Friday, April 5, 2019—CAMA Presents Royal Scottish National Orchestra—International Series at The Granada Theatre—Santa Barbara, CA—8:00 PM

SERGEI
RACHMANINOFF
Born April 1, 1873 in Semyonovo
Died March 28, 1943 in Beverly Hills
Rhapsody on a Theme
of Paganini, Op.43
The inspiration
Rachmaninov’s 1934 Rhapsody consists
of 24 variations on a pithy but
memorable tune by 18th-century Italian
violinist Nicolò Paganini (1782-
1840): his 24th Caprice for solo violin
— itself a theme with variations. Rachmaninov
was not the first to see the
melody's potential for further invention,
with Brahms and Liszt both basing
virtuoso piano works on it, and when
the choreographer Michael Fokine suggested
to him that they collaborate on
a ballet, Rachmaninov pushed hard for
the Rhapsody, elaborating on his own
imagined visual scenario: ‘Consider
the Paganini legend – about the sale
of his soul to the evil spirit in exchange
for perfection in art, and for a woman.
All variations on the Dies Irai would be
for the evil spirit.’
The music
There is certainly a devilish quality
about the opening, presenting in skeletal,
mysterious form the bare ‘bones’ of
Paganini’s tune. After this first variation
the theme itself is heard plainly on the
violins, sharpened by some initial brittle
notes from the soloist. The piano then
resumes the variations, rudely pinging
out the first phrases of the theme before
dashing away in exuberant scales.
Rachmaninov now begins to totally
break down Paganini’s tune, often exploiting
stark contrasts of texture and
technique between piano and orchestra.
One moment, the soloist plays a nonchalant,
almost lazy foil to a feverishly chat-
17 CENTENNIAL SEASON CELEBRATION