Rachmaninoff’s masterpieces. Recommended pieces by Rachmaninoff.
Sergei Rachmaninoff is one of the composers who represent Russia.
Although his talent was recognized by fellow Russian composer Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff once experienced a setback in his musical career.
Perhaps because his works were born from that state of mind and environment, they resonate with people today as well—their wistful, fleeting, and at times passionate style captivates everyone who listens.
This time, I’ve selected pieces ranging from symphonies performed by orchestra to vocal works and piano pieces.
Even when you hear a piece you don’t know, you might find yourself thinking, “Ah, this is Rachmaninoff.”
Please give them a listen.
- [Ultra-Advanced] Even challenging for advanced players! A curated selection of highly difficult piano pieces
- [Beginner-Friendly] Rachmaninoff’s Piano Pieces | A Curated Selection of Accessible Works!
- Sibelius’s famous piece. Popular classical music.
- [Advanced] Super cool if you can play it! Selection of famous piano pieces
- For Advanced Players: Showstopping Classics to Play at a Piano Recital
- [Masterpiece Classics] A special showcase of gem-like masterpieces so beautiful they’ll move you to tears
- Robert Schumann | Introduction to his famous and representative works
- Masterpieces of the bolero. Recommended popular pieces in bolero form and outstanding performances.
- [Violin] A curated selection of beloved classic masterpieces and popular pieces that continue to be cherished across eras
- Piano Masterpieces: Surprisingly Easy Despite Sounding Difficult!? A Curated Selection Perfect for Recitals
- [Orchestra] Introducing famous and popular pieces
- [For Advanced Players] A Curated Selection of Classical Masterpieces to Tackle at Piano Recitals
- A masterpiece by Alexander Borodin. Popular classical music.
Rachmaninoff’s masterpieces. Recommended Rachmaninoff pieces (1–10).
Vigil Prayer, Op. 37Sergei Rachmaninov
An unaccompanied mixed-voice choral work that Rachmaninoff composed for Orthodox prayer.
Throughout, solemn tones flow at a leisurely pace as the voices overlap.
There is also a passage where you can hear “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.” It’s a piece you’ll want to listen to on a quiet night, in a calm and peaceful mood.
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in A minor, Op. 43Sergei Rachmaninov
A piece composed by Rachmaninoff after he emigrated to America, during a summer stay at a lakeside villa on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.
It employs the theme from Paganini’s work, the 24 Caprices, famed for the violinist’s virtuosity.
It moves from a dramatic opening to a tense middle section filled with urgent piano chords, and concludes in brilliant fashion.
Variations on a Theme by Corelli, Op. 42Sergei Rachmaninov
A piano solo piece composed last by Rachmaninoff, who emigrated to the United States in 1918 to escape the Russian Revolution.
The theme here is “La Folia,” the twelfth piece from Arcangelo Corelli’s Violin Works (12 Solo Sonatas, Op.
5).
It’s a highly varied work, with chords repeating as they move from the lower register to the higher, and with dance-like rhythms that go “boom-cha! boom-cha!” appearing along the way.
Rachmaninoff’s masterpieces. Recommended Rachmaninoff pieces (11–20)
Choral Symphony “The Bells”Sergei Rachmaninov
It is a grand choral symphony by the great Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Completed in 1913, the work is based on a poem by Edgar Allan Poe and is structured in four movements.
Each movement evokes a different bell timbre, portraying a wide range of emotions—from the joys of life to meditations on death.
Rachmaninoff himself called it one of his favorite works, and his musical voice shines throughout.
The magnificent fusion of orchestra and chorus leaves a deep impression on listeners.
Highly recommended for anyone wishing to fully savor the allure of Romantic music.
Symphonic Dances, Op. 45Sergei Rachmaninov
Rachmaninoff’s final work.
You’re drawn in by the dramatic opening theme and think a dance is about to begin… only for it to shift into a melody steeped in Rachmaninoff’s trademark nostalgia.
The second movement is pervaded by melancholy, while the third intensifies with shifting rhythms and builds to a lively finish.
In a single piece, you can savor a variety of moods.
Prelude in C-sharp minor “Bells”, Op. 3 No. 2Sergei Rachmaninov
A piece included in Fantasiestücke, Op.
3.
It is said to have been inspired by the bells of the Kremlin Palace.
The majestic chords at the opening are striking.
At times it proceeds leisurely, at times with passionate drive, and in the end it fades away quietly.
One can picture a large church bell swinging from side to side, resounding and slowly receding into the distance.
Symphonic Poem “Isle of the Dead,” Op. 29Sergei Rachmaninov
This piece was composed, inspired by the oil painting Isle of the Dead by Arnold Böcklin, a Swiss painter active in the 19th century.
The work in question is also said to have served as a motif for Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, when speaking of Isle of the Dead.
The “isle of the dead” refers to a cemetery set on a small island, and it is thought that one travels there by boat.
Although Rachmaninoff actually saw an etching of the same title by another artist, the music was inspired by a work that evokes an “era heading toward catastrophe,” which may be why melodies appear at times that undulate like anxious, trembling waves.