Vocalise (Rachmaninoff)

"Vocalise" is a song by Sergei Rachmaninoff, composed and published in 1915 as the last of his 14 Songs or 14 Romances, Op. 34.[1] Written for high voice (soprano or tenor) with piano accompaniment, it contains no words, but is sung using only one vowel of the singer's choosing (see also vocalise). It was dedicated to soprano singer Antonina Nezhdanova.

Beginning of the score, transposed into E minor

Range

Although the original publication stipulates that the song may be sung by either soprano or tenor voice, it is usually performed by a soprano. Though the original composition is in the key signature of C-sharp minor, it is sometimes transposed into a variety of keys, allowing performers to choose a vocal range more suitable to their natural voice, so that artists who may not have the higher vocal range of a soprano can perform the song.

Arrangements

"Vocalise" has been arranged for many different instrument combinations. Examples are:

For/with orchestra

for orchestra, arranged by Rachmaninoff himself, also by Morton Gould, Kurt Sanderling
for soprano and orchestra, also by Rachmaninoff himself

also by Zoltán Kocsis

for choir and orchestra, arranged by Norman Luboff
for flute and orchestra, arranged by Charles Gerhardt

For chamber ensemble

for piano trio (violin, cello and piano), arranged by the Eroica Trio
for piano trio (soprano, oboe and piano), arranged by Andrew Bayles
for jazz ensemble, arranged by Don Sebesky

For solo instrument and piano

for alto flute and piano, arranged by James Guthrie
for clarinet and piano, arranged by Stanley Drucker
for trumpet and piano, arranged by Romain Leleu
for trombone and piano, arranged by Christian Lindberg
for euphonium and piano, arranged by Steven Mead
for violin and piano, arranged by Jascha Heifetz
for violin and piano, arranged by Karl Gutheil
for viola and piano, arranged by Leonard Davis, english viola player
for viola and piano, arranged by Paul Silverthorne
for cello and piano, arranged by Anatoliy Brandukov
for cello and piano, arranged by Jascha Heifetz and Mstislav Rostropovich
for cello and piano, arranged by Raphael Wallfisch
for double bass and piano, arranged by Stuart Sankey
for double bass and piano, arranged by Oscar G. Zimmerman (in D minor)
for saxophone and piano, arranged by John Harle
for horn and piano, transcribed by Himie Voxman
for bassoon and piano, arranged by Leonard Sharrow (in C minor)
for theremin and piano, arranged by Clara Rockmore
for flute and piano, arranged by Robert Stallman

For solo instrument

for solo piano, many arrangements, including by Alexander Siloti, Alan Richardson (1951), Zoltán Kocsis, Earl Wild, Sergio Fiorentino
for organ (music), arranged by Cameron Carpenter
for double bass, arranged by Gary Karr
for guitar, arranged by Slash
for saxophone, arranged by Larry Teal
for theremin, arranged by Thorwald Jørgensen[2]
for trumpet, arranged by Rolf Smedvig

Other

for two pianos, arranged by Vitya Vronsky
for electronic instruments, arranged by Isao Tomita
for cello with voice, arranged by Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma

Derivative works

The Pet Shop Boys song "Happiness Is an Option" on their 1999 album Nightlife incorporates a large portion of the "Vocalise" melody in each verse, performed on oboe as background material beneath the spoken text.

References

"What's new on Sergei Rachmaninoff's 'Vocalise'". G. Henle Verlag. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
Wallace, Roger (22 May 2018). "Days of Future Past With Thorwald Jørgensen and Friction Quartet". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved 4 December 2020.

External links

Review of a CD consisting entirely of different arrangements of Rachmaninoff's Vocalise
14 Romances, Op. 34: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Performance of Vocalise by pianist Gleb Ivanov from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in MP3 format

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[1] "What's new on Sergei Rachmaninoff's 'Vocalise'". G. Henle Verlag. Retrieved September 15, 2014.

[2] Wallace, Roger (22 May 2018). "Days of Future Past With Thorwald Jørgensen and Friction Quartet". San Francisco Classical Voice. Retrieved 4 December 2020.