Soul soaring! That's Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, 18th Variation. But WHY is it so special? What did Rachmaninoff do to make that theme so transcendent? Grammy-nominated pianist Dr. Duane Hulbert examines this gorgeous variation and gives a few insights into Rachmaninoff's techniques.

Note flipping: 3:10
Key changing: 3:26
Andante section: 4:45
Triplets/16ths: 5:30
Climax chord: 5:45
Orchestra/piano back-and-forth: 6:32
BIG CHORDS!: 7:15
Variation ending: 7:43
Finding the way home: 8:20
Breaking the trance: 9:19
Surprise ending: 9:40

Duane plays the entire variation at 10:35.

By the way: Rachmaninoff himself played the premiere of the Rhapsody with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski in Baltimore, Maryland on November 7, 1934.

To hear the 18th variation with the orchestra (which is to hear it at its most "sublime"), check out a YouTube video. Perhaps this one with sixteen year-old Alexander Malofeev:    • Variation #18, Rhapsody on a Theme of...  
Or the WHOLE Rhapsody with Jon Kimura Parker, soloist:    • Sergei Rachmaninoff "Rhapsody on a Th...   (18th Variation starts at 16:35, and then listen to the very ending. Amazing!)

To hear violinist Hilary Hahn play Paganini's Caprice #24:    • Hilary Hahn - Paganini - Caprice 24 -...  

And to hear Benny Goodman's very fun jazz variation on Paganini's theme:    • Benny Goodman And His Orchestra - Cap...  

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Thanks for watching!