Thematic processes in Rachmaninov’s early romances
Abstract
This article is devoted to the study of thematic processes in the early romances of S. V. Rachmaninov. The main attention is paid to three compositions: “At the Gates of the Holy Abode”, “Don’t Sing, Beauty, in My Presence” and “The Flower Has Withered”, which are distinguished by their thematic concentration, intonational versatility and internal eventfulness. As it turned out in the end of the study, the originality of the romance “At the Gates of the Holy Abode” lies in the presence in the piano introduction of thematic seeds with a certain semantics, which later sprout in both the vocal and instrumental parts, contributing to the embodiment of the multidimensional image of the suffering Lyrical Hero. The romance “Don’t Sing, Beauty, in My Presence” is considered as a dramatic scene where various figurative and intonational spheres interact. The miniature “The Withered Flower”, in which the musical fabric is organized on the basis of short, intonationally prominent and semantically independent motifs, approaching musical symbols, is regarded as an artistic discovery of the young author.
About the Authors
N. M. Naiko
Dmitri Hvorostovsky Siberian State Institute of Arts
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Natalia M. Naiko, Cand. Sc. (Art Criticism), Associate Professor of Department Music Theory and Composition
660049, Krasnoyarsk
A. A. Zhiltsova
Dmitri Hvorostovsky Siberian State Institute of Arts
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Anastasia A. Zhiltsova, student of Department Music Theory
660049, Krasnoyarsk
References
1. / Apetyan, Z.A. (1963), Predislovie. Polnoe sobranie romansov: sb. / S. V. Rakhmaninov; predisl. Z. A. Apetyana [Preface. Complete collection of romances: collection / S. V. Rachmaninov; preface by Z. A. Apetyan], Gosmuzgiz, Moscow, pp. 4–5. (In Russ.)
2. / Afanasyev, A.N. (1995), Poeticheskie vozzreniya slavyan na prirodu: v 3 t. [Poetic views of the Slavs on nature: in 3 volumes], Contemporary writer, Moscow, T. 3, 300 p. (In Russ.)
3. / Berkov, V O. (1960), “Rachmaninoff harmony”, Sovetskaya muzyka [Soviet music], no. 8, pp. 24–30. (In Russ.)
4. / Berchenko, R.E. (2005), V poiskakh utrachennogo smysla. Boleslav Yavorskiy o “Khorosho temperirovannom klavire” [In search of lost meaning. Boleslav Yavorsky about “The Well-Tempered Clavier”], Classics-XXI, Moscow, 372 p. (In Russ.)
5. / Bryantseva, V.N. (1976), S. V. Rakhmaninov [S. V. Rachmaninov], Soviet composer, Moscow, 646 p. (In Russ.)
6. / Glinka, M.I. (1958), Literaturnoe nasledie: v 2 t. / M. I. Glinka; pod red. V. Bogdanova-Berezovskogo. T. 2 Pisma i dokumenty [Literary heritage: in 2 volumes / M. I. Glinka; edited by V. Bogdanov-Berezovsky. V. 2: Letters and Documents], State Music Publishing House, Moscow, 890 p. (In Russ.)
7. / Keldysh, Yu.V. (1973), Rakhmaninov i ego vremya [Rachmaninoff and His Time], Music, Moscow, 467 p. (In Russ.)
8. / Ruchevskaya, E. A. (1977) Funktsii muzykalnoy temy [Functions of the Musical Theme] Music, Leningrad, 160 p. (In Russ.)
9. / (2022), Formy vokalnoy muzyki: ucheb. po analizu: dlya vyssh. i sred. muzyk. ucheb. zavedeniy / red. N. Yu. Afonina, V. V. Goryachikh, N. I. Kuzmina; SPbGK im. N. A. Rimskogo-Korsakova. SPb.: [Forms of vocal music: a tutorial on analysis: for higher and secondary music educational institutions, / ed. N. Yu. Afonina, V. V. Goryachikh, N. I. Kuzmina; St. Petersburg State Conservatory named after N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov], Kompozitor, St. Petersburg, 608 p. (In Russ.)
10. / Tseplitis, L. K. (1974), Analiz rechevoy intonatsii [Analysis of Speech Intonation], Zinatne, Riga, 274 p. (In Russ.)
Review
For citations:
Naiko N.M., Zhiltsova A.A. Thematic processes in Rachmaninov’s early romances. ARTE. 2025;(2):5-16. (In Russ.)
Views:
19
Email this article 