In the Silence of the Secret Night

In the Silence of the Secret Night is a piano arrangement of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s setting of 'Afanasy Fet', taken from the composer’s song cycle Six Romances, Op. 4 (1890-93). The poem describes a fitful lover’s nocturnal yearning. This three-minute piece draws on pianist Kirill Gerstein’s idiomatic grasp of the composer’s music, transcribing the song in a way that recalls Rachmaninoff’s writing from the early 1900s. It makes for an ideal vignette in a recital programme or elegant encore, suitable for advanced players.

"In the transcription of Rachmaninov’s song… [Gerstein’s] musicianship was at once liberated and liberating."

The Observer (Fiona Maddocks)