Support for Learning

Autumn listening: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninoff

Performed by Anna Fedorova

Rachmaninoff's fabulous Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini was premiered in 1934 and is written like a piano concerto - a soloist performing with an orchestra. This term we will be listening to this piece and discovering the form of Theme and Variations. At our workshop on 15th October, we will also get to meet composer Yshani Perinpanayagam, who also wrote a theme and variations on the theme from the game Tetris!

Each week we will be exploring a new section of the piece, and there are spaces in your diary for you to write what you think about it. When you're describing the piece, you can talk about the tempo (speed), dynamics (loud/quiet) or texture (is it a piano solo section or is it a rich sound with lots of instruments playing?). Remember its also important to write about how it makes you feel!

Watch the video above, a little each week, listening to the following:

w/b 12/9, Theme and Variations 1-6: Listen from the beginning to 3'45"

w/b 19/9, Variations 7-11: 3'45" - 8'14"

w/b 26/9, Variations 12-15: 8'14" - 14'03"

w/b 3/10, Variations 16-18: 14'03" - 19'22"

w/b 10/10, Variations 19-24: 19'22" to end.