Rachmaninov's Vocalise is one of the few members of an elite repertory niche: popular non- avant-garde vocal works without text. It was dedicated to Antonina Nezhdanova who can be presumed to have possessed a singularly pleasingand flexible voice given the sustained almost violin-like character of the piece. The piece has also been arranged for orchestra piano various chamber ensembles and solo string instruments but this is the original song forHigh Voice and Piano.
