Vocalise (Rachmaninoff)
Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 is a song by Sergei Rachmaninoff, published in 1912 as the last of his Fourteen Songs, Op. 34. Written for voice (soprano or tenor) with piano accompaniment, it contains no words, but is sung using any one vowel (of the singer's choosing). It was dedicated to soprano Antonina Nezhdanova.
Range
Although the original publication stipulates that the song may be sung by either soprano or tenor voice, it is usually chosen to be performed by a soprano. As with many classical vocal pieces, it is transposed into a variety of keys, allowing the performer to choose a vocal range more suitable to their natural voice, so that artists who may not have the higher range of a soprano can nevertheless perform the song. When sung by a tenor, it is sung an octave lower than that used by a soprano.
Arrangements
Vocalise's popularity is so great that it has been arranged for many different instrument combinations. Among them:
For/With Orchestra
- for orchestra, arranged by Rachmaninoff himself, also by Morton Gould and Kurt Sanderling
- for choir and orchestra, arranged by Norman Luboff and Walter Stoff
- for soprano and orchestra, arranged by Arcady Dubensky
- for flute and orchestra, arranged by Charles Gerhardt
For Chamber Ensemble
- for piano trio (violin, cello and piano), arranged by the Eroica Trio
- for clarinet, violin and piano, arranged by Quinto Maganini
- for jazz ensemble, arranged by Don Sebesky
- for 24 cellos, as performed by the London Cello Orchestra.
For Solo Instrument and Piano
- for clarinet and piano, arranged by David Campbell
- for trombone and piano, arranged by Christian Lindberg
- for trombone and piano, arranged by Henry Charles Smith
- for euphonium and piano, arranged by Steven Mead
- for tuba and piano, arranged by Vriginia Allen
- for violin and piano, arranged by Jascha Heifetz
- for cello and piano, arranged by Jascha Heifetz and Mstislav Rostropovich
- for cello and piano, arranged by Wolfram Huschke
- for cello and piano, arranged by Raphael Wallfisch
- for double bass and piano, arranged by Oscar G. Zimmerman (in D minor)
- for saxophone and piano, arranged by John Harle
For Solo Instrument
- for solo piano, many arrangements, including by Alan Richardson (1951), Zoltán Kocsis, Earl Wild, and Anton Borodin (2003)
- for accordion, arranged by Nikolai Ryskov
- for saxophone, arranged by Larry Teal
- for trumpet, arranged by Rolf Smedvig
- for organ, arranged by David Briggs
Other
- for two pianos, arranged by Vitya Vronsky
- for electronic instruments, arranged by Isao Tomita
- for theremin, arranged by Clara Rockmore
