Piano Concerto No. 2, Movement 2 Here's “All by Myself”

Miss Hendricks’s contact information: from the MUSIC ROOM Phone - (208) 274-4162 Email – [email protected]

Hello everyone! I hope you are enjoying the music activities I sent you. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

It’s time for the April Composer of the Month – ta-dah!!

Sergei Rachmaninov (Russian Spelling) Born, April 1, 1873 Died, March 28, 1943

No, this is NOT a mug shot. He was called “a six-and-a-half foot tall scowl” by another famous composer, Igor Stravinsky. He wasn’t mean, he just hid his feelings. He was Russian, but moved to America after the Russian Revolution in 1917, where he continued his brilliant career.

Of course, SR was a musical genius. Of course, he started playing piano when he was 4 years old (remember Mozart, Bach?). Like them, he was composing major works when he was very young.

Rachmaninov’s music is highly emotional (Romantic Period) and is heard all over the world today. His Piano Concerto No. 2, Movement 2 has been used in movies. The pop song “All By Myself,” by Eric Carmen, quotes the melody and harmony almost note for note. (Celine Dion also sang it.) The piano concerto is gorgeous. Check out the YouTube links below and listen to them both for fun. Do you hear how much they sound alike?

Piano Concerto No. 2, Movement 2 Played by Rachmaninov himself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnqytVlbNL8 Played live by Hélène Grimaud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znlUBaLH2zY

Here’s “All By Myself” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbn6o5tiPds&list=RDhbn6o5tiPds&start_radio=1&t=95

Rachmaninov also wrote The Bells – a huge work for choir and orchestra based on the poem by Edgar Allan Poe. I sang it a long time ago in a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The music had LOTS of bells. I hope you were able to explore the instrument families that I assigned you. I’ll be sending a “quiz” home about it in the 3rd packet. Miss you guys!

Miss Hendricks