Selected Romances of Rachmaninoff

Author: (Russian) Rachmaninoff
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-04-01
Features: Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, born on March 20, 1873, in Novgorod Province, Russia, was a Russian composer and pianist. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory. His compositions were deeply influenced by Tchaikovsky, with a strong foundation in national music. His melodies are rich, and he excelled in epic and grand musical styles. He composed famous works such as Piano Concerto No. 2, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, 24 Preludes, Variations on a Theme of Chopin, the opera Aleko, Francesca da Rimini, Symphony No. 2, orchestral works The Isle of the Dead and The Bells, as well as romances. Later, he took up conducting and introduced many works by Russian composers. After moving to the United States in 1918, his compositions became filled with dissonance and tragedy, making him an important pianist in the first half of the 20th century. This Selected Romances of Rachmaninoff was proposed for compilation by Ms. Liu Ling of the People's Music Publishing House. We selected 40 representative and widely circulated romances from Rachmaninoff's works for inclusion. Translation and arrangement were handled separately by myself and Professor Chen Fujun, a Russian music translator. Several of these romances had been translated into Chinese before, but with a few exceptions, most were newly translated for this collection. Rachmaninoff's romances hold an important position in the development of vocal art, not only being widely popular but also highly influential. The publication of this romance collection fills a gap and is expected to benefit music professionals and enthusiasts in China.