The Music of Sergei Rachmaninoff

About this course:

Whether it’s his famous piano concertos, his demanding Études-tableaux, or the ubiquitous Prelude in C-sharp Minor, the music of Sergei Rachmaninoff remains a staple of concerts and piano competitions today. Born in Russia in 1873, Rachmaninoff can be seen as probably one of the most important pianist-composers since Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt. Although most of his music was written during the twentieth century, his compositional style was firmly within the world of nineteenth century Romanticism. In this course, we study the piano pieces, songs, and symphonic works of Rachmaninoff, as well as his wide-ranging recorded legacy as pianist and conductor. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.