On March 28, 1897, Rachmaninoff’s First Symphony was premiered at one of the Russian Symphony Concerts. Yet, what should have been a resounding success for the composer became instead a crushing failure. Two other pieces were premiered on the same program and the performance of Rachmaninoff’s symphony suffered accordingly. The orchestra’s conductor, Alexander Glazunov, is said to have made poor use of rehearsal time, and, according to some accounts of the concert, was also drunk. Critics panned the work itself, overlooking the many faults that arose from Glazunov’s leadership. Afterwards, Rachmaninoff fell into a deep bout of depression that lasted for the next three years, and during which time he composed very little music. With the help of psychologist Nikolai Dahl, Rachmaninoff eventually regained his confidence and set to work again, composing one of his most enduring compositions, the Second Piano Concerto.
Shortly after the success of the Second Piano Concerto, Rachmaninoff composed in 1902 the majority of the songs that would become his 12 Romances, op. 21 (the only exception being the opening song “Fate,” composed in 1900 as the composer was beginning to emerge from his period of hopelessness). The fourth song of this set, “They Answered,” makes use of a text formulated by the Russian dramatist and poet Lev Mei from the works of Victor Hugo. In its three stanzas, unnamed men pose three queries. The first—How can we escape the guards that chase us?—is answered with, “Keep rowing!” The second—How can we escape the troubles of the merciless world?—is answered with, “Fall asleep!” Lastly, the third—How can we woo beautiful women without love potions?—is answered with, “Be in love!” In the key of D-flat major, Rachmaninoff sets Mei’s text over a rippling accompaniment of arpeggios that pauses at the end of each stanza to give proper weight to the answers of each question. The vocal melody is warm and lyrical, capturing the positive tone of the text and the hopes of the unknown men. Joseph DuBose
Classical Music | Soprano
Sergei Rachmaninov
They Answered, Op 21, No. 4 Play
Recorded on 08/11/2011, uploaded on 09/26/2011
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
On March 28, 1897, Rachmaninoff’s First Symphony was premiered at one of the Russian Symphony Concerts. Yet, what should have been a resounding success for the composer became instead a crushing failure. Two other pieces were premiered on the same program and the performance of Rachmaninoff’s symphony suffered accordingly. The orchestra’s conductor, Alexander Glazunov, is said to have made poor use of rehearsal time, and, according to some accounts of the concert, was also drunk. Critics panned the work itself, overlooking the many faults that arose from Glazunov’s leadership. Afterwards, Rachmaninoff fell into a deep bout of depression that lasted for the next three years, and during which time he composed very little music. With the help of psychologist Nikolai Dahl, Rachmaninoff eventually regained his confidence and set to work again, composing one of his most enduring compositions, the Second Piano Concerto.
Shortly after the success of the Second Piano Concerto, Rachmaninoff composed in 1902 the majority of the songs that would become his 12 Romances, op. 21 (the only exception being the opening song “Fate,” composed in 1900 as the composer was beginning to emerge from his period of hopelessness). The fourth song of this set, “They Answered,” makes use of a text formulated by the Russian dramatist and poet Lev Mei from the works of Victor Hugo. In its three stanzas, unnamed men pose three queries. The first—How can we escape the guards that chase us?—is answered with, “Keep rowing!” The second—How can we escape the troubles of the merciless world?—is answered with, “Fall asleep!” Lastly, the third—How can we woo beautiful women without love potions?—is answered with, “Be in love!” In the key of D-flat major, Rachmaninoff sets Mei’s text over a rippling accompaniment of arpeggios that pauses at the end of each stanza to give proper weight to the answers of each question. The vocal melody is warm and lyrical, capturing the positive tone of the text and the hopes of the unknown men. Joseph DuBose
More music by Sergei Rachmaninov
Romance, Op. 11 No. 5
Prelude Op. 3, No. 2, in c-sharp minor
Prelude Op. 32, No. 5, in G Major
Etude-Tableau in A minor, Op. 39, No. 6
Prelude Op. 23, No. 10, in G-flat Major
Loneliness, Op. 21 No. 6
Prelude Op. 23 No. 5
Moment Musicaux Op. 16, No. 3
Piano Concerto No. 3 in d minor, Op. 30
Serenade, Op. 3
Performances by same musician(s)
Lilacs Op 21, No. 5
Anne of Cleves, from Try Me, Good King: Last Words of the Wives of Henry VIII
Katherine Howard, from Try Me, Good King: Last Words of the Wives of Henry VIII
Katherine of Aragon, fromTry Me, Good King: Last Words of the Wives of Henry VIII
Sing not to me, beautiful maiden Op. 4, No. 4
Spring Waters Op. 14, No. 11
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