Rachmaninov’s striking Eb major chord
I am back with yet another Eb major chord. There seems to be something about Eb major that really gets me going. This time it’s from Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto 2. I noticed this was programmed for Saturdays concert, in that case I like to get some score study in before I go listen to get acquainted with the piece.
What really caught my ear this time is the whole sequence. The tutti chord in question is striking on its own, but in the context of the whole 5 bar passage it really knocks you out. It is part of a large crescendo where the melody climbs up to that high G. I personally love major chords where the third is very audible, that may be why I like this chord so much, there certainly is no shortage of thirds giving it a very triumphant feeling. Especially after the chord progression that comes before it.
The harmonic progression starts on a Cm then goes to a Ivm type of sound with a Abmmaj7 chord, just before the resolution we get a Fdim/Ab, which is also part of that subdominant minor sound.
There are also some very important things to take away from the orchestration in general. (If you’d like to check it out on your own it’s on page 12 of the score). Attached is a mockup done in note performer for reference.
Here are my key notes about the orchestration of this passage.
The strings start very low together with horns, basoons and clarinets providing the “meat” of the texture. The trombones and trumpets are there from the very start, however unlike the rest of the orchestra they are labelled "p” while strings + woodwinds are “f”. All of the instruments start climbing In pitch but the conical brass instruments (trumpet, trombone and tuba) hold down their pitches adamantly. In the third bar the Abmmaj7 chord is introduced and that is when the strings and woodwinds really start to climb up there in their registers and there is a crescendo marking for the whole orchestra.
The strings and woodwinds are crescendoing from a f -> sff, meanwhile the conical brass are going all the way from p to sff. This is the what really pushes the dynamic all the way to top. Rachmaninov has saved the best for last.
As the woodwind and tremolando strings make their way higher and higher they are supported by the increasingly intensive brass texture from below. The horns have also paired up and are climbing higher. By the end they are above the trumpets in pitch. This gives the texture a very intense feeling since the horns are really pushing it. This works very well together with the strings and all around gives the moment a real sense of tension. This also works tremendously well with the harmonic progression and makes it very dramatic.
We can also see how the strings are written doubled in divisi octaves as is very common in this style of music. This has an interesting effects that all of the parts overlap. The same is to be said about the woodwinds, since flute and oboe are essentially doubling violin 1 and 2. The two oboes also have an enclosure around the clarinets. The trombones and trumpets are kept low in pitch to provide the “meat” of the texture and it is interesting to note that all of the strings, horns and woodwinds are playing in a high register.
The timpani does not play the root here, it plays the major third G instead. I think this is because of tuning restrictions put I am not certain. In the previous part of the passage it plays a C and a Ab, maybe it is in the context of the broader whole easier for the timpanist to play Ab - G, I am not sure. Either way with the short note value and a sff marking (subito fortissimo) it dosen’t make a whole lot a difference. With these variables the pitch perception of the timpani is greatly reduced and you mostly just hear the thundering WHACK of the drum.