Last week, I introduced you to one of Sergi Rachmaninoff’s more bombastic piano pieces, the Prelude in C# minor. In case some of you thought that piece was representative of Rachmaninoff’s musical style, this week will show you one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever composed. Insert here a moment of silence to build anticipation: Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini

This beautiful piece of music is actually the 18th variation of 24 variations Rachmaninoff wrote using a basic musical theme by Italian violinist Niccolo Paganini. The musical theme that Rachmaninoff built his Rhapsody on comes from the 24th caprice written by Paganini in 1818. Throughout in the mid 1800’s Paganini toured much of Europe giving concerts as he was considered the best violinist in the world. His collection of violins made by such notables as Guarneri and Stradivarius was incredible – worth well over $100,000,000 in today’s money. Sadly, Paganini had to sell off his violin collection because of failed business ventures and for medical treatment of syphilis. Yes, he was one of the musicians who never could keep his pants zipped up. Rachmaninoff on the other hand was, by comparison, a monk with only one wife of 41 years.

Rachmaninoff composed the Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini in 1934 while he was living in Switzerland, part of Rachmaninoff’s nomadic life caused by upheavals in Russia and Eastern Europe. If there was such a thing as the Billboard Top 100 back in those days, the Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini would have quickly jumped to number 1. Every orchestra in the world wanted to perform this beautiful piece. In fact, the same year as it was composed, 1934, the Philadelphia Orchestra made a top selling record of this musical piece. As mentioned in the previous article about Rachmaninoff, America adopted him and provided for him until his death in California in 1943. He was instrumental in helping America love Classical music.

Photo [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons