In honour of Sergei Rachmaninoff's birthday (born April 1st, 1873) this week's listening will feature 2 of his compositions!

1) S. Rachmaninoff/Igor Roma, Italian Polka

A theme by Rachmaninoff arranged by Igor Roma for duet. Enjoy the fun 4 hands performance!

Would you like to play a duet in the future? Why or why not?
Coordinating your playing with another person is no easy task! What are some important things to keep in mind if you were to play a duet?

2) S. Rachmaninoff, Moments Musicaux, op. 16 no. 4 Presto

The piano developed and grew dramatically through history. One of the changes this allowed was music with a much wider dynamic range - something Rachmaninoff clearly made use of, moving to from FFF to pp (pianissimo) in only 2 bars. Enjoy this exciting rollercoaster ride!

Can you find how many "p's" are in the quietest piano spots? How many "F's" are in the biggest forte?