on Mar 31st, 2009Sergei Rachmaninov Etude – tableaux Op. 33 No. 6 in E flat major
Nicknamed “Scene at the Fair” as confessed by Rachmaninoff himself to Respighi, the piece conjures a playful and vibrant atmosphere, with its blaring fanfare opening thirds and wild alternating chords. The middle section poses a great pianistic problem with huge leaps of the hand that lead to chordal actions, which at points are 10th chords, rendering playing the figures at the correct tempo much more difficult. The piece requires strength, precision,endurance, rhythmic control, and dynamic and tonal balance.
