Overview

The nine-piece Études-Tableaux, Op. 39, was premiered with eight of its nine pieces (excluding No. 8) at Rachmaninoff's self-performed recital in Petrograd on November 29, 1916 (dates hereafter are according to the Russian calendar). As far as information remains, the complete set, including No. 8, is believed to have been premiered at a recital in Petrograd on February 21.

Prior to this, there is little information regarding when and how this collection was composed, but Rachmaninoff's own catalog of works states that it was composed between August and November 1916. However, the dates written on the autograph manuscripts for No. 9 in D major and No. 5 in E-flat minor are both February 1917, suggesting that some pieces might have been transcribed into scores after their premiere performances. Furthermore, Rachmaninoff scholar Antipov speculates that the period during which Rachmaninoff was involved in the conception and sketching of this work might predate its full-scale composition by several years. The basis for this is that a sketch for No. 2 in A minor was found among the sketches for the 1913 cantata The Bells, Op. 35. This coincides with the period when Études-Tableaux, Op. 33, was gradually maturing into its current form through concert activities, leading up to its first edition in 1914. Therefore, Antipov suggests the possibility that the two collections, Op. 33 and Op. 39, were conceived without much time in between. Incidentally, Rachmaninoff departed for Stockholm at the end of 1917, after the October Revolution, and remained an exile. Consequently, this piece, completed in February 1917, became the last work Rachmaninoff composed in Russia.

The first edition was published in separate pieces by Russian Music Publishers in the spring of 1917 but was not reissued after the early 1920s until it was included in the 1947 'Complete Edition' along with Op. 33.

As far as is known, Rachmaninoff made three recordings of Études-Tableaux, Op. 39: recordings of No. 6 in A minor on March 5, 1921 (piano roll) and December 16, 1925, and a recording of No. 4 in B minor on December 16, 1925, all of which survive.

For a detailed explanation of Rachmaninoff's approach to composing short pieces and his use of programmatic elements, please refer to the analysis of Op. 33.

Analysis of Each Piece

No. 1 in C minor, Allegro agitato

An étude with a turbulent character. The right hand, demanding wide leaps in a perpetual motion-like figuration, and the left-hand octaves, carving out a surging, syncopated rhythm, create a continuous sense of dynamism. Furthermore, changes in meter and irregular phrase structures (for example, the first phrase consists of five measures) defy the listener's unconscious expectations, expressing strong emotion. In the middle section, as the key shifts frequently, two melodies—a staccato on the downbeat in the right hand and an inner voice in the left hand—depict slowly descending arpeggios.

No. 2 in A minor, Lento assai

An étude that, according to Rachmaninoff himself, bears the programmatic title "The Sea and the Gulls." In the main section, a simple two-measure accompanying figure revolving around C and A notes supports a melancholic melody, primarily consisting of ascending and descending fifths and fourths, which moves between high and low registers. The persistent accompanying figure, which appears throughout, has been linked to the "Dies Irae" theme since the Soviet era. However, compared to clear examples of quotation (such as in the later Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini or Symphonic Dances), this passage is more of an associative suggestion or evocation of an image rather than a direct quotation. In the middle section, the character of the music changes abruptly, building in passion through repeated modulations, but gradually returning to the mournful sentiment of the opening.

No. 3 in F-sharp minor, Allegro molto

The opening, marked by shifting meters between 3/8, 4/8, and 6/8 and abundant hemiolas, demands a strong sense of pulse at an Allegro tempo. High technical skill is also required for the two-note contrary motion leaps in the right hand (sometimes progressing contrapuntally) and the chordal leaps in the left hand. This étude is characterized by intense motion and expression throughout, but the intensity here does not exist for its own sake or as a mere display of virtuosity. Within it, there are carefully sculpted, nuanced harmonic progressions and melodies by Rachmaninoff. This serves both as an attraction for the listener and a challenge for the performer.

No. 4 in B minor, Allegro assai

A whimsical and enchanting étude. It is characterized by a constantly and irregularly expanding and contracting phrase structure, set to a tempo marked "very lively." On the other hand, when the sequence of notes is isolated, it even possesses a light rhythmic feel reminiscent of a court dance. While post-Rachmaninoff edited versions indicate time signatures for every change in meter, the original edition does not show time signatures, suggesting that the composer's own intention was likely for it to be "ametrical" or "without meter."

No. 5 in E-flat minor, Appassionato

Rachmaninoff often indicates emotional intensity and climaxes through repeated chords on the same note. Examples abound: the end of the development section in the first movement of Piano Concerto No. 2, the Cello Sonata, Prelude Op. 32, No. 10, the song "What Happiness!" Op. 34, No. 12, Variation 14 of Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and the climaxes of various movements in Piano Concerto No. 4. This piece exemplifies this technique applied as an étude. The continuous chordal repetitions played by both hands in the main section are passionate, yet they must avoid monotony as an accompaniment, and require ingenuity to effectively project the seamless melody in the soprano voice. The middle section is a transitional passage with unstable tonality, contrasting with the main section in terms of the left hand's arpeggiated accompaniment and dynamics, and also serving as a foreshadowing for the tranquil coda.

No. 6 in A minor, Allegro

A famous piece that Rachmaninoff stated was "inspired by the image of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf." It was withdrawn from Études-Tableaux, Op. 33, and then revised and included in this collection. The chromatic ascent played in the bass and the toccata-like content embody the cruel and terrifying mood of the fairy tale. A sense of urgency is created by leaping progressions, including repeated notes, centered around a staccato melody placed on each beat. The structure of the middle section is also skillfully crafted, repeating twice a pattern where the tempo slows down once, then gradually increases in urgency. It is also noteworthy that while the outline of the main theme itself is preserved, it is developed through a different playing technique than in the main section.

Furthermore, it is interesting that the melody of the main section resembles the theme of the final movement of Piano Concerto No. 4, which was being conceived around the same time.

No. 7 in C minor, Lento. Lugubre

According to Rachmaninoff's own commentary, this is a "funeral march." Indeed, the dotted rhythmic figure repeated in various keys from the beginning is that of a solemn funeral march. Although lengthy, Rachmaninoff himself seemed aware of the difficulty in interpreting this piece, as he added a detailed explanation in a letter to Respighi. Let us quote it, though it is somewhat long: "The main theme is a march, and the other theme is a choral singing. The passage starting with sixteenth notes in C minor and then E-flat minor constantly reminded me of an incessant, hopeless drizzle. This motion develops, leading to a climax in C minor, which is the sound of bells. The final section is the first theme, or the march." Applying this explanation directly to the music, the parallel chords appearing as a secondary theme with triplets (from measure 26 onwards) would represent the funeral chorus. The "rain" passage begins from measure 39, where sempre staccato sixteenth notes dominate the soundscape. This rain gradually increases in volume, transforming with modulation into the solemn and brilliant sound of bells. And then, along with the rain, the opening march returns and concludes the piece.

Expanding on such programmatic elements, critic Max Harrison proposes an interesting theory (regardless of its credibility) that the "rain" scene in this piece was inspired by the memory of Scriabin's funeral in 1915. Indeed, on April 16, Scriabin's funeral was accompanied by cold rain mixed with snow.

No. 8 in D minor, Allegro moderato

An étude that emphasizes double stops in the right hand. The theme in 9/8 meter is calm, reminiscent of a somber barcarolle. The same melody reappears repeatedly over different harmonic progressions, but effort is required to prevent it from becoming a mechanical sequence of sounds, to ensure each note remains clear, and to allow the melody to be heard as such. Structured in a clear ternary form, the musical character, which builds up through the middle section, reaches its climax with the recapitulation of the theme accompanied by passionate chordal repetitions.

No. 9 in D major, Allegro moderato. Tempo di marcia

According to Rachmaninoff, this piece is a "market scene," similar to Op. 33, No. 7, and at the same time, "evokes an Oriental march." Indeed, its bustling and brilliant atmosphere is close to the preceding work, and the rhythm of the main section is march-like. However, it is difficult to determine what constitutes the "Oriental" element. Perhaps it is the use of modes containing augmented seconds. Oriental Sketch in B-flat major was also composed in the same year, 1917, and comparing it might be an interesting endeavor in performance interpretation to decipher the "Orientalism" expressed in Rachmaninoff's works. Rachmaninoff's "Oriental elements" seem to be somewhat distinct from the Orientalism found in the compositions of 19th-century Russian composers.

This piece is the only one in a major key within Études-Tableaux, Op. 39. After a march-like main section, it proceeds through a relatively calm middle section where the meter freely expands and contracts, leading to a magnificent climax, and serving as a grand finale for the cycle as a whole.