Uploaded August 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Sergei Rachmaninoff (Rachmaninov) wrote an article for Etude magazine in 1910. In this article titled "Ten Important Attributes Of Beautiful Pianoforte Playing", he gives some very important (perhaps even more important today) recommendations. I summarized this article a little and made a video with Rachmaninoff's recordings. These writings and recordings can both improve your piano playing and understand the playing of one of the 20th century's greatest pianists.
I changed the order of the titles in Rachmaninoff's post for the video rhythm. If you want to read the whole original article, you can visit here, but the title "The Vital Spark" is missing for some reason: etudemagazine.com/etude/1910/03/ten-important-attributes-of-beautiful-pianoforte-playing.html
00:00 "The Signnificance of the pedal" - Chopin Sonata No. 2, Final Mov.
* Played by Rachmanioff, 1930.
01:27 "The Vital Spark" - Kreisler (arr. Rachmaninoff) "Liebesfreud".
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1942.
06:28 "Proper Phrasing" - Bach (arr. Rachmaninoff) Partita in E, BWV 1006, Gavotte.
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1942.
09:20 "Forming The Proper Conception Of A Piece" - Schumann (arr. Tausing) "Der Kontrabandiste".
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1942.
11:11 "Technical Proficiency" - Rachmaninoff Etude-tableau, Op. 39, No. 6
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1925.
13:43 "Regulating The Tempo" - Tchaikovsky (arr. Rachmaninoff) Lullaby, Op. 16, No. 1
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1942.
17:46 "Character In Playing" - Scarlatti (Arr. Tausig) "Pastorale" (after Sonata in D minor, L. 413)
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1919.
21:46 "The Danger Of Convention" - Liszt "Gnomenreigen" (Concert Etude No. 2)
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1925.
24:52 "Real Musical Understanding" - Schubert )arr. Rachmaninoff) "Wohin?", from Die schöne Müllerin, D, 795
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1925.
27:14 "Playing To Educate The Public" - Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 1, Mov. II
* Played by Rachmaninoff and conducted by Eugene Ormandy, 1939/1940.
Sergei Rachmaninoff (Rachmaninov) wrote an article for Etude magazine in 1910. In this article titled "Ten Important Attributes Of Beautiful Pianoforte Playing", he gives some very important (perhaps even more important today) recommendations. I summarized this article a little and made a video with Rachmaninoff's recordings. These writings and recordings can both improve your piano playing and understand the playing of one of the 20th century's greatest pianists.
I changed the order of the titles in Rachmaninoff's post for the video rhythm. If you want to read the whole original article, you can visit here, but the title "The Vital Spark" is missing for some reason: etudemagazine.com/etude/1910/03/ten-important-attributes-of-beautiful-pianoforte-playing.html
00:00 "The Signnificance of the pedal" - Chopin Sonata No. 2, Final Mov.
* Played by Rachmanioff, 1930.
01:27 "The Vital Spark" - Kreisler (arr. Rachmaninoff) "Liebesfreud".
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1942.
06:28 "Proper Phrasing" - Bach (arr. Rachmaninoff) Partita in E, BWV 1006, Gavotte.
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1942.
09:20 "Forming The Proper Conception Of A Piece" - Schumann (arr. Tausing) "Der Kontrabandiste".
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1942.
11:11 "Technical Proficiency" - Rachmaninoff Etude-tableau, Op. 39, No. 6
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1925.
13:43 "Regulating The Tempo" - Tchaikovsky (arr. Rachmaninoff) Lullaby, Op. 16, No. 1
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1942.
17:46 "Character In Playing" - Scarlatti (Arr. Tausig) "Pastorale" (after Sonata in D minor, L. 413)
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1919.
21:46 "The Danger Of Convention" - Liszt "Gnomenreigen" (Concert Etude No. 2)
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1925.
24:52 "Real Musical Understanding" - Schubert )arr. Rachmaninoff) "Wohin?", from Die schöne Müllerin, D, 795
* Played by Rachmaninoff, 1925.
27:14 "Playing To Educate The Public" - Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 1, Mov. II
* Played by Rachmaninoff and conducted by Eugene Ormandy, 1939/1940.
