Description

Sergei Rachmaninoff launched his composing career in 1892 with five short piano pieces, which he debuted that December in a concert in Charkow (now Kharkiv). The second piece, titled simply "Prélude," became his famous Prélude in C-sharp minor - a work soon played worldwide and his most frequently performed encore. The other pieces, though quite different in character, have also endured in popularity among pianists. They exemplify Rachmaninoff's signature style while remaining technically accessible, even for amateur players. This Urtext edition is based on the 1892 first edition and the composer's autograph preserved in Moscow's Glinka Museum. It includes two revisions Rachmaninoff made to Mélodie and Sérénade almost 50 years later in the US, providing insight into his evolving pianistic approach. The fingerings were supplied by Rachmaninoff expert Marc-André Hamelin.