Sergei Rachmaninoff: Vocalise

  
Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff first travelled to New York in 1918, living in the United States from 1940 until his death in 1943. His beloved Vocalise for voice, piano (orchestra) is one of 14 Songs, Opus 34 written between 1910-1912. Originally composed in C minor for the Russian singer Nezdanova, the uniquely wordless and romantically lyrical melody lends itself perfectly to treble unison singing. I first performed Vocalise in Florence, Italy with an accomplished festival choir and orchestra for Musica Mundi during the summer of 1996. The treble singers enjoyed performing the long vocal lines in the Russian Romantic style.