. The English premiere on 7 March 1935 at Manchester Free Trade Hall also featured Rachmaninoff with The Hallé conducted by Nicolai Malko. The best-known variation in the piece is the 18th variation, frequently selected in isolation in classical music compilations.
Movements
- Introduction: Allegro vivace
- Variation I: (Precedente)
- Thema. L’istesso tempo
- Variation II: L’istesso tempo
- Variation III: L’istesso tempo
- Variation IV: Più vivo
- Variation V: Tempo precedente
- Variation VI: L’istesso tempo
- Variation VII: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato
- Variation VIII: Tempo I
- Variation IX: L’istesso tempo
- Variation X: Poco marcato
- Variation XI: Moderato
- Variation XII: Tempo di minuetto
- Variation XIII: Allegro
- Variation XIV: L’istesso tempo
- Variation XV: Più vivo scherzando
- Variation XVI: Allegretto
- Variation XVII: (Allegretto)
- Variation XVIII: Andante cantabile
- Variation XIX: L’istesso tempo
- Variation XX: Un poco più vivo
- Variation XXI: Un poco più vivo
- Variation XXII: Un poco più vivo (Alla breve)
- Variation XXIII: L’istesso tempo
- Variation XXIV: A tempo un poco meno mosso
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Introduction: Allegro vivace
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation I: (Precedente)
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Thema. L’istesso tempo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation II: L’istesso tempo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation III: L’istesso tempo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation IV: Più vivo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation V: Tempo precedente
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation VI: L’istesso tempo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation VII: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation VIII: Tempo I
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation IX: L’istesso tempo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation X: Poco marcato
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XI: Moderato
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XII: Tempo di minuetto
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XIII: Allegro
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XIV: L’istesso tempo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XV: Più vivo scherzando
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XVI: Allegretto
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XVII: (Allegretto)
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XVIII: Andante cantabile
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XIX: L’istesso tempo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XX: Un poco più vivo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XXI: Un poco più vivo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XXII: Un poco più vivo (Alla breve)
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XXIII: L’istesso tempo
- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, op. 43: Variation XXIV: A tempo un poco meno mosso
Recommended recordings
- Sergei Rachmaninoff · Philadelphia Orchestra · Leopold Stokowski YouTubeSpotify (subscription)
- Arthur Rubinstein · Chicago Symphony Orchestra · Fritz Reiner YouTubeSpotify (subscription)