14 Romances

Tender emotions and wistful memories come to the surface in Rachmaninoff’s 14 Songs, especially in the final number, “Vocalise”, his most celebrated melody. The collection of songs for voice and piano was published in 1912. It sets poems by Russian authors, including several by Pushkin. Rachmaninoff was inspired by two leading Russian opera singers of the day, Feodor Chaliapin and Félia Litvinne, to create a series of passionate, tender melodies, all with a melancholy mood. “The lighter shades don’t come easily to me!” he explained. Rachmaninoff himself was a virtuoso pianist, and the piano accompaniments are often rich and complex, especially in No. 3, “The Storm”, and No. 5, “Arion”. Other songs are more reflective, such as No. 1, “The Muse”, and No. 10, “I Remember the Day”, which set elegant, flowing melodies over gently swaying piano textures. “Vocalise” is dedicated to the singer Antonina Nezhdanova, whose light, pure tone is reflected in the song’s ethereal melody. “Vocalise” has no words, making it ideal for instrumental transcription. Rachmaninoff himself wrote a version for orchestra, and the song was later arranged by others for a wide range of solo instruments.