Rachmaninoff Prelude in C Sharp Minor Op. 3 No. 2: Music Video
Rachmaninoff Prelude in C Sharp Minor Story
Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C sharp minor Op. 3, No. 2 is easily one of his most famous pieces, and it has been since he first performed it publicly in Moscow in September 1892 at the Moscow Electrical Exhibition. You may also hear it called “The Bells of Moscow.” It’s a less common name for the piece, but it gets its name from the very first three notes heard in the opening: a loud, deep, resonant A, G sharp, C sharp motif.
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Piece Structure
The prelude in C sharp minor was originally one of a five-piece set called Morceaux de fantaisie. Now you’ll find it most often compiled with his other preludes. He actually performed this in his first public concert as a “Free Artist” after graduation from the Moscow Conservatory. The piece is a clear cut ABA form, where the A consists of a thick, chordal texture that sounds like bells with a hauntingly beautiful melody atop and the B section that creates a sense of an anxiety attack fromthe composer. No, maybe he wasn’t conveying an anxiety attack, but the story goes that the inspiration behind the prelude was from a dream he had. The dream was set at a funeral (the A section “bells”), and there “center stage” was a coffin. As Rachminoff approaches to look inside the coffin, he sees himself there inside, where he immediately feels terror and anxiety (the B section “agitato”). Whether or not the story about the dream is true, it is true that he experienced loss of family members at a young age. In fact, he was just ten years old, when his sister died.
About The Video Creative
We really wanted to play up the darkness and terror felt throughout the piece, so we chose to set the story in an abandoned home at nightfall. We follow a girl who’s drawn to this iron gate with a seemingly endless pathway behind it. As she enters and makes her way down the path she finds an abandoned home with a beautiful piano left behind. She can’t resist but play, and the music that pours out is what you hear: Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C sharp minor. Little does she know, there’s still something - or someone - in the house. She tries to leave, but finds she’s trapped. So what else to do, but continue playing? Who’s there? What happens next?
What Level Is Prelude In C Sharp Minor Op. 3, No. 2?
Mainly for the thick textures and rapid notes, this piece is around level 8, meaning it’s an early advanced/advanced piece of music. It’s a great study in voicing. The chords in the A are so thick that the trick is to balance the bass and inner notes against a strong, controlled melody, and the rapid triplets of the B section must remain under the melody.
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