Introduction: Allegro vivace 0:00 Var. I (Precedente) 0:08 Tema: L'istesso tempo 0:27 Var. 2: L'istesso tempo 0:46 Var. 3: L'istesso tempo 1:04 Var. 4: Più vivo 1:29 Var. 5: Tempo precedente 1:57 Var. 6: L'istesso tempo 2:24 Var. 7: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato 3:17 Var. 8: Tempo I 4:30 Var. 9: L'istesso tempo 5:02 Var. 10: L'istesso tempo (Dies irae) 5:31 Var. 11: Moderato (with Cadenza) 6:23 Var. 12: Tempo di menuetto (D minor) 7:56 Var. 13: Allegro (D minor) 9:27 Var. 14: L'istesso tempo (F major) 9:58 Var. 15: Più vivo scherzando (Orchestra tacet) (F major) 10:41 Var. 16: Allegretto (B-flat minor) 11:47 Var. 17: [Allegretto] (B-flat minor) 13:30 Var. 18: Andante cantabile (Theme in inversion) (D-flat major) 15:27 Introduction and Var. 19: A tempo vivace 18:33 Var. 20: Un poco più vivo 19:05 Var. 21: Un poco più vivo 19:39 Var. 22: Marziale. Un poco più vivo. Alla breve (with Cadenza) 20:03 Var. 23: L'istesso tempo (with Cadenza) 21:39 Var. 24: A tempo un poco meno mosso 22:27
*"MOVEMENT I, PART I"* 0:00 Introduction. Allegro vivace. A fragment of the theme is presented. 0:08 Var. 1 (Precedente). Coming before the first statement of the theme; it's stripped down to its harmonic skeleton, featuring the interval of a fifth. 0:27 Theme. L'istesso tempo. Presented by the violins, while the piano continues the sparse texture of Var. 1. 0:46 Var. 2. L'istesso tempo. Grace notes and chromatic neighbors, analogous to Var. 2 of Paganini's 24th caprice. 1:04 Var. 3. L'istesso tempo. Countermelody in the piano, while the orchestra develops the sixteenth-note figure from the theme. 1:29 Var. 4. Più vivo. Further development of the opening motive (A-C-B-A-E). 1:57 Var. 5. Tempo precedente. The harmonic progression of the theme, embellished with chromatic neighbors in chords and octaves in the piano part. 2:24 Var. 6. L'istesso tempo. More juicy chromaticism, with _cadenza_-like passages at the start that break the momentum of the first few variations. *"MOVEMENT I, PART II"* 3:17 Var. 7. Meno mosso, a tempo moderato. The first appearance of the _Dies irae_ plainchant, which can be found all over Rachmaninoff's music - to name a few examples, it's featured in the third movement of his D minor sonata, op. 28, his symphonic poem _The Isle of the Dead,_ op. 29, briefly referenced in the first movement of his B-flat minor sonata, op. 36, and is the bass line for his Étude-tableau in A minor, op. 39, no. 2. Presented simply in chords here - the Paganini motif is retained in the bassoon. 4:30 Var. 8. Tempo I. The theme is presented in menacing eighth-note chords. The chromatic progression of this variation carries over into the next one, as well. 5:02 Var. 9. L'istesso tempo. Insistent triplets in the orchestra, while the piano plays constant offbeats. 5:31 Var. 10. The _Dies irae_ again, presented much more aggressively this time - in octaves and chords, and then in a higher register.
6:23 Var. 11. Moderato. A transition to the "second movement", featuring a highly chromatic cadenza. *"MOVEMENT II, PART I"* 7:56 Var. 12. Tempo di minuetto. D minor. A relatively restrained variation, in stark contrast to everything before it. "Dotted" rhythms in the piano, with the theme initially reduced to an arpeggiated figure, eventually becoming more fleshed-out. Listen for all the chromatic harmonies here! 9:27 Var. 13. Allegro. The theme is presented aggressively by the strings, accompanied by powerful chords in the piano part. 9:58 Var. 14. L'istesso tempo. F major. This variation features an inversion of the Paganini motif with one note taken out - in this way, it subtly foreshadows the famous 18th variation. This transformed theme is then repeated, while the pianist hammers out a series of rapid chords. 10:41 Var. 15. Più vivo; scherzando. Takes the transformed theme from the last variation and adds a different note in, making for a colorful, virtuosic solo variation. *"MOVEMENT II, PART II"* 11:47 Var. 16. Allegretto. B-flat minor. Quite a shift in mood from the last two variations, featuring a doleful, languid take on the theme with a violin solo partway through. 13:30 Var. 17. The darkest one of them all, featuring icebergs of chromatic harmony in the piano and a _very_ sparse orchestral accompaniment, with string _tremolo_ and the interval of a fifth. Eventually, this gives way to... 15:27 Var. 18. Andante cantabile. D-flat major. Theme in inversion. The famous one, for good reason. Need I say more?
I spent hours searching for this piece , when I heard it again after so long I cried , Dad this was your favourite the times I watched and listened to you play the piano and then fill with tears as you listened this I maybe didn't understand as a child but now as an adult it means more than you will ever know , I can't believe yesterday was 9yrs since you passed away I hope you are playing up there and are keeping your mum and dad entertained , know that every time I listen to this I will be thinking of you with a heart full of love and every happy memory you gave me during the very difficult times you had to endure , I love you dad and I miss you every single day , Rest In Peace , until we meet again xxx
1. A minor Introduction. 0:00 Allegro vivace Var. 1. 0:08 Theme. 0:27 L’istesso tempo Var. 2. 0:46 L’istesso tempo Var. 3. 1:04 L’istesso tempo Var. 4. 1:29 Più vivo Var. 5. 1:57 Tempo precedente Var. 6. 2:24 L’istesso tempo Var. 7. 3:17 Meno mosso, a tempo moderato Var. 8. 4:30 Tempo I Var. 9. 5:02 L’istesso tempo Var. 10. 5:31 L’istesso tempo Var. 11. 6:22 Moderato 2. D minor - F major Var. 12. 7:56 Tempo di minuetto Var. 13. 9:27 Allegro Var. 14. 9:58 L’istesso tempo Var. 15. 10:41 Più vivo scherzando 3. Bb minor - Db major Var. 16. 11:47 Allegretto Var. 17. 13:30 Var. 18. 15:26 Andante cantabile 4. A minor - A major Var. 19. 18:33 A tempo vivace Var. 20. 19:05 Un poco più vivo Var. 21. 19:39 Un poco più vivo Var. 22. 20:03 Marziale. Un poco più vivo. Alla breve Var. 23. 21:38 L’istesso tempo Var. 24. 22:27 A tempo un poco meno mosso
This is an iconic piece of beautiful music and its popularity has lasted for decade after decade. My favorite portion begins at 15:35. This is dynamic and compels me to return periodically to hear it over and over again. A simple computer click and is instantly appears. Thanks....
I have a truly hard time deciding what is best. Rachmaninov was a genius among geniuses. At true talent. To me, his piano+orchestra works are all sublime.
Rach must have known that Var. 18 would be a sensation. Kudos to him for refraining from milking it to death. It's just an almost unbearably beautiful breath that comes and goes. I suspect Paganini's spirit aches with the wish that he had thought of this gorgeous inversion.
When I was 5 years old, I picked a random CD off the shelf and put it in the CD player without even really looking at the cover to see what it was. It was this, the rhapsody on a theme of paganini, all 24 variations (plus some other of Rach's pieces). At 5 years old, I fell in love with this rhapsody. On long car journeys, I made us always play the variations. I'd say "CAN WE HAVE THE VARIATIONS?" in the back of the car. On holidays, I had a portable CD player and I always played the Rach CD. Not long later, I broke my arm. In the hospital, my parents brought the CD to the hospital and put it in a CD player and played it for me. They asked me which variation was my favourite. I was 5 years old, had never used the internet, and didn't know anyone else who even knew these variations even existed... and I answered "...18!"
I really like the effect at and right before 9:27. It's calm, peaceful, and delicate, then suddenly it transitions to what feels like power and furious determination.
Yes, the famous 18th Variation. Beautiful beyond words. No matter how often I hear it, I can't help but tear up. And when you think of Rachmaninoff's genius in turning that cell of the Paganini theme upside down to get this incredible melody . . . it boggles the mind.
@@rammjose93 I don't think there is a name other than Variation 18. Here is some better info on it Variation 18 The eighteenth variation is the most famous of the whole work, with its luscious romantic flair and reliance on the concerto form. Its melody is based on an inversion of the original Paganini theme (which is shown in crotchet based movement). With many of the variations staying in the home key of A minor, No.18 varies and is performed in Db major. Rachmaninov himself spoke at length about No.18 being his finest variation, stating that “This one, is for my agent.” With many of the variations seguing into one another, the starting point of No. 18 is with a soft ascending triplet movement from the piano. Triplets are at the heart of the melodic content of this movement, with them becoming fundamental through both the soloist and the orchestra’s music. The recognisable melody is based on a semiquaver step movement, which Rachmaninov develops into musical fruition throughout the movement. Once the piano and orchestra become intertwined the soloist is playing triplet and quaver movements around large Db major chords. Similarly to a Romantic concerto, the intensity between the soloist and orchestra explodes with colour in the climaxes. The ranges used across the ensemble enable the drama to be heightened, which is what No.18 thrives on. The variation ends with just the piano recapping the main theme, but marked very quiet, which creates an eerie atmosphere at the end of this variation.
My friend, When he composed The inverse variation he Discover a great melody by case . Thats why is The longer variation. Almost 4minutes. Unintencionally. By case.
Wonderful piece as a whole, but the 18th Variation must rank as one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever penned. Goosebumps just hearing it! Thanks for posting.
Variation 1 - The grand introduction Variation 2 - Learning to walk Variation 3 - Painting in class Variation 4 - Skiing down a kiddy slope Variation 5 - Church Variation 6 - Waking up and realising it's a Saturday morning Variation 7 - Home after a very long day at work... to an empty flat Variation 8 - Heated argument Variation 9 - Heated argument continues Variation 10 - Heated argument has escalated to throwing plates, then resolves Variation 11 - First flowers of Spring Variation 12 - Realising it's time to move on Variation 13 - Road rage Variation 14 - Going to battle, and winning the castle Variation 15 - Sugar rush from too many pink-frosted cupcakes Variation 16 - Liminal space corridors Variation 17 - Depression, with repeated moments of hope that ultimately lead to nowhere Variation 18 - Finally emerging from the depression and falling in love for the first time (WHY IS THIS ONE VARIATION SO MUCH BETTER THAN ALL THE OTHERS?! HOW DID WE GET HERE FROM FREAKING VARIATION 2?!) Variation 19 - Post-nut clarity Variation 20 - Sailing the stormy seas Variation 21 - I think Rach is running out of ideas Variation 22 - Identity crisis... (this variation does NOT know what it wants to be and changes constantly) Variation 23 - That REALLLLY LOUD person Variation 24 - The grand finale... well that's been a journey.
The first part of the "second movement" (variations 12-15) is _such_ a brilliant sequence of variations! And, I can't help but get a stupid grin on my face every time I listen to the beginning of the finale.
How does this have so little views? The playing was amazing and to view the score along side it was a treat. I really enjoyed the pianist. Being able to see the score and hear the playing allowed me to hear subtle little melodies that were interwoven. Rachmaninoff is brilliant!
It's amazing to see how shyly R. starts and how later the topic changes under his hands and especially in his head. A wild variation, then melancholic, sharply honed, etc. He moves further and further away from the thematic basis until it becomes a variation of Rachmaninov by Rachmaninov.
An absolutely wild ride from start to finish. Variation 18 just sounds so much like love to me, and the entire thing is wonderfully chaotic. I think I've found my new favorite piece :)
+Saliem Zaiem It is not just euphoria, Rachmaninov was a genius as well as an artist, and the range of feelings that arouses is wide ... In particular I love a particular moment, from 13:30 to 15:26 where there is a wonderful piano arpeggio, that communicates a sense of heartfelt despair and inevitability ... makes me teary eyes, also hearing dozens of times .... really a "physical" feeling
Yes, it sounds like the end of a dying society and then variation 18 comes along and tells a story of a utopian age. This type of music is more than music, it tells a life story of a society.
@@whocares_bear It's really cool how it was made. Basically, Rachmaninoff took the iconic start of Caprice 24, put it backward, changed it into Major, changed keys, and then slowed it down. Two completely different melodies that are somehow tied together.
@@whocares_bear Yeah, I know. I just thought it was interesting how two completely different melodies were still somehow linked when Rachmaninoff came up with this one.
I don’t know why but today my mind told me to dig out my old “Listen” textbook and find the name of this song. I’m so happy to reconnect to this treasure of a creation!
Jack Marentette Not cool Bro. You don’t know what people could be going through. Maybe she was raised by her grandmother because her parents were raging alcoholics or maybe they died in a car accident. Maybe her grandmother fought cancer for 5 years and only was able to emerge from her bed upon hearing this sweet tune. You don’t know what other people are going through in life and you’re not the center of the universe buddy. Merry Christmas
Ah yes, it's 1am in the morning and yet here I sit with this just having finished. Feel too tempted to not have another go-round at this idea of the merry go round of euphoria finished off with a dizzying high of laughter and happiness while I crash in bed and repeat the cycle tomorrow whilst working on creative writing!
As much as I heard of the 18th variation and heard it separately I was told, "you can't not love it." I replied internally with "observe." It took a single full listen of the work to kick me down from my high horse. God damn you Rachmaninoff.
La escuché por primera vez muy joven cuando ví la película " Somewhere in time ", esta rapsodia de Rashmaninov al igual que el tema con igual título que el filme son dos piezas musicales impactantes por su gran belleza. Gracias por el genio de los músicos que crean música de ese nivel
Stellar performance from Ashkenazy and phenomenally sounding piano! In particular the action seems so incredibly light that during the pizzicato variation at 18:49 it almost sounds like he hits the lowest D (sforzando) twice by accident. Not to nitpick, the effect actually sounds kind of cool.
Everyone mentions the 18th variation as being the most beautiful thing ever written - and it is - but for a contender I promote the second movement of Edvard Greig's piano concerto. It literally makes me tear up every time.
Tremendous respect for going through the trouble to give us the score to follow. I once aspired to write something like this but the closest I got was my Concerto Appassionata Opus 3 (click on my name) after two failed piano concertos before that. I realized that Rachmaninoff's masterpiece could never be approached much less duplicated so I gave up, broken in spirit.
Everyone loves the 18th Variation because it is absolutely sublime, but everyone also overlooks the incredible beauty of the 17th Variation! That triplet figure feels reminiscent of Isle of the Dead but executed with much more skill and technique.
Ya, it has the job if transiting to the sublime, and I love the tension it builds towards that. I wish I were listening ro this for the first time to get the full impact of that buildup to that incredible end.
Everyone's talking about 15:27, but 6:23 is awesome, too. I absolutely love ethereal music (another great example of "ethereal" music, in my opinion, is Variation 4 from the 2nd movement of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3).
After I heard this piece to what seems to be the 1000th time, it still has the grandeur, prestige, and the (forgive the word) novelty of a brand new piece. All of the variations were played beautifully. I actually said "holy shit" in amazement after I heard it, a very satisfying piece for the musical palate. I have gotten a lot of the opening parts of each variation and am filling the gaps, hopefully I will be able to play it by next year, despite it being 24 hours and 59 minutes away.
Everyone talks about Var. 18, which I mean is spectacular, but I don't understand how Var. 19 isn't the most famous piece of classical music in the world. 18:38 gets me every time!
![Yuja Wang: Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Op. 43 [HD]](/img/n.gif)
After decades of practice, i can finally play the piano part from 0:27 to 0:40
wow! 13 seconds worth!
@@fredpack2034 Quality, not quantity! :)
well done
Congratulations ! hahaha
Smell rappers in here
Introduction: Allegro vivace 0:00
Var. I (Precedente) 0:08
Tema: L'istesso tempo 0:27
Var. 2: L'istesso tempo 0:46
Var. 3: L'istesso tempo 1:04
Var. 4: Più vivo 1:29
Var. 5: Tempo precedente 1:57
Var. 6: L'istesso tempo 2:24
Var. 7: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato 3:17
Var. 8: Tempo I 4:30
Var. 9: L'istesso tempo 5:02
Var. 10: L'istesso tempo (Dies irae) 5:31
Var. 11: Moderato (with Cadenza) 6:23
Var. 12: Tempo di menuetto (D minor) 7:56
Var. 13: Allegro (D minor) 9:27
Var. 14: L'istesso tempo (F major) 9:58
Var. 15: Più vivo scherzando (Orchestra tacet) (F major) 10:41
Var. 16: Allegretto (B-flat minor) 11:47
Var. 17: [Allegretto] (B-flat minor) 13:30
Var. 18: Andante cantabile (Theme in inversion) (D-flat major) 15:27
Introduction and Var. 19: A tempo vivace 18:33
Var. 20: Un poco più vivo 19:05
Var. 21: Un poco più vivo 19:39
Var. 22: Marziale. Un poco più vivo. Alla breve (with Cadenza) 20:03
Var. 23: L'istesso tempo (with Cadenza) 21:39
Var. 24: A tempo un poco meno mosso 22:27
Thank you.
thank you, thank you!!
God bleß u
11:09 no, not tacet
The 7th variation can also be called Dies irae, because its theme is also present there.
*"MOVEMENT I, PART I"*
0:00 Introduction. Allegro vivace. A fragment of the theme is presented.
0:08 Var. 1 (Precedente). Coming before the first statement of the theme; it's stripped down to its harmonic skeleton, featuring the interval of a fifth.
0:27 Theme. L'istesso tempo. Presented by the violins, while the piano continues the sparse texture of Var. 1.
0:46 Var. 2. L'istesso tempo. Grace notes and chromatic neighbors, analogous to Var. 2 of Paganini's 24th caprice.
1:04 Var. 3. L'istesso tempo. Countermelody in the piano, while the orchestra develops the sixteenth-note figure from the theme.
1:29 Var. 4. Più vivo. Further development of the opening motive (A-C-B-A-E).
1:57 Var. 5. Tempo precedente. The harmonic progression of the theme, embellished with chromatic neighbors in chords and octaves in the piano part.
2:24 Var. 6. L'istesso tempo. More juicy chromaticism, with _cadenza_-like passages at the start that break the momentum of the first few variations.
*"MOVEMENT I, PART II"*
3:17 Var. 7. Meno mosso, a tempo moderato. The first appearance of the _Dies irae_ plainchant, which can be found all over Rachmaninoff's music - to name a few examples, it's featured in the third movement of his D minor sonata, op. 28, his symphonic poem _The Isle of the Dead,_ op. 29, briefly referenced in the first movement of his B-flat minor sonata, op. 36, and is the bass line for his Étude-tableau in A minor, op. 39, no. 2. Presented simply in chords here - the Paganini motif is retained in the bassoon.
4:30 Var. 8. Tempo I. The theme is presented in menacing eighth-note chords. The chromatic progression of this variation carries over into the next one, as well.
5:02 Var. 9. L'istesso tempo. Insistent triplets in the orchestra, while the piano plays constant offbeats.
5:31 Var. 10. The _Dies irae_ again, presented much more aggressively this time - in octaves and chords, and then in a higher register.
6:23 Var. 11. Moderato. A transition to the "second movement", featuring a highly chromatic cadenza.
*"MOVEMENT II, PART I"*
7:56 Var. 12. Tempo di minuetto. D minor. A relatively restrained variation, in stark contrast to everything before it. "Dotted" rhythms in the piano, with the theme initially reduced to an arpeggiated figure, eventually becoming more fleshed-out. Listen for all the chromatic harmonies here!
9:27 Var. 13. Allegro. The theme is presented aggressively by the strings, accompanied by powerful chords in the piano part.
9:58 Var. 14. L'istesso tempo. F major. This variation features an inversion of the Paganini motif with one note taken out - in this way, it subtly foreshadows the famous 18th variation. This transformed theme is then repeated, while the pianist hammers out a series of rapid chords.
10:41 Var. 15. Più vivo; scherzando. Takes the transformed theme from the last variation and adds a different note in, making for a colorful, virtuosic solo variation.
*"MOVEMENT II, PART II"*
11:47 Var. 16. Allegretto. B-flat minor. Quite a shift in mood from the last two variations, featuring a doleful, languid take on the theme with a violin solo partway through.
13:30 Var. 17. The darkest one of them all, featuring icebergs of chromatic harmony in the piano and a _very_ sparse orchestral accompaniment, with string _tremolo_ and the interval of a fifth. Eventually, this gives way to...
15:27 Var. 18. Andante cantabile. D-flat major. Theme in inversion. The famous one, for good reason. Need I say more?
@@elrichardo1337 I need more of your in-depth analysis.
@@AnAppleSlice Keep an eye out - you might catch me lurking around on some other concerto/sonata score-videos! ;)
Thank you for this presentation! Very helpful for those of us who don't speak Italian or classical piano!
I love how you've included a photo of Rachmaninoff at the very end . . . a god looking out at us mere mortals.
Cannot describe him any better
23:02 Probably the most badass ending of a classical piece I know. Brutal and graceful.
You would love Prokofiev piano concertos then!
Ah yes! Finally someone who appreciates the rest 😆
I spent hours searching for this piece , when I heard it again after so long I cried , Dad this was your favourite the times I watched and listened to you play the piano and then fill with tears as you listened this I maybe didn't understand as a child but now as an adult it means more than you will ever know , I can't believe yesterday was 9yrs since you passed away I hope you are playing up there and are keeping your mum and dad entertained , know that every time I listen to this I will be thinking of you with a heart full of love and every happy memory you gave me during the very difficult times you had to endure , I love you dad and I miss you every single day , Rest In Peace , until we meet again xxx
ADH Music does wonders to the mind and soul, I hope to inspire people one day like your dad. Rest In Peace
never lost the title of this piece from now on :D
rest in peace.
🕊
That is so heartfellt 😇
not worth living without music tbh
The tight coordination between piano and orchestra in the fast passages is amazing.
Hey remember when that guy at the Tchaikovsky competition had his repertoire messed up and played this?
video?
@@mustysheep3977 czcams.com/video/UOUSFNgEy7c/video.html
Not the guy had it messed up, the competition was wrong!
His name is An Tianxu, and the orchestra did a terrible job for mistakenly playing two pieces in the wrong order :( Tianxu won 4th place XD
Just the wrong order because the orchestra changed the order and they announced in Russian which He didn't understand.
1. A minor
Introduction. 0:00 Allegro vivace
Var. 1. 0:08
Theme. 0:27 L’istesso tempo
Var. 2. 0:46 L’istesso tempo
Var. 3. 1:04 L’istesso tempo
Var. 4. 1:29 Più vivo
Var. 5. 1:57 Tempo precedente
Var. 6. 2:24 L’istesso tempo
Var. 7. 3:17 Meno mosso, a tempo moderato
Var. 8. 4:30 Tempo I
Var. 9. 5:02 L’istesso tempo
Var. 10. 5:31 L’istesso tempo
Var. 11. 6:22 Moderato
2. D minor - F major
Var. 12. 7:56 Tempo di minuetto
Var. 13. 9:27 Allegro
Var. 14. 9:58 L’istesso tempo
Var. 15. 10:41 Più vivo scherzando
3. Bb minor - Db major
Var. 16. 11:47 Allegretto
Var. 17. 13:30
Var. 18. 15:26 Andante cantabile
4. A minor - A major
Var. 19. 18:33 A tempo vivace
Var. 20. 19:05 Un poco più vivo
Var. 21. 19:39 Un poco più vivo
Var. 22. 20:03 Marziale. Un poco più vivo. Alla breve
Var. 23. 21:38 L’istesso tempo
Var. 24. 22:27 A tempo un poco meno mosso
The transition to number 17 to 18 was so goddamn beautiful
17 is arguably as beautiful as 18.
This is an iconic piece of beautiful music and its popularity has lasted for decade after decade. My favorite portion begins at 15:35. This is dynamic and compels me to return periodically to hear it over and over again. A simple computer click and is instantly appears. Thanks....
What precedes that portion is incredibly Fantastic
Everyone talks about 15:27 but 9:27 is really good too
I have a truly hard time deciding what is best.
Rachmaninov was a genius among geniuses. At true talent.
To me, his piano+orchestra works are all sublime.
@@rbarnes4076 he sure was
@Enescu lol
Rach must have known that Var. 18 would be a sensation. Kudos to him for refraining from milking it to death. It's just an almost unbearably beautiful breath that comes and goes. I suspect Paganini's spirit aches with the wish that he had thought of this gorgeous inversion.
He knew: "This one (variation) is for my agent."
I can play this easily. The video, I mean.
William Boyle at least ur able to comment :)
Nice one John; gave a welcome quiet chuckle.
You're lucky. My integrated-in-MoBo soundcard on realtek chips is crackling while playing this. What a hard piece even for a playback)
Thanks for the laugh!
!!!
When I was 5 years old, I picked a random CD off the shelf and put it in the CD player without even really looking at the cover to see what it was. It was this, the rhapsody on a theme of paganini, all 24 variations (plus some other of Rach's pieces).
At 5 years old, I fell in love with this rhapsody. On long car journeys, I made us always play the variations. I'd say "CAN WE HAVE THE VARIATIONS?" in the back of the car. On holidays, I had a portable CD player and I always played the Rach CD.
Not long later, I broke my arm. In the hospital, my parents brought the CD to the hospital and put it in a CD player and played it for me. They asked me which variation was my favourite. I was 5 years old, had never used the internet, and didn't know anyone else who even knew these variations even existed... and I answered "...18!"
Precocious!
I really like the effect at and right before 9:27. It's calm, peaceful, and delicate, then suddenly it transitions to what feels like power and furious determination.
15:34 the sound in my heart the day my girlfriend said yes when i asked her to marry me.......going on 5+ years now, and i love her even more
Lmao
So lucky.
@@Ivan_1791 funny how it's the 17th var... If it were me would be more Kapustin variations op 41 middle section at the end uwu
@@AsrielKujo Lol.
:’)
At 15:34 the most beautiful music ever written IMHO begins. I melt like an ice cube at Death Valley.
Yes, the famous 18th Variation. Beautiful beyond words. No matter how often I hear it, I can't help but tear up. And when you think of Rachmaninoff's genius in turning that cell of the Paganini theme upside down to get this incredible melody . . . it boggles the mind.
Name of the song?
@@rammjose93 I don't think there is a name other than Variation 18. Here is some better info on it
Variation 18
The eighteenth variation is the most famous of the whole work, with its luscious romantic flair and reliance on the concerto form. Its melody is based on an inversion of the original Paganini theme (which is shown in crotchet based movement). With many of the variations staying in the home key of A minor, No.18 varies and is performed in Db major. Rachmaninov himself spoke at length about No.18 being his finest variation, stating that “This one, is for my agent.”
With many of the variations seguing into one another, the starting point of No. 18 is with a soft ascending triplet movement from the piano. Triplets are at the heart of the melodic content of this movement, with them becoming fundamental through both the soloist and the orchestra’s music. The recognisable melody is based on a semiquaver step movement, which Rachmaninov develops into musical fruition throughout the movement. Once the piano and orchestra become intertwined the soloist is playing triplet and quaver movements around large Db major chords.
Similarly to a Romantic concerto, the intensity between the soloist and orchestra explodes with colour in the climaxes. The ranges used across the ensemble enable the drama to be heightened, which is what No.18 thrives on. The variation ends with just the piano recapping the main theme, but marked very quiet, which creates an eerie atmosphere at the end of this variation.
I agree!!
My friend, When he composed The inverse variation he Discover a great melody by case . Thats why is The longer variation. Almost 4minutes. Unintencionally. By case.
Hard to top this work. Just spectacular. Beyond beautiful and grand!
This piece is a thousand times more amazing when you look at the score. Thank you so much for the upload!
Wonderful piece as a whole, but the 18th Variation must rank as one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever penned. Goosebumps just hearing it! Thanks for posting.
Thank you very much. Truly a magnificent rendition by Ashkenazy
Variation 19 is seriously underrated. Nobody talks about it
Yesss. It has like one of the most organic and intersting musical ideas that i have ever heard. Epecially impossibly good orcheatration.
Variation 1 - The grand introduction
Variation 2 - Learning to walk
Variation 3 - Painting in class
Variation 4 - Skiing down a kiddy slope
Variation 5 - Church
Variation 6 - Waking up and realising it's a Saturday morning
Variation 7 - Home after a very long day at work... to an empty flat
Variation 8 - Heated argument
Variation 9 - Heated argument continues
Variation 10 - Heated argument has escalated to throwing plates, then resolves
Variation 11 - First flowers of Spring
Variation 12 - Realising it's time to move on
Variation 13 - Road rage
Variation 14 - Going to battle, and winning the castle
Variation 15 - Sugar rush from too many pink-frosted cupcakes
Variation 16 - Liminal space corridors
Variation 17 - Depression, with repeated moments of hope that ultimately lead to nowhere
Variation 18 - Finally emerging from the depression and falling in love for the first time
(WHY IS THIS ONE VARIATION SO MUCH BETTER THAN ALL THE OTHERS?! HOW DID WE GET HERE FROM FREAKING VARIATION 2?!)
Variation 19 - Post-nut clarity
Variation 20 - Sailing the stormy seas
Variation 21 - I think Rach is running out of ideas
Variation 22 - Identity crisis... (this variation does NOT know what it wants to be and changes constantly)
Variation 23 - That REALLLLY LOUD person
Variation 24 - The grand finale... well that's been a journey.
6:38 my heart, man
Enormous phantasy, imagination. Masterful processing, instrumentation. Brilliant presentation of the interpreter. !!!
Such a gifted pianist accompanied by a world class orchestra presenting an outstanding performance!
Great performance of Great Music. Thank you for uploading!
For me from the beginning to the end is the most beautiful music I've heard.
Var. 18, right? I'm not crying. You're crying.
We all are crying
Every time I hear this, my heart and soul just swell with emotions.
@@artrainger I know the feeling. This song is just so amazing
@@mandoman6786 This is a piece,pls...
15:26
Old piano teacher said it took her 1 year just to learn the solo at 10:41
I love the orchestration for the conductor as I listen great idea sharing!!
The first part of the "second movement" (variations 12-15) is _such_ a brilliant sequence of variations!
And, I can't help but get a stupid grin on my face every time I listen to the beginning of the finale.
I never get bored with this.
This is definitely a masterpiece. I love classical music!
How does this have so little views? The playing was amazing and to view the score along side it was a treat. I really enjoyed the pianist. Being able to see the score and hear the playing allowed me to hear subtle little melodies that were interwoven. Rachmaninoff is brilliant!
Not sure how many views there were when you wrote this, but it is over 1,000,000 now.
It's amazing to see how shyly R. starts and how later the topic changes under his hands and especially in his head. A wild variation, then melancholic, sharply honed, etc. He moves further and further away from the thematic basis until it becomes a variation of Rachmaninov by Rachmaninov.
An absolutely wild ride from start to finish. Variation 18 just sounds so much like love to me, and the entire thing is wonderfully chaotic. I think I've found my new favorite piece :)
as a pharmacist I think this piece should be considered as a "controlled substance" because of all the euphoria it causes !!!
+Saliem Zaiem It is not just euphoria, Rachmaninov was a genius as well as an artist, and the range of feelings that arouses is wide ...
In particular I love a particular moment, from 13:30 to 15:26 where there is a wonderful piano arpeggio, that communicates a sense of heartfelt despair and inevitability ... makes me teary eyes, also hearing dozens of times .... really a "physical" feeling
+Saliem Zaiem Wonderful comment. I couldn't agree more.
+Saliem Zaiem You should only instill it to both ears prn. My annual limit's been exceeded and needs a new prior authorization myself.
Estelle Goh you urgently need to see a doctor.
Saliem Zaiem this Rachmaninoff piece - whats to do with being a pharmacist?
I just adore this piece.
Variation 17 is criminally underrated. (Yes, I mean 17, not the famous 18).
Yes, it sounds like the end of a dying society and then variation 18 comes along and tells a story of a utopian age. This type of music is more than music, it tells a life story of a society.
Agree. The foreboding tones and then... paradise.
I can't stop listening to this piece. I have not left my room, eaten, nor slept in weeks. Send help.
fo' real bro
You can listen to it on a Mobil device while you do other things!
REJECT BASIC HUMAN NEEDS FOR ENERGY, EMBRACE RACHMANINOV
15:37 awwww yes :) Somewhere in Time and this beautiful masterpiece fits so perfectly with the theme.
So passionate this piece of song!❤️❤️❤️❤️
10 years ago today dad , so very very loved and missed rest easy rest in peace xxx
The part starting at 20:46 is pure euphoria, makes me feel like I’m levitating 😄
15:32 one of the most beautiful melodies ever composed
@@whocares_bear It's really cool how it was made. Basically, Rachmaninoff took the iconic start of Caprice 24, put it backward, changed it into Major, changed keys, and then slowed it down. Two completely different melodies that are somehow tied together.
@@whocares_bear Yeah, I know. I just thought it was interesting how two completely different melodies were still somehow linked when Rachmaninoff came up with this one.
Every time I hear this piece, it literally takes my breath away!
I don’t know why but today my mind told me to dig out my old “Listen” textbook and find the name of this song. I’m so happy to reconnect to this treasure of a creation!
A bit faster than most of the renditions I've heard. Love it.
so cool !! appreciate the effort for the piece
Lovely and extraordinary piece
Thanks for uploading!
i miss my grandmother
sidney craig bruh moment
I too miss your grandmother
Nobody cares.
Jack Marentette i don’t remember asking for ur opinion, jack.
Jack Marentette Not cool Bro. You don’t know what people could be going through. Maybe she was raised by her grandmother because her parents were raging alcoholics or maybe they died in a car accident. Maybe her grandmother fought cancer for 5 years and only was able to emerge from her bed upon hearing this sweet tune. You don’t know what other people are going through in life and you’re not the center of the universe buddy. Merry Christmas
A magnificent recording by Ashkenazy.
This is one the best openings I ever heard
This is gret music. My favorites part can be located about 15:45 .......This part has become an iconic favorite... Thanks
The Best variations on Paganini
Ah yes, it's 1am in the morning and yet here I sit with this just having finished. Feel too tempted to not have another go-round at this idea of the merry go round of euphoria finished off with a dizzying high of laughter and happiness while I crash in bed and repeat the cycle tomorrow whilst working on creative writing!
As much as I heard of the 18th variation and heard it separately I was told, "you can't not love it." I replied internally with "observe." It took a single full listen of the work to kick me down from my high horse. God damn you Rachmaninoff.
6:23 Literally no one mentions how beautiful that 4 bars is
Excellent performance. FORTE EXPRESSIVO!
Pure genius.
I really like this performance!
ending never gets old :-)
Flawless and extraordinary.
La escuché por primera vez muy joven cuando ví la película " Somewhere in time ", esta rapsodia de Rashmaninov al igual que el tema con igual título que el filme son dos piezas musicales impactantes por su gran belleza. Gracias por el genio de los músicos que crean música de ese nivel
Stellar performance from Ashkenazy and phenomenally sounding piano!
In particular the action seems so incredibly light that during the pizzicato variation at 18:49 it almost sounds like he hits the lowest D (sforzando) twice by accident. Not to nitpick, the effect actually sounds kind of cool.
Espetacular. Belíssima divulgação.
Everyone mentions the 18th variation as being the most beautiful thing ever written - and it is - but for a contender I promote the second movement of Edvard Greig's piano concerto. It literally makes me tear up every time.
Same key too . . . D-flat major in an A --minor work.
try bortkiewicz's 2nd piano concerto
I'll promote the sixth movement of Mahler 3, never heard anything else like it
Literaly every orchestra version of Bach's work by Stokowsky.
The variation 18 is really touching and emotional
Tremendous respect for going through the trouble to give us the score to follow. I once aspired to write something like this but the closest I got was my Concerto Appassionata Opus 3 (click on my name) after two failed piano concertos before that. I realized that Rachmaninoff's masterpiece could never be approached much less duplicated so I gave up, broken in spirit.
Я не слышала лучшего исполнителя музыки Рахманинова, чем Владимир Ашкенази!!❤❤❤❤
Rachmaninov a genius
Everyone loves the 18th Variation because it is absolutely sublime, but everyone also overlooks the incredible beauty of the 17th Variation! That triplet figure feels reminiscent of Isle of the Dead but executed with much more skill and technique.
True! What I love is the transistion of the 17th to 18th. When you recognize the notes of the 18th it is amazing
Ya, it has the job if transiting to the sublime, and I love the tension it builds towards that. I wish I were listening ro this for the first time to get the full impact of that buildup to that incredible end.
5:49-5:53 jazz big band from Rachmaninoff )
yes! I thought so too.
Everyone's talking about 15:27, but 6:23 is awesome, too. I absolutely love ethereal music (another great example of "ethereal" music, in my opinion, is Variation 4 from the 2nd movement of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3).
I appreciate the entire thing :)
Fascinating.
5:49: _Down and down I go, round and round I go_
13:12 - always reminded me of London at night - something about that piano ring...
Masterpiece, no doubt!
Is this just me, or can I hear hints of Satie in this as well? Genius!
18:33 is my favorite part.
When you keep on playing the music after the iconic var.18, you will realize that the rest is just as good, or even better
My heart... 15:33 - Var. 18 Andante Cantabile
It always makes me cry, makes me shiver... Can't explain what I feel every time I hear it...
Somewhere un time?
To increase your shivers and heart palpitations, did you know this romantic theme is a modulated inversion of the main (Paganini) theme? Genius.
I can hear the dies irae motif at the 7th variation
Amazing!!!
After I heard this piece to what seems to be the 1000th time, it still has the grandeur, prestige, and the (forgive the word) novelty of a brand new piece. All of the variations were played beautifully. I actually said "holy shit" in amazement after I heard it, a very satisfying piece for the musical palate. I have gotten a lot of the opening parts of each variation and am filling the gaps, hopefully I will be able to play it by next year, despite it being 24 hours and 59 minutes away.
Did you get there? :-)
Perfection
Everyone talks about Var. 18, which I mean is spectacular, but I don't understand how Var. 19 isn't the most famous piece of classical music in the world. 18:38 gets me every time!
Same! I thought it was kind of similar to the prelude from le tombeau de couperin
I actually love all the short variations after 18...19 is great, but I also LOVE 21..very menacing! and then I really love the last variation, too.
Andante Cantabile, un diamante.
16:20 omfg is that perfect!
Love Rachmaninoff
All the best romantic film music comes from here!
god this is so freaking good!!!!
5:44 - 5:53 Rachmaninoff's big jazz band!
15:33 you can observe disney copying rachmaninov (the beauty and the beast)
and thanks for showing the score.
two genious : Rachmaninov + Paganini : the best genial masterpiece
BRAVO!!
it was a joy for me as well to (try to) follow along. our gain is lots of others' loss.