Grossman, Morley

Dr. Morley Grossman is Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Texas (Edinburg). He holds degrees from California State University-Long Beach, the Cleveland Institute of Music and Indiana University at Bloomington. As a soloist, Dr. Grossman has appeared with the Orange County (California) Symphony, San Antonio and Valley Symphonies and South Texas Chamber Orchestra in concertos of Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Saint-Saens and Gershwin.

Revision Process in Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor, Opus 1

2006 0-7734-5648-1
This book provides an illuminating and detailed look at the triumphs and difficulties faced by this great composer, both personal and professional, not often revealed in other sources. Included are citations from a number of sources (mostly interviews from periodicals of the day) that are no longer generally available or commonly quoted.

The central focus of this collection of writings is a detailed study of the First Piano Concerto in F-sharp Minor, Op. 1, based upon three sources: the composer’s personal manuscript copy of the original version in full score (1890-91), which remains in the permanent collection of the New York Public Library; an intermediate revision completed during the October uprising of 1917 in the Soviet Union inexplicably issued (though never previously approved by the composer for publication) in 1965 by the (Soviet) State Publishing House; and the final version of 1919, as it is commonly performed (approved and proofread prior to publication). The latter was published in New York by Boosey & Hawkes. Applying quantitative analysis as a fundamental approach, the study demonstrates that Rachmaninoff’s writing (including the orchestrations) tended toward thinner, more transparent textures as his style continued to evolve.

For the Rachmaninoff enthusiast, this volume serves as a ready and convenient source of readings on a variety of topics. Illustrated with a wealth of examples from a myriad of sources, it is hoped this work will prove useful and a welcome addition to the literature currently available on this great composer.