Transformation of the Finale in Three Editions of the Fourth Piano Concerto by S. V. Rachmaninoff: A New Look at the Form

Abstract

A landmark of transition from the mature style to the late, Rachmaninoff’s Fourth Piano Concerto thus indicates the turn of periods of the composer’s life. The way Rachmaninoff worked on the composition, what exactly and for which reasons he altered in the process has increasingly become the focus of research. The article’s author attempts to answer these questions by studying and comparing various revisions. Besides this, the article for the first time addresses the question of interpreting the form of the Fourth Concerto finale. From the point of view of structure, the editing of the finale of the Concerto resulted in the following transformation: instead of a recapitulation (repeating the introduction and the second theme), a coda sounds, where the theme of the introduction is changed, and the second theme is substituted with new musical matter. To summarize, the author notes the differences in the later version of the Fourth Piano Concerto, distinguished by more dynamic, concise form and structure.

Keywords

S. V. Rachmaninoff, Fourth Piano Concerto, comparison of editions, structure of the finale, coda, textology, comparative analysis of the versions