Sergei Rachmaninov ： Scherzo from Mendelssohn “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

This is Rachmaninov’s arrangement for solo piano of the Scherzo from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Its appeal lies in the lightness created by an uninterrupted flow of delicate motion, transparent sonorities, and richly layered lines that suggest different instrumental colors. The contrasting passages, which evoke shifts from one scene to another, also deserve close attention. In performance, rapid passages should remain clear and finely articulated, while the relative prominence of melody and accompaniment must be carefully balanced. Using the pedal sparingly helps preserve the music’s buoyancy. Subtle nuance within the brilliance allows its orchestral breadth to emerge.