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Vocalise as a duet: cello and grand piano (3D)

About this app

Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise played as a duet of cello and grand piano on a concert stage, with the score following along. Both sounds are computed live: the cello from a physical model of a bowed string, the piano from a simulated action. Hear how a bowed note swells while a piano note decays, and see the roles swap when the piano takes over the melody.

With explain mode: an AI tutor walks you through the app, points out what matters in the scene and answers your questions.

A song without words

Sergei Rachmaninoff wrote the Vocalise, op. 34 no. 14, in 1912 and revised it in 1915 for the soprano Antonina Nezhdanova. The voice sings a single vowel, so the melody carries everything. That is why cellists love it. The piano accompanies with pulsing eighth-note chords over a bass that descends step by step, and answers with countermelodies of its own.

What the app shows

A concert hall with grand piano and cello in 3D; the two instruments play the Vocalise by themselves, in E minor as in many cello editions. The cello sounds from recordings of a solo cello, assembled note by note; the piano is struck by a simulated action whose hammers you can watch under the lid. The score follows along, sounding notes light up, and a chart shows the loudness of both instruments over time.

Things to try

Play the piece and read along. Switch off the piano and hear the cello alone, or the other way round. Change tempo and balance, turn the vibrato off. Click in the score to jump to bar 33: there the piano takes over the opening melody while the cello sings a new voice above it.

Frequently asked questions

What is a vocalise?
A vocal piece without text, sung on a single vowel. Originally a singing exercise, with Rachmaninoff a concert song. Because the melody needs no words, it suits instruments such as cello, violin or clarinet.
What key is Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise in?
The original for high voice is in C sharp minor. Cello editions are often in E minor, a minor third higher. The cello then plays the vocal line an octave lower, from E on the D string up to high E in thumb position.
Why does a cello sound different from a piano?
The bow keeps feeding energy into the cello string, so the tone can grow, swell and stay level for a long time. On the piano a hammer strikes the string and rebounds, after which the tone only decays. The right pedal sustains notes but cannot make them louder.
What can I try in the app?
Playback with a scrolling score, jumping to any bar, tempo and balance, cello or piano alone, vibrato on or off, repeats. Plus views of the cello, under the piano lid and onto the keys, a magnifier for every part and a display of who has the melody.

Subject: Music (Gymnasium)

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