Рахманинов С. В.
Итальянская полька : Для фортепиано. / Записал Сергей Васильевич Рахманинов; Переложение Александра Ильича Зилоти. (Серия: «Музыка — массам», № 70).
Москва : Музыкальный сектор Государственного издательства (Музсектор Госиздата), 1930.
4 с., 17.5 см. Мягкая издательская конструктивистская обложка.
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Rachmaninoff, Sergey.
Italian Polka: For Piano. / Recorded by Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; Arranged by Alexander Ilyich Ziloti. (Series: "Music to the Masses," No. 70).
Moscow : Music Sector of the State Publishing House (Muzsektor Gosizdata), 1930.
4 pp. ; 17,5 cm. Softcover with constructivist design.
This 1930 sheet music edition of Sergey Rachmaninoff’s Italian Polka is a fascinating cultural artifact from the early Soviet era, representing the intersection of late-Romantic musical heritage and revolutionary graphic design. Originally composed around 1906 for piano four-hands after a trip to Italy, the piece was inspired by a folk melody Rachmaninoff heard from a street organist. This specific solo piano arrangement was crafted by Alexander Ziloti, Rachmaninoff’s cousin and influential teacher, whose transcriptions helped define the performance style of the era. The text provides a deep dive into the internal logic of the polka’s virtuoso structure, including the arrangement of its rhythmic accents, the characteristic "Italian" melodic ornamentation, and the adaptation of orchestral-like textures for a single pianist.
A significant feature of this publication is its association with the "Music to the Masses" (Muzyka massam) series, appearing as issue No. 70. This initiative by the Muzsektor Gosizdata aimed to democratize classical music and high-culture repertoire for the broader Soviet public during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Despite the populist goal, the edition is distinguished by its constructivist cover design, which reflects the avant-garde aesthetic that dominated Soviet arts before the total shift toward socialist realism. The bold typography and geometric layout on the 4-page score emphasize the modernist drive to modernize musical education. For collectors of musical ephemera and Rachmaninoff scholars, this 1930 edition is a rare primary source that documents the continued legacy of the Russian piano school within the early Soviet institutional framework.