Rachmaninoff - Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2 ("The Bells of Moscow")

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2 ("The Bells of Moscow") Composed in 1892, premiered in 1892 in Moscow Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy (b. 1937), piano Recorded April 1975 at All Saints Church, Petersham, London Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2, composed in 1892, is one of his earliest and most famous works for solo piano. It gained immediate popularity for its dramatic opening chords, stormy middle section, and the powerful, tolling finale that earned it the nickname “The Bells of Moscow.” Originally part of a set of five pieces dedicated to Nikolai von Meck (1863-1929), the prelude quickly became a signature piece for the young composer and helped establish his reputation as a virtuoso pianist and composer. Despite its popularity, Rachmaninoff later expressed mixed feelings about the work, concerned that its fame might overshadow his more mature compositions.