Polka de W.R. (Rachmaninoff)
Encyclopedia
Sergei Rachmaninoff's
Polka de W.R. is a virtuoso
piano arrangement of Franz Behr's
Lachtäubchen (Scherzpolka) in F major
.
. He dedicated it to Leopold Godowsky
. It was published the same year, as part of an album of Russian pieces called Nouvelle Collection de Musique; the other composers represented in the album were Alexander Scriabin
, Nikolai Medtner
, Sergei Taneyev
, Georgy Catoire
and Alexander Goedicke
.
oom-cha-cha rhythm with firstly a bass note and then two chords above. After twelve bars of this, there is then a melody in the right-hand and chords in the left. This continues for sixteen bars. There is then semi-quaver runs with the right hand, accompanied by more chords in the left. The tempo then changes to Poco piu mosso and the main theme starts. This is then followed by another tempo change to Meno mosso and a key change to C sharp minor. There is then another theme, followed by intricate arpeggio patterns in both hands. After several bars of this, there is another modulation back to A flat major. Another theme then proceeds until there are two bars of fast, arpeggiated patterns with a sustained chord in the left-hand. This is followed by a further theme until the end, where there is an arpeggio in both hands, a tempo change to Meno mosso, a short, two bar phrase with a melody above and chords below. There is then a penultimate, low pitched chord; followed by a higher pitched chord with a dynamic marking of pianissimo (pp)
, or whether he believed that the melody was concocted by his father. Behr was given no mention in the published edition of Polka de W.R., and it was universally believed to be an original work of Rachmaninoff's until the late 20th century, when the true author of the melody was identified. The piece is now generally listed as being by "Behr/Rachmaninoff", or "Behr, arr. Rachmaninoff".
, London
. He recorded it four times, without revision, and it has been recorded more than sixty more times. It was a favourite encore of pianists such as Vladimir Horowitz
and Shura Cherkassky
.
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music...
Polka de W.R. is a virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
piano arrangement of Franz Behr's
Franz Behr
Franz Behr was a prolific, but minor, and now almost forgotten, German composer of songs and salon pieces for piano.He was popular at one time, and many of his works were published . His works include names such as The Camp of the Gypsies, Will o’ the wisp, Valse des Elfes Franz Behr (1837–1898)...
Lachtäubchen (Scherzpolka) in F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
.
Composition
Rachmaninoff wrote the arrangement on 24 March 1911, the day after the premiere of the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom in Saint PetersburgSaint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. He dedicated it to Leopold Godowsky
Leopold Godowsky
Leopold Godowsky was a famed Polish American pianist, composer, and teacher. One of the most highly regarded performers of his time, he became known for his theories concerning the application of relaxed weight and economy of motion in piano playing, principles later propagated by Godowsky's...
. It was published the same year, as part of an album of Russian pieces called Nouvelle Collection de Musique; the other composers represented in the album were Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin. Quite independent of the innovations of Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed an increasingly atonal musical system,...
, Nikolai Medtner
Nikolai Medtner
Nikolai Karlovich Medtner was a Russian composer and pianist.A younger contemporary of Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Scriabin, he wrote a substantial number of compositions, all of which include the piano...
, Sergei Taneyev
Sergei Taneyev
Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev , was a Russian composer, pianist, teacher of composition, music theorist and author.-Life:...
, Georgy Catoire
Georgy Catoire
Georgy Lvovich Catoire was a Russian composer of French heritage.-Life:He studied piano in Berlin with Karl Klindworth from whom he learned to appreciate Wagner. Catoire became one of the few Russian 'Wagnerite' composers, joining the Wagner society in 1879...
and Alexander Goedicke
Alexander Goedicke
Alexander Fyodorovich Goedicke was a Russian composer and pianist.Goedicke was a professor at Moscow Conservatory. With no formal training in composition, he studied piano at the Moscow Conservatory with Galli, Pavel Pabst and Vasily Safonov. Goedicke won the Anton Rubinstein Competition in 1900...
.
Analysis
Polka de W.R. is in A flat major and in 2/4. The piece starts with semi-quavers in the right-hand and a melody in the left. After four bars, this then progresses to a melody with a quaver followed by triplet semi-quavers underneath. Meanwhile, the left-hand plays a typical WaltzWaltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
oom-cha-cha rhythm with firstly a bass note and then two chords above. After twelve bars of this, there is then a melody in the right-hand and chords in the left. This continues for sixteen bars. There is then semi-quaver runs with the right hand, accompanied by more chords in the left. The tempo then changes to Poco piu mosso and the main theme starts. This is then followed by another tempo change to Meno mosso and a key change to C sharp minor. There is then another theme, followed by intricate arpeggio patterns in both hands. After several bars of this, there is another modulation back to A flat major. Another theme then proceeds until there are two bars of fast, arpeggiated patterns with a sustained chord in the left-hand. This is followed by a further theme until the end, where there is an arpeggio in both hands, a tempo change to Meno mosso, a short, two bar phrase with a melody above and chords below. There is then a penultimate, low pitched chord; followed by a higher pitched chord with a dynamic marking of pianissimo (pp)
Dynamics (music)
In music, dynamics normally refers to the volume of a sound or note, but can also refer to every aspect of the execution of a given piece, either stylistic or functional . The term is also applied to the written or printed musical notation used to indicate dynamics...
Influences
The tune was a favourite of Rachmaninoff's father, Vassily (the "W.R." in the title refers to his father's initials in the German transliteration, Wassily Rachmaninoff), but it is not known whether Rachmaninoff knew its true author to be Franz BehrFranz Behr
Franz Behr was a prolific, but minor, and now almost forgotten, German composer of songs and salon pieces for piano.He was popular at one time, and many of his works were published . His works include names such as The Camp of the Gypsies, Will o’ the wisp, Valse des Elfes Franz Behr (1837–1898)...
, or whether he believed that the melody was concocted by his father. Behr was given no mention in the published edition of Polka de W.R., and it was universally believed to be an original work of Rachmaninoff's until the late 20th century, when the true author of the melody was identified. The piece is now generally listed as being by "Behr/Rachmaninoff", or "Behr, arr. Rachmaninoff".
Notable performers
Its first known public performance was on 6 May 1922, by Rachmaninoff himself, at the Queen's HallQueen's Hall
The Queen's Hall was a concert hall in Langham Place, London, opened in 1893. Designed by the architect T.E. Knightley, it had room for an audience of about 2,500 people. It became London's principal concert venue. From 1895 until 1941, it was the home of the promenade concerts founded by Robert...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He recorded it four times, without revision, and it has been recorded more than sixty more times. It was a favourite encore of pianists such as Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz was a Russian-American classical virtuoso pianist and minor composer. His technique and use of tone color and the excitement of his playing were legendary. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Life and early...
and Shura Cherkassky
Shura Cherkassky
Shura Cherkassky was an American classical pianist known for his performances of the romantic repertoire. His playing was characterized by a virtuoso technique and singing piano tone...
.
External links
- Polka de W.R. Scores at the IMSLP
- [ Polka de W.R.] at Allmusic
- Polka de W.R. played by Vladimir HorowitzVladimir HorowitzVladimir Samoylovich Horowitz was a Russian-American classical virtuoso pianist and minor composer. His technique and use of tone color and the excitement of his playing were legendary. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Life and early...
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