Vocalise Op. 34 no. 14 - Rachmaninoff

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Arranged for two pianos by Niklas Schreiber

Caitlin Wiranata, piano
Daniel Adipradhana, piano

"Vocalise" is a song by Sergei Rachmaninoff, composed and published in 1915 as the last of his 14 Songs or 14 Romances, Op. 34. Originally written for high voice with piano accompaniment, it contains no words, but is sung using only one vowel of the singer's choosing. It was dedicated to soprano singer Antonina Nezhdanova.

Words are certainly unneeded in Rachmaninoff's Vocalise. Without any illustrative lyrics to convey the song’s meaning, the piece takes on a personal meaning as well as a universal expressivity: to quote critic Richard Wright, “As a metaphor for nostalgia, homesickness, and erotic yearning, nothing says it better.”

Written in a minor key, like so many of Rachmaninoff’s best pieces, Vocalise has a melancholy undertone that reflects the composer’s dark mood at this time, as Russia struggled through World War I and hovered on the brink of revolution.

Its opening melodic phrase is an artfully disguised version of the ancient “Dies Irae” (“Day of Judgment”) plainchant theme for the Requiem Mass for the Dead; this grim musical idea was a recurring motive throughout much of Rachmaninoff’s music. But the effortless, unending flow of melody — unfolding in beautiful, arching phrases — triumphs over the sadness.

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