Sergej Rachmaninov 1873 - 1942
Rhapsody on a theme of paganini
for Piano and Symphonic Wind Band
Carlo Ballmelli – transcription for piano and wind orchestra
Duration | ca. 25' |
Difficulty | 5 |
Itemnumber | SWB54 |
In a letter to Mikhail Folkine, in which Rachmaninov comments on the program in his Rhapsody on a Paganini theme, he writes that Paganini probably had to sell his soul to the devil in order to gain such tremendous virtuosity on the violin and the heart of a particular woman. Rachmaninov referred to the “Dies Irae” motive from the sequence of Thomas von Celano and the compositional connection with the famous theme from the last piece of the “24 Capricci” for solo violin, by Niccolo Paganini. Rachmaninov composed the Rhapsody with twenty-four variations in just a few months in the summer of 1934. In the same year at the Lake Lucerne the premiere took place with Rachmaninov as a soloist.
full score
flute 1,2
oboe 1,2
solo clarinet Bb 1,2
bassoon 1,2
horn F 1,2
horn F 3,4
trumpet Bb 1,2
trombone 1,2
bass trombone
timpani
snare drum, cymbals, bass drum
piano solo
clarinet Eb
clarinet Bb 1
clarinet Bb 2
clarinet Bb 3
alto clarinet Eb
bass clarinet 1,2
contrabass clarinet Bb
sopran saxophone
alto saxophone 1,2
tenor saxophone 1,2
baritone saxophone
euphonium
tuba
violoncello1,2
violoncello 3,4
string bass
Additional parts for certain countries
trombone Bb 1,2
bass trombone Bb
euphonium Bb
tuba Eb
tuba Bb