Sergey Rachmaninov was the last, great representative of the Russian Romantic tradition as a composer, but was also a widely and highly celebrated pianist of his time. His piano concertos, the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and his preludes famously test pianists' skills. His Symphony No. 2, the tone poem Isle of the Dead, and his Cello Sonata are also notable. The passionate melodies and rich harmonies of his music have been called the perfect accompaniment for love scenes, but in a greater sense they explore a range of emotions with intense and compelling expression.

Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninov, born in Semyonovo, Russia, on April 1, 1873, came from a music-loving, land-owning family; young Sergey's mother fostered the boy's innate talent by giving him his first piano lessons. After a decline in the family fortunes, the Rachmaninovs moved to St. Petersburg, where Sergey studied with Vladimir Delyansky at the Conservatory. As his star continued to rise, Sergey went to the Moscow Conservatory, where he received a sound musical training: piano lessons from the strict disciplinarian Nikolay Zverev and Alexander Siloti (Rachmaninov's cousin), counterpoint with Taneyev, and harmony with Arensky. During his time at the Conservatory, Rachmaninov boarded with Zverev, whose weekly musical Sundays provided the young musician the valuable opportunity to make important contacts and to hear a wide variety of music.

His "Italian Polka" likely dates to 1906, the year Rachmaninov had resigned his duties as conductor at Moscow's Bolshoi Opera, where he had served since September 1904. Two of his operas, The Miserly Knight and Francesca, had premiered there in January 1906, but owing to growing political unrest, Rachmaninov left Russia and spent a brief time in Italy. It was probably there that he wrote this attractive bon-bon.

While the piece divulges many stylistic traits of Rachmaninov -- not least its considerable technical challenges -- its joyous, playful mood, as well as its slapstick character and perky rhythms, resembles little else in the composer's solo piano output. This is Rachmaninov in the salon, tipping his hat to the lighter, more folk-ish side of Liszt -- albeit, with an Italian twist. Then, too, while the polka rhythms are not ragtime, the spirit of Scott Joplin, a composer whose music Rachmaninov could not then have known, seems not far away, either. The main theme is comical in its chipper stomping and bouncy flow of busy notes. The music scampers as much as it dances, its mood betraying not the least concern about mother Russia's politics or other personal worries the composer might then have experienced.

Source: AllMusic (https://www.allmusic.com/composition/polka-italienne-f or-piano-4-hands-in-e-flat-minor-e-flat-major-tn-ii-21- mc0002370698).

Although originally composed for Piano Duet (4 Hands), I created this interpretation of the "Italian Polka" for Winds (Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet & Bassoon) & Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).