Ivan Bessonov — Sergei Rachmaninoff: Prelude in G minor, Op. 23, No. 5

ABOUT RACHMANINOFF’S PRELUDE IN G MINOR, OP. 23, NO. 5

Sergei Rachmaninoff completed the Prelude in G minor in 1901. Although it later became No. 5 of the ten Preludes, Op. 23, it was written about two years before most of the set. Rachmaninoff himself gave its first public performance in Moscow in 1903.

Marked Alla marcia, the Prelude begins with a powerful, sharply articulated march. At its centre comes a striking contrast: a broad, lyrical melody unfolds above sweeping arpeggios before the march returns. The combination of rhythmic force, virtuosity and unmistakable Rachmaninoff lyricism has made the work one of the best-known pieces in the piano repertoire.

The Prelude also became closely associated with great pianists of the twentieth century. Vladimir Horowitz performed it repeatedly over decades and left numerous recordings. Emil Gilels famously played it at the Soviet front during the Second World War.

More than a century after its creation, the G minor Prelude remains a favourite with pianists and audiences — compact, dramatic and instantly recognizable.
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