🇷🇺Sergei Rachmaninov ： Menuet (from Bizet “L’Arlésienne” Suite No.1)

This work is Rachmaninoff’s arrangement for solo piano of the Menuet from Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite No. 1. While preserving the original’s graceful and restrained dance character, it adds the layered voices and expanded sonority of the piano. The supple lyricism of the principal melody and the changing expressions from one passage to the next are among its attractions. In performance, it is important to keep the pulse light and allow the melody to come fully to the fore. By keeping the accompaniment understated and carefully shaping the breathing of each phrase and the subtle changes in dynamics, the poised dance character and rich resonance can emerge.