Rachmaninoff: Élégie in E Flat Minor, Op. 3, No. 1 (1892)

Nate Koch, piano.

This piece begins with mournful, melancholic melody, always moving on the off-beat, that gradually builds in intensity in 3rds and 6ths.

A warm, comforting melody wells up from the bass at (2:22) and slowly builds to a soaring climax (3:17).

The music crashes back down to earth and almost dies out, before the first theme re-emerges, even more beautiful and sad than before (4:16).

It concludes with one last struggle and a final collapse (5:25).

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Nate
• Nathan
• Koch
• Classical
• Piano
• Rachmaninoff
• Elegie
• Elegy
• Amateur

[jeffreysbrother]

any tips for someone about to cross into the section with the triplets in the left hand? The section beginning with measure 63 is what I'm talking about...

the end looks pretty nutty too.

Oh, christ.

[natachu444]

@jeffreysbrother What is it that you need tips about? The change in rhythm? I think I just practiced it by making my metronome beat twice a measure and making sure that both halves of that measure fit evenly ... but as you said it is a beginning of a new section so I think you have a little liberty to play with time there.

[natachu444]

@jeffreysbrother I see that I wrote in my music "Pull way back" meaning I wanted to make a new start there to make it easier to really build through that whole section ... It's DEFINITELY the funnest part of the piece! The end is a little crazy but don't worry too much about it ... just let it crash down and burn. You can do it. :)

[natachu444]

Well you guys that don't like the tempo, I just have to say ... it gets favorited almost once a day and tons of people have put it into playlists, so, I think you might just be the vocal minority :)

[m4paionk]

OH GOD! there is moderato! she is plaing like andante ; / sometimes it's sounds like she is gonna stop in most dramatic moment .

[natachu444]

@m4paionk That's hilarious because my teacher just told me the exact same thing about another piece ... I guess she is right :) But come on, I like it slow! Life is too short to rush through things!

[jeffreysbrother]

@natachu444 Thanks. Yeah, it's a little confusing. Anyway, thanks for the great performance!

[33GHZ]

Building a Cathedral of hope - a return (yes, I know it's not THE return) - the realisation it can never be - the structure collapses the dream ends

[GhettoBlaster100]

What an amazing piece. And this is coming from someone who listens to mostly rap.

[Farooooolers]

3:33 not cool...

she compressed 3 quarters into 1, and one measure before she miraculously turned a quintuplet into a sextuplet.

not cool.

[STIYE101]

such a beautiful yet ignored key

[Natfem]

You played it beautifully. I've heard many others playing this but you control the music and emotions even if its on lower tempo.