Analysis for Pianists: Rachmaninov's Prelude, Op. 32, #1

When I read a book, I read the thoughts of the author. The thoughts are expressed in words; the words are expressed in letters.

In a great performance, I hear the composer’s thoughts. The thoughts are expressed in harmonies; the harmonies are expressed in notes.

A piece may contain a million notes; to read the composer’s thoughts, I must perceive the harmonies.

A good way to begin is to make a harmonic reduction. 

Below are my recording and harmonic reduction of Rachmaninov’s Prelude in C Major, op. 32, no. 1. In the reduction, I’ve taken out the figuration and non-harmonic notes (neighbor notes, appoggiaturas, etc.) I’ve also taken out many of the changes in register.

The reduction shows two themes which Rachmaninov wove in to his work. 

The first is a three note melody, the opening of his own Prelude in C# Minor, op. 3, #2: Ab, G, C (scale degrees 6, 5, 1 in minor). The Prelude in C# Minor was Rachmaninov’s best known composition. The resolution of scale degree 6 to scale degree 5 in minor is a basic motif in classical music which symbolises tragedy. The final Prelude in Op. 32, #13, returns to this motif, attempting to find victory over tragedy with a version in major, Bb — Ab — Db. 

Another important theme, which also symbolises tragedy, in this case the descent to the land of death, is C, Bb, Ab, G (scale degrees 8, 7, 6, 5 in minor — a common passacaglia bass line).

That Rachmaninov weaves motifs from minor into a work in C major is his way of saying that, in life, light and dark are always interwoven.

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