Vocalise (piano duet)

Details

Also available for 2 pianos, 8 hands

Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, arranged for 1 piano, 4 hands by Greg Anderson / Full score / Difficulty: Intermediate-advanced / Duration: 7 mins / Pages: 10 / Copyright: 2009 / Work number: 039.1 / Appears on the album When Words Fade / Spotify / Apple Music

Program Notes

Words are certainly unneeded in Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, originally a song for voice and piano containing no words, but rather sung using a single vowel of the singer’s choosing. 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.” Discover what the song means to you.

The song, with its glorious melody and lack of text, has proven to be an ideal piece for transcription: there are numerous arrangements for orchestra, chamber ensemble, choir, and solo instruments, including solo piano. In arranging this work for piano duet, Greg paid homage to Rachmaninoff’s indelible piano writing and to the song’s emotional intimacy and passion.

— Greg Anderson & Elizabeth Joy Roe

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