Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14, is a song by Sergei Rachmaninoff, composed and published in 1915 as the last of his "Fourteen Songs", Op. 34. Written for high voice (soprano or tenor) with piano accompaniment, it contains no words, but is sung using any one vowel (of the singer's choosing). It was dedicated to soprano Antonina Nezhdanova.
Although the original publication stipulates that the song may be sung by either soprano or tenor voice, it is usually performed by a soprano. It is sometimes transposed into a variety of keys, allowing performers to choose a vocal range more suitable to their natural voice, so that artists who may not have the higher range of a soprano can perform the song.
The Pet Shop Boys song "Happiness Is An Option" incorporates a large portion of the Vocalise melody in each verse, performed on oboe as background material beneath the spoken text.
Vocalise has been arranged for many different instrument combinations. Examples are:
for orchestra, arranged by Rachmaninoff himself, also by Morton Gould, Kurt Sanderling, and V. Kin
for strings, arranged by Clark McAlister
for soprano and orchestra, also by Rachmaninoff himself, and by Arcady Dubensky
for choir and orchestra, arranged by Norman Luboff and Walter Stoff
for flute and orchestra, arranged by Charles Gerhardt
for flute choir (flute, alto flute, bass flute, contrabass flute, solo flute), arranged by Andy Findon
for piano trio (violin, cello and piano), arranged by the Eroica Trio
for clarinet, violin and piano, arranged by Quinto Maganini
for jazz ensemble, arranged by Don Sebesky
for 24 cellos, as performed by the London Cello Orchestra
For solo instrument and piano
for clarinet and piano, arranged by Stanley Drucker
for clarinet and piano, arranged by Thomas Swatland
for clarinet and piano, arranged by David Campbell
for trombone and piano, arranged by Christian Lindberg
for trombone and piano, arranged by Henry Charles Smith
for euphonium and piano, arranged by Steven Mead
for tuba and piano, arranged by Virginia Allen
for violin and piano, arranged by Jascha Heifetz
for cello and piano, arranged by Jascha Heifetz and Mstislav Rostropovich
for cello and piano, arranged by Wolfram Huschke
for cello and piano, arranged by Raphael Wallfisch
for double bass and piano, arranged by Stuart Sankey
for double bass and piano, arranged by Oscar G. Zimmerman (in D minor)
for saxophone and piano, arranged by John Harle
for horn and piano, transcribed by Himie Voxman
for viola and piano, arranged by Leonard Davis
for oboe and piano, arranged by Humbert Lucarelli
for bassoon and piano, arranged by Leonard Sharrow (in C minor)
for bassoon and piano, arranged by J. Michael Leonard (in E minor)
for theremin and piano, arranged by Clara Rockmore
for solo piano, many arrangements, including by Alexander Siloti, Alan Richardson (1951), Zoltán Kocsis, Earl Wild, Sergio Fiorentino and Anton Borodin (2003)
for accordion, arranged by Nikolai Ryskov
for double bass, arranged by Gary Karr
for guitar, arranged by Slash
for organ, arranged by David Briggs, Patricia Bird, Jean-Paul Imbert and Gabriele Studer
for saxophone, arranged by Larry Teal
for theremin, arranged by Thorwald Jørgensen
for trumpet, arranged by Rolf Smedvig
for two pianos, arranged by Vitya Vronsky
for electronic instruments, arranged by Isao Tomita
for cello with voice, arranged by Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma
