About this edition
Rachmaninoff's Ten Preludes, Op. 23 stand among the cornerstones of the Russian piano repertoire, expanding the tradition Chopin established into a distinctly Slavic, late-Romantic idiom. Composed primarily in 1903 and published the following year, the set contains some of the composer's most beloved miniatures — including the famous G minor Prelude (No. 5) with its march-like outer sections and rapturous lyrical center, the elegiac D major (No. 4), and the turbulent E-flat minor (No. 9). Together they form a remarkable survey of Rachmaninoff's mature pianistic language: rich inner voicing, sweeping melodic arcs, and the unmistakable bell-like sonorities that pervade his writing.
This volume reproduces the first edition issued by A. Gutheil in Moscow (n.d. [1904], plate numbers A. 8338–8347 G.). Gutheil was one of the principal publishers of Rachmaninoff's early and middle-period works, and these plates were prepared under conditions close to the composer himself, making the Gutheil prints a primary source for performers and scholars seeking the text as it was first presented to the public. The engraving is clear and idiomatic, with phrasing, pedaling, and dynamic indications faithfully preserved from the original issue.
About this edition:
- Complete set of all ten preludes from Op. 23
- Reproduced from the A. Gutheil first edition (Moscow, 1904)
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches, suitable for desk study and practical use at the piano
- Carefully prepared from a public domain historical source
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
By bringing this historic Gutheil edition back into print, we hope to make one of Rachmaninoff's essential keyboard cycles readily available to pianists, teachers, and students. The score has long resided in the public domain, and we're delighted to offer it in a clean, affordable printed format for your library and music stand.
