Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 (C# minor) [composer's transcription] Cover Image

Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 (C# minor) [composer's transcription]: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Conductor Score & Parts

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Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 (C# minor) [composer's transcription] Cover Image
Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 (C# minor) [composer's transcription]: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Conductor Score & Parts

Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 (C# minor) [composer's transcription]: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Conductor Score & Parts

By Sergei Rachmaninoff

Item: 36-A790190
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Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 (C# minor) [composer's transcription]: Full Orchestra, Solo Voice(s) with Ensemble, Conductor Score

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Description
VOCALISE is the last of Sergei Rachmaninoff's (1873-1943) Fourteen Songs (or Fourteen Romances), Op. 34. Written without words, it was intended to be sung using only a single vowel of the performer's choice. With no words to carry forward a musical idea, Rachmaninoff had to use all of the subtlety, skill, and tools at his command. The long, lyrical melody that is at the heart of this work has given VOCALISE a long-lasting popularity. This orchestration by the composer was completed in 1915. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 2.0.0.0: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set): Solo Voice. Reprint edition.

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Orchestra Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 605258552525
SKU: 36-A790190
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 2.0.0.0: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set): Solo Voice

More about this title

About the Composer: Sergei Rachmaninoff

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) stands among the last great Romantic composers, bridging the 19th and 20th centuries with a gift for sweeping melody and orchestral color. A virtuoso pianist and conductor as well as composer, Rachmaninoff crafted works of emotional intensity and technical brilliance that remain central to concert repertoires worldwide.

His late works, including the Op. 34 songs from which Vocalise comes, represent a composer fully mature in his voice. Writing during exile from Russia, Rachmaninoff deepened his harmonic language and expanded his orchestral palette. The Vocalise occupies a unique position in his catalog as a wordless song, proof of his mastery in making pure instrumental and vocal color carry meaning without text.

Why we love this

Rachmaninoff's own orchestration transforms an already profound solo song into a vehicle for full ensemble playing that feels generous, never overshadowed. The writing respects the soloist while giving every section meaningful material, making this work equally rewarding for orchestras seeking substantial programming rather than mere accompaniment duty. Few works at this instrumentation level offer such unified artistry from a single master's hand.

What to expect

Vocalise unfolds with the unhurried beauty of a prayer. The long, arching melody breathes without harmonic urgency, allowing time for emotional depth. The orchestration sits close to the voice, intimate rather than grand, creating a space of perfect quiet concentration that draws audiences into the soloist's world.

Who it's for

Orchestras with a strong soprano or alto soloist and the ensemble maturity to balance a restrained, introspective work. This score suits professional and advanced amateur orchestras committed to standard symphonic repertoire that values character and craft over spectacle.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the solo voice as the primary voice throughout; the orchestra should support and amplify, never compete, even in the fuller passages where all sections are engaged.
  • Shape the long melodic phrases with orchestral breath. Mark shared breathing points between solo and ensemble in rehearsal so the line never fragments, maintaining Rachmaninoff's architectural span.
  • Attend to the dynamic and tonal shadings in the string section, particularly when doubling or extending the vocal line. These nuances distinguish a merely pretty performance from one of real depth.
  • Use the woodwind colors (the 2.2.2.2 writing is lean and transparent) to highlight textural shifts rather than to thicken the sound; clarity of line is essential to the work's impact.

How to use it

Program this as the centerpiece of a Russian-focused concert, or place it as a moment of repose between larger orchestral works. Its wordless character and transcendent simplicity make it a natural fit for thematic programs exploring the human voice, Romantic expression, or Rachmaninoff's later style.

Skills your students will build

  • Orchestral balance between solo voice and ensemble accompaniment
  • Sustaining long melodic lines across phrase units without harmonic support
  • Transparent orchestration writing with limited instrumentation (woodwind doubling and string layering)
  • Conducting coordination between soloist and conductor in lyrical, non-metric passages
  • Expressive intonation and dynamic control in a slow, harmonic work

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