Sergei Rachmaninov’s Prelude in D Major, Op. 23, No. 4 (Andante cantabile) is a dreamy nocturne in triple meter. Its sensuous melody floats above continuous eighth note waves which rise and fall gently. Moving from intimacy to soaring passion, it takes us on a journey filled with revelatory harmonic turns.
Rachmaninov’s Ten Preludes, Op. 23 were composed between 1901 and 1903. “How well he hears the silence,” observed the writer, Maxim Gorky, after hearing this music.
The great Soviet pianist Sviatoslav Richter made this studio recording in September of 1971:
Recordings
Rachmaninov: Prelude in D Major, Op. 23, No. 4, Sviatoslav Richter Amazon
