''Prelude in G minor'', Op. 23, No. 5, is a piece of music by

Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and Conducting, conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a compos ...

, completed in 1901. It was included in his ''Opus 23'' set of ten preludes, despite having been written two years earlier than the other nine. Rachmaninoff himself premiered the piece in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

on February 10, 1903, along with Preludes No. 1 and 2 from Op. 23.

Structure

The Prelude's taut structure is in

ternary form Ternary form, sometimes called song form, is a three-part musical form consisting of an opening section (A), a following section (B) and then a repetition of the first section (A). It is usually schematized as A–B–A. Prominent examples inclu ...

, consisting of an opening "A" section with punctuated sixteenth-note chords (marked: ''Alla marcia'', march), a more lyrical and melancholy "B" section with sweeping

arpeggio An arpeggio () is a type of Chord (music), chord in which the Musical note, notes that compose a chord are individually sounded in a progressive rising or descending order. Arpeggios on keyboard instruments may be called rolled chords. Arpe ...

s in the left hand (marked: ''Poco meno mosso''), a transition into the original tempo, and a recapitulation of the initial march. The ''Alla marcia'' section is in itself in ternary ABA form. Within the first three measures of the Prelude, Rachmaninoff introduces the unifying factors of the piece (notwithstanding the ''Poco meno mosso'' section). First, the chordal march of measure one; second, the fragment on the second half of the beat in measure two; third, the fragment on the second half of beat two in measure three. Measures 1–9 expand on the march theme. Following a cadence in the dominant, the section repeats in measures 10–16 with slight alterations and concludes in a G minor perfect

cadence In Classical music, Western musical theory, a cadence () is the end of a Phrase (music), phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution (music), resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.Don ...

. The "B" subsection of the ''Alla marcia'' section (measures 17–24) mirrors the rhythm of the first measure, presenting a sequence of related chords beginning with E. In contrast to the ''Alla marcia'', the "B" section introduces a lyrical chordal melody over an extended arpeggiated figure. Beginning in measure 35, a two-measure phrase is repeated and then serially extended in measures 39–41. A counter melody appears at measure 42 in the middle voice, intensifying the passage. Following the middle section, the Prelude transitions to a recapitulation of the march section by gradual increases in tempo and dynamics. The section uses chromatically upward moving chords following embellished diminished seventh figures. Finally, the piece ends in a highly original way: a short arpeggiated run to a high G, marked ''

pianissimo In music, the dynamics of a piece are the variation in loudness between note (music), notes or phrase (music), phrases. Dynamics are indicated by specific musical notation, often in some detail. However, dynamics markings require interpretation ...

''.

Recordings

Emil Gilels Emil Grigoryevich Gilels (19 October 191614 October 1985, born Samuil) was a Soviet pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of all time. His sister Elizabeth, three years his junior, was a violinist. His daughter Elena ...

played this prelude at a front in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, in support for the

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

forces fighting in the war. The narrator says (in Russian): ''"Gilels is playing at the front, to remind us what the war is worth fighting for: Immortal music!"'' This prelude is one of the most performed and recorded pieces of the ''Op. 23'' set.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Preludes by Sergei Rachmaninoff Compositions in G minor 1901 compositions