Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

The Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini wrote the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff in the summer of 1934 within a few weeks in his villa " Senar " on Lake Lucerne. His opus 43 was premiered on November 7, 1934 in Baltimore with Rachmaninoff at the piano and the Philadelphia Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski.

The main topics

The piece consists of 24 variations on a theme that Niccolò Paganini had used the last of his 24 Caprices for solo violin itself as the starting point of a series of variations. Again and again, this tune was used as a template various composers, including Johannes Brahms and Franz Liszt. In some variations (. Especially in Var VII, X and XXIV) used Rachmaninov another, much older melody: the sequence " Dies Irae ", which was once an integral part of the Latin Mass for the Dead. This theme used repeatedly Rachmaninoff in his works. So it appears, for example, in all the symphonies, the symphonic dances, in the symphonic poem The Isle of the Dead, in the first piano sonata

The combination of a Paganini - theme with the " Dies Irae " led to the search for a programmatic background of the work. In fact, Rachmaninoff said in a letter to Mikhail Fokine to a program Behind the Music: The legend, the great violinist sold his soul to the devil in order to achieve perfection on his instrument and the love of a woman. The " Dies Irae " motif stands for the devil that created the Paganini theme for the composing Geiger itself Fokine on this basis together with Rachmaninoff a ballet choreographed for Rhapsody, which also had great success.

Construction

The work begins with a brief introduction, in which the repetition of the main subject in ever higher octave and augmented triads a dramatic increase is established. Even before the theme is followed by the first variation. This only plays the orchestra. This is now followed on the topic that is of the violins of the orchestra (probably alluding to Paganini ) played. In Variation 2 first attacks the piano on the subject. The following end Variations 3-6 swirl around the subject in ever new ways, however, the relatively fast pace and the main key of A minor are preserved. In variation 7 is then - at a slow pace - the Dies Irae presented. The main motive of the theme is played in slow to form by the bassoon and low strings, and short in shape faster objections of violins. The following variations 8 and 9 are again composed at a fast pace and more influenced by Paganini theme. Variation 10 maintains this mood, but now combines them with the Dies Irae theme. A new section begins with the improvisational Variation 11 Variation 12, 14 and 15 bring many new elements, the subject is hardly recognizable. The 13th variation starts sounding the topic in a vigorous march of the whole orchestra. In variation 16, the main subject is always melancholy and lyrical performed by brass, piano and solo violin. In variation 17, the wind plays repeatedly slowed down three notes from the topic. In the 18th variation of Rachmaninoff reverses the direction of movement of the subject. In pleasant D flat major standing, she soars too high romantic feeling of intensity. This variation also has outside of the complete works gained great popularity and has also been used in many films. With variation 19 Rachmaninov returns to the original key of A minor, and the initial rapid pace and the Paganini theme in its original form. The pace will be increased variation for variation. Otherwise, the following variations are similar to the first six. In variation 22, the piece wanders off again in E-flat and even quotes the rapturous theme variation 18 before it approaches a brilliant final. Shortly before the end of the Dies Irae also motif is shown again, then it builds up to an almost fireworks on before it is terminated by two chords in pianissimo.

The set of names of the individual variations

  • Introduction: Allegro vivace
  • Variation I: Precedente
  • Tema: L' istesso tempo
  • Variation II: L' istesso tempo
  • Variation III: L' istesso tempo
  • Variation IV: Piu 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: Piu vivo scherzando
  • Variation XVI: Allegretto
  • Variation XVII: Allegretto
  • Variation XVIII: Andante cantabile
  • Variation XIX: A tempo vivace
  • 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
Isle of the Dead (painting)
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