18 RACHMANINOFF | PRELUDES Rachmaninoff first composed the famous Prelude in c sharp minor, Op. 3 no.2, then the ten others in Op. 23, followed by the thirteen in Op. 32. Twenty-four in total, an emblematic number! He would have them assembled into a single volume by their original publisher. Was he influenced by Chopin ? Do they form a cycle ? He greatly admired Chopin. It was impossible at that time not to be influenced by Chopin and Liszt. His Variations on a Theme by Chopin, based on the 20th Prelude, immediately preceded his Opus 23. They are a tribute. But unlike Scriabin, his writing quickly broke free from the influence of the Polish composer. His language and sources of inspiration were highly personal from the outset. He introduced a large number of elements into his music, which was imbued with the Slavic soul, such as nature, traditional music, ancient Orthodox choirs and bells. This is almost entirely absent from Chopin's work, as are references to painting or poetry. Conceived from the outset as a cycle, Chopin's Preludes are inseparable. Rachmaninoff's, which are more developed, can be played separately. They each have their own individuality. However, I see natural groupings between them. In Opus 23, the first four form a group, then the fifth and sixth form a pair, and finally come the others, which can be played in succession. I find similar groupings in Opus 32. This is reflected in this recording by deliberately longer pauses between these groups.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTAwOTQx