Lessons · Showcase

Prelude in C♯ minor

Rachmaninoff Op. 3 No. 2 — the motto, tolling chords, triplets

% Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-sharp minor opens with THE three
% notes — A, G-sharp, C-sharp — alone, fortissimo. In c# minor they
% are degrees .6 .5 .1, and '@-12' doubles the whole line an octave
% below with one mark:
 
bpm 40
key c# min
 
Motto ::= .6 _4 .5 _4 .1 _16
 
{Motto, Motto@-12, Motto@-24}
 
 
% The answer: massive chords toll above while the motto's tail
% holds beneath. Every chord is one { , } stack — the texture is two
% rules superposed:
 
Toll  ::= - _2 {c#4 _2, g#4 _2, c#5 _2} {e4 _2, b4 _2, e5 _2}
          {d#4 _2, a#4 _2, d#5 _2} - _2 {d4 _2, a4 _2, d5 _2} - _2
          {b#3 _2, f#4 _2, b#4 _2} - _2
Under ::= - _2 {e3 _2, g#3 _2, e4 _2} {g#3 _2, b3 _2, g#4 _2}
          {f##3 _2, a#3 _2, f##4 _2} - _2 {f#3 _2, b#3 _2, f#4 _2} - _2
          {d#3 _2, f#3 _2, d#4 _2} - _2
 
{Toll, Under}
 
 
% The agitato middle: a chromatic cry over churning TRIPLETS.
% Fractional durations put three notes in the space of four —
% '_4/3' is four thirds of a unit:
 
bpm 100
Cry   ::= d5 _4 c#5 _4
Churn ::= d5 _4/3 f#4 _4/3 b#4 _4/3 c#5 _4/3 e4 _4/3 g#4 _4/3
 
{Cry, Churn}
 
 
% The RETURN (m.45) is the piece's reason to exist: quadruple
% forte, the motto POUNDING in a dotted rhythm deep in the bass while
% the tolling chords ring two octaves up. The chord holds a SLOT — the
% outer voices never move, and the one in the middle bends from the
% fifth to the fourth, which '#2' picks — and the texture is one stack:
 
bpm 40
Pound ::= .1 _8 .1 _16 .1 _16 .1 _16 .1 _8
Bell  ::= {1 _2, 4 _2? 5, '1 _2}
 
{Pound @-12, Pound @-24, Bell @22 Bell#2 @22 Bell @22 Bell#2 @22}
 
 
% The long goodbye (m.65): the storm spends itself into wide,
% quiet, rolled sonorities — and finally just C-sharp:
 
{1 _12, 5 _12, '1 _12} - _4
{1 _12, 4 _12, 7b _12, '1 _12} - _4
{1 _6, 3 _6, 5 _6, '1 _6} {5 _12, '1 _12, '3 _12, '5 _12}
{..1 _16, .1 _16, 1Min _16}
 
 
% The whole prelude: motto and tolls, the agitato building wave on
% wave, the quadruple-forte return, and the long goodbye:
 
{Motto, Motto@-12, Motto@-24}
{Toll, Under}
bpm 100
{Cry, Churn} {Cry @1, Churn @1} {Cry, Churn}
bpm 40
{Pound @-12, Pound @-24, Bell @22 Bell#2 @22 Bell @22 Bell#2 @22}
{1 _12, 5 _12, '1 _12} - _4 {1 _6, 3 _6, 5 _6, '1 _6} {..1 _16, .1 _16, 1Min _16}
 
 
% THE WHOLE PRELUDE — full length from the verified grammar:
% the Lento tolling, the agitato, the four-stave return, the coda —
% about seven minutes across these blocks.
 
bpm 40
meter 4
unit 1/4
key c#4 min
mode diatonic
 
% The cast — every motif and chord the lead line uses:
 
M68 ::= .1 _8 .6 _4
M41 ::= .5 _4 M68 .5 _4
Run ::= ..7b _4 ..6 _4 ..5 _4
M13 ::= Run ..7 _4 Run
M56 ::= c#4 _4/3 a4 _4 /3? e4
Run2 ::= 5 _4 4 _8/3 3 _4/3
M61 ::= .1 _16*2
M28 ::= 5 _4 M56@5 _3 Run2 Run2@~-1 M61@15/4
M43 ::= M56@5 _3 5 _4 '1 _4
M39 ::= '6 _4 M56@19 _3 '6 _4
M49 ::= ...1Dia$1-3-5-1 _8
M54 ::= {...6, ..6} _4
M38 ::= M54 M54@-1
M5 ::= M49 M38
M63 ::= {...1, ..1} _8
M12 ::= M49 M38@3 M49@~2 M38@7 ...5Dia$1-3-5-1 _18 - _14 M63 M38
M53 ::= {2, 6, '2} _2
M24 ::= M53@~-1
M97 ::= M24@2 - _2
M46 ::= M53
M35 ::= - _2 M46 - _2
M9 ::= M24@3 M97 M24@1 M35@-3 M24
M42 ::= {3, 6, '3} _2
M11 ::= M42@19 M24@20 - _2
M7 ::= M24@8 M24@5 M24@7 M24@3 M24@5 M46
M79 ::= {.6, 4, 6} _2
M21 ::= M7@-7 M79 M79 M11@-22 M97@-6
M58 ::= - _2 {.3, 1} _2
M51 ::= - _2 ..7#Dim$3-5-1 _2
M22 ::= {.5, 3} _2 {.5b, 2} _2 - _2 {.4, .7#, 2b} _2 M51
M78 ::= .5 _4/3 1 _4/3
M76 ::= b#3 _4/3 f#4 _4/3
M29 ::= M78 M56#2~@-6 1 _4/3 2b _4/3 M76~^@-2 1 _4/3 M56@~-5
M95 ::= 5 _4/3 M78
M2 ::= M29 3 _4/3 M29 M95 M56#2~@~-2 M56#2 .4 _4/3 1 _4/3 M95
M80 ::= f#4 _4/3 f#3 _4/3
M20 ::= M80 1 _4/3 M80 M56 M76~^@-2 M80~^@-4 M56
M16 ::= M76~^@25 M56#2~@19 ''1 _4/3
M23 ::= M76~^@9 '1 _4/3 M56~^@8
M36 ::= .6 _4/3 M56#2 M56@~-2
M33 ::= {M76 6 _4/3}
M31 ::= {..7# _4/3 .2 _4/3} M33@-3
M82 ::= {.1 _4/3 .3 _4/3}
M74 ::= M33@-3 M31 M82 {.5 _4/3 M56} M82
M1 ::= M31@3 {M56@~-5} {M56 5 _4/3} {M56@~-5} M74
M47 ::= '3Dia$1-3-5-1 _2
M27 ::= M47@~-2
M40 ::= M47
M30 ::= M47@~-1
M3 ::= M40 M40@-1 - _2 {'2b, '4, '7#, ''2b} _2 - _2 M30@-3 - _2 M27
M85 ::= M3 M11@-3
M57 ::= - _4 {1, 6, '1} _12 - _4
 
meter 2
meter 4
meter 2
% mm.1 — built from M38 · 2 voices.
F1a ::= | .6 _4 .5 _4 |
F1a
 
meter 4
% mm.1 — built from M38 · 2 voices.
F2a ::= | .1 _16 |
F2a
 
% mm.1 — built from M38 · 2 voices.
F3a ::= {M68 M41 .1 _8 .7# _4 .7 _4 .3 _8 3 _4 2 _4 .5 _18 - _22 .6 _4 M41 .1 _18 - _6 .5b _4 M41 M68 .5 _4 3 _4 M13@17 M28 M13@17 5 _4 M43 M43@5 '3 _4 '2b _4 '1 _4 '2b _4 '1 _4 7 _4 6 _4 6 _4 5 _4 4 _4 3 _4 2b _4 6 _4 2 _4 7b _4 3 _4 7 _4 7# _4 '1 _4 '3 _4 M13@29 M28@12 M13@29 '5 _4 '4 _4 M39 ''2b _4 ''1 _4 ''4 _4 ''3 _4 - _120 {.6, 6} _16 {.5, 5} _16 M5@24 M5@24 M12@24 M5@24 {.1, 1} _10 - _14 .5b _4 .5 _4 M61 M61 .1 _16 .1 _32 - _180, - _2 M24 M9 M9 M11@-15 M42 M35 M24@3 M11@-12 M42@4 M35@4 M24@7 M7 M24@3 M24@3 M24@5 M46 M24@3 M24 M46 M46@-3 M24 M24 M9 M11@-15 M42 M35@-3 M24 M21 M24@-5 M58 M22 M58 M22 3 _4/3 M2 M20 M2 '1 _4/3 M56#2 7 _4/3 2b _4/3 6 _4/3 '2b _4/3 2b _4/3 5 _4/3 '1 _4/3 M56#2 '4 _4/3 M16@-12 '2b _4/3 M23 '2b _4/3 M23 7 _4/3 M16@-19 6 _4/3 M23@-5 4 _4/3 M16@-24 2b _4/3 M36 2 _4/3 .7b _4/3 1 _4/3 7b _4/3 .7b _4/3 M56 M36@2 7# _4/3 M76 '1 _4/3 M56 '3 _4/3 M2@12 M20@12 M2@12 '7 _4/3 M16@-7 ''2b _4/3 M23@12 ''4 _4/3 M16 M33@24 M1@24 M33@17 M1@17 M33@12 M1@12 M33@5 M1@5 M33 M1 M33 M1 M74 M74 M74 - _8 {4, '1, '4} _8 - _8 {5, 7#, '5} _8 - _2 M27 M3 M85 {'3, '4, '6, ''3} _2 - _2 M30 - _2 M40 M11 {'5, '7b, ''1, ''5} _2 - _2 M30@4 - _2 M27@7 M40@5 M27@5 M27@7 M40 M27@5 M30 M40 M40 M27@5 M30 M40 M27 M30 M30@-3 M27 M27 M85 {'3, '4, '7#, ''3} _2 - _2 M30@-3 M27 M24 M21 {.5, 4, 5} _2 M57 {1, 5, '1} _12 M57 .4Maj$5-1-3-5 _12 - _4 .4Dia$5-1-3-5 _12 - _8 1Dia$1-3-5-1 _6 1Dia$5-1-3-5 _2 1Dia$5-1-3-5 _16}
F3a

% Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-sharp minor opens with THE three
% notes — A, G-sharp, C-sharp — alone, fortissimo. In c# minor they
% are degrees .6 .5 .1, and '@-12' doubles the whole line an octave
% below with one mark:

bpm 40
key c# min

Motto ::= .6 _4 .5 _4 .1 _16

{Motto, Motto@-12, Motto@-24}

% The answer: massive chords toll above while the motto's tail
% holds beneath. Every chord is one { , } stack — the texture is two
% rules superposed:

Toll  ::= - _2 {c#4 _2, g#4 _2, c#5 _2} {e4 _2, b4 _2, e5 _2}
          {d#4 _2, a#4 _2, d#5 _2} - _2 {d4 _2, a4 _2, d5 _2} - _2
          {b#3 _2, f#4 _2, b#4 _2} - _2
Under ::= - _2 {e3 _2, g#3 _2, e4 _2} {g#3 _2, b3 _2, g#4 _2}
          {f##3 _2, a#3 _2, f##4 _2} - _2 {f#3 _2, b#3 _2, f#4 _2} - _2
          {d#3 _2, f#3 _2, d#4 _2} - _2

{Toll, Under}

% The agitato middle: a chromatic cry over churning TRIPLETS.
% Fractional durations put three notes in the space of four —
% '_4/3' is four thirds of a unit:

bpm 100
Cry   ::= d5 _4 c#5 _4
Churn ::= d5 _4/3 f#4 _4/3 b#4 _4/3 c#5 _4/3 e4 _4/3 g#4 _4/3

{Cry, Churn}

% The RETURN (m.45) is the piece's reason to exist: quadruple
% forte, the motto POUNDING in a dotted rhythm deep in the bass while
% the tolling chords ring two octaves up. The chord holds a SLOT — the
% outer voices never move, and the one in the middle bends from the
% fifth to the fourth, which '#2' picks — and the texture is one stack:

bpm 40
Pound ::= .1 _8 .1 _16 .1 _16 .1 _16 .1 _8
Bell  ::= {1 _2, 4 _2? 5, '1 _2}

{Pound @-12, Pound @-24, Bell @22 Bell#2 @22 Bell @22 Bell#2 @22}

% The long goodbye (m.65): the storm spends itself into wide,
% quiet, rolled sonorities — and finally just C-sharp:

{1 _12, 5 _12, '1 _12} - _4
{1 _12, 4 _12, 7b _12, '1 _12} - _4
{1 _6, 3 _6, 5 _6, '1 _6} {5 _12, '1 _12, '3 _12, '5 _12}
{..1 _16, .1 _16, 1Min _16}

% The whole prelude: motto and tolls, the agitato building wave on
% wave, the quadruple-forte return, and the long goodbye:

{Motto, Motto@-12, Motto@-24}
{Toll, Under}
bpm 100
{Cry, Churn} {Cry @1, Churn @1} {Cry, Churn}
bpm 40
{Pound @-12, Pound @-24, Bell @22 Bell#2 @22 Bell @22 Bell#2 @22}
{1 _12, 5 _12, '1 _12} - _4 {1 _6, 3 _6, 5 _6, '1 _6} {..1 _16, .1 _16, 1Min _16}

% THE WHOLE PRELUDE — full length from the verified grammar:
% the Lento tolling, the agitato, the four-stave return, the coda —
% about seven minutes across these blocks.

bpm 40
meter 4
unit 1/4
key c#4 min
mode diatonic

% The cast — every motif and chord the lead line uses:

M68 ::= .1 _8 .6 _4
M41 ::= .5 _4 M68 .5 _4
Run ::= ..7b _4 ..6 _4 ..5 _4
M13 ::= Run ..7 _4 Run
M56 ::= c#4 _4/3 a4 _4 /3? e4
Run2 ::= 5 _4 4 _8/3 3 _4/3
M61 ::= .1 _16*2
M28 ::= 5 _4 M56@5 _3 Run2 Run2@~-1 M61@15/4
M43 ::= M56@5 _3 5 _4 '1 _4
M39 ::= '6 _4 M56@19 _3 '6 _4
M49 ::= ...1Dia$1-3-5-1 _8
M54 ::= {...6, ..6} _4
M38 ::= M54 M54@-1
M5 ::= M49 M38
M63 ::= {...1, ..1} _8
M12 ::= M49 M38@3 M49@~2 M38@7 ...5Dia$1-3-5-1 _18 - _14 M63 M38
M53 ::= {2, 6, '2} _2
M24 ::= M53@~-1
M97 ::= M24@2 - _2
M46 ::= M53
M35 ::= - _2 M46 - _2
M9 ::= M24@3 M97 M24@1 M35@-3 M24
M42 ::= {3, 6, '3} _2
M11 ::= M42@19 M24@20 - _2
M7 ::= M24@8 M24@5 M24@7 M24@3 M24@5 M46
M79 ::= {.6, 4, 6} _2
M21 ::= M7@-7 M79 M79 M11@-22 M97@-6
M58 ::= - _2 {.3, 1} _2
M51 ::= - _2 ..7#Dim$3-5-1 _2
M22 ::= {.5, 3} _2 {.5b, 2} _2 - _2 {.4, .7#, 2b} _2 M51
M78 ::= .5 _4/3 1 _4/3
M76 ::= b#3 _4/3 f#4 _4/3
M29 ::= M78 M56#2~@-6 1 _4/3 2b _4/3 M76~^@-2 1 _4/3 M56@~-5
M95 ::= 5 _4/3 M78
M2 ::= M29 3 _4/3 M29 M95 M56#2~@~-2 M56#2 .4 _4/3 1 _4/3 M95
M80 ::= f#4 _4/3 f#3 _4/3
M20 ::= M80 1 _4/3 M80 M56 M76~^@-2 M80~^@-4 M56
M16 ::= M76~^@25 M56#2~@19 ''1 _4/3
M23 ::= M76~^@9 '1 _4/3 M56~^@8
M36 ::= .6 _4/3 M56#2 M56@~-2
M33 ::= {M76 6 _4/3}
M31 ::= {..7# _4/3 .2 _4/3} M33@-3
M82 ::= {.1 _4/3 .3 _4/3}
M74 ::= M33@-3 M31 M82 {.5 _4/3 M56} M82
M1 ::= M31@3 {M56@~-5} {M56 5 _4/3} {M56@~-5} M74
M47 ::= '3Dia$1-3-5-1 _2
M27 ::= M47@~-2
M40 ::= M47
M30 ::= M47@~-1
M3 ::= M40 M40@-1 - _2 {'2b, '4, '7#, ''2b} _2 - _2 M30@-3 - _2 M27
M85 ::= M3 M11@-3
M57 ::= - _4 {1, 6, '1} _12 - _4

meter 2
meter 4
meter 2
% mm.1 — built from M38 · 2 voices.
F1a ::= | .6 _4 .5 _4 |
F1a

meter 4
% mm.1 — built from M38 · 2 voices.
F2a ::= | .1 _16 |
F2a

% mm.1 — built from M38 · 2 voices.
F3a ::= {M68 M41 .1 _8 .7# _4 .7 _4 .3 _8 3 _4 2 _4 .5 _18 - _22 .6 _4 M41 .1 _18 - _6 .5b _4 M41 M68 .5 _4 3 _4 M13@17 M28 M13@17 5 _4 M43 M43@5 '3 _4 '2b _4 '1 _4 '2b _4 '1 _4 7 _4 6 _4 6 _4 5 _4 4 _4 3 _4 2b _4 6 _4 2 _4 7b _4 3 _4 7 _4 7# _4 '1 _4 '3 _4 M13@29 M28@12 M13@29 '5 _4 '4 _4 M39 ''2b _4 ''1 _4 ''4 _4 ''3 _4 - _120 {.6, 6} _16 {.5, 5} _16 M5@24 M5@24 M12@24 M5@24 {.1, 1} _10 - _14 .5b _4 .5 _4 M61 M61 .1 _16 .1 _32 - _180, - _2 M24 M9 M9 M11@-15 M42 M35 M24@3 M11@-12 M42@4 M35@4 M24@7 M7 M24@3 M24@3 M24@5 M46 M24@3 M24 M46 M46@-3 M24 M24 M9 M11@-15 M42 M35@-3 M24 M21 M24@-5 M58 M22 M58 M22 3 _4/3 M2 M20 M2 '1 _4/3 M56#2 7 _4/3 2b _4/3 6 _4/3 '2b _4/3 2b _4/3 5 _4/3 '1 _4/3 M56#2 '4 _4/3 M16@-12 '2b _4/3 M23 '2b _4/3 M23 7 _4/3 M16@-19 6 _4/3 M23@-5 4 _4/3 M16@-24 2b _4/3 M36 2 _4/3 .7b _4/3 1 _4/3 7b _4/3 .7b _4/3 M56 M36@2 7# _4/3 M76 '1 _4/3 M56 '3 _4/3 M2@12 M20@12 M2@12 '7 _4/3 M16@-7 ''2b _4/3 M23@12 ''4 _4/3 M16 M33@24 M1@24 M33@17 M1@17 M33@12 M1@12 M33@5 M1@5 M33 M1 M33 M1 M74 M74 M74 - _8 {4, '1, '4} _8 - _8 {5, 7#, '5} _8 - _2 M27 M3 M85 {'3, '4, '6, ''3} _2 - _2 M30 - _2 M40 M11 {'5, '7b, ''1, ''5} _2 - _2 M30@4 - _2 M27@7 M40@5 M27@5 M27@7 M40 M27@5 M30 M40 M40 M27@5 M30 M40 M27 M30 M30@-3 M27 M27 M85 {'3, '4, '7#, ''3} _2 - _2 M30@-3 M27 M24 M21 {.5, 4, 5} _2 M57 {1, 5, '1} _12 M57 .4Maj$5-1-3-5 _12 - _4 .4Dia$5-1-3-5 _12 - _8 1Dia$1-3-5-1 _6 1Dia$5-1-3-5 _2 1Dia$5-1-3-5 _16}
F3a

running…edit it — it re-runs as you type

Opening…

Prelude in C♯ minor · Pattern Engine