The purpose of this study is to analyze Rachmaninoff's “Moments musicaux, op. 16”, including composer life, style and compositional skill. Then discuss the interpretation of these works.

The first chapter explains the motivation, purpose, and references of this thesis. The second chapter discuss Rachmaninoff’s life, style of piano works, and creation background of “Moments musicaux, op. 16”. The third chapter explores the musical phenomena about the form structure, harmony, and the melodical motive. The fourth chapter discuss the performance of analysis, also including the dynamics, temple, articulations and terminology, giving the appropriate interpretation. The fifth chapter sum up the similarities and differences between six works “Moments musicaux”, to have better perception in these pieces.

Rachmaninoff inherited by the spirit of Late-Romanticism and composers such as Tchaikovsky, Chopin and Lizst. He not only brought Late-Romanticism to a logical conclusion, but added his own depth of spirituality, brooding melancholy.

In “Moments musicaux, op. 16”, Rachmaninoff uses the chromatic harmony and melody, also uses the Octatonic scale and the Locrian mode, to make the variety of harmony. He habitually reduces the substance of rest note in the slow movement, and makes symphonic sound in the allegro movement by unison, canon, and reverse.

J. S. Bach (1685-1750): Das Wohltemperierte Klavier I BWV854 in E major

L. v. Beethoven (1770-1872): Piano Sonata No. 28, Op. 101

M. Ravel (1875-1937): Gaspard de la Nuit, Ondine

S. Rachmaninoff (1873-1943): Moments musicaux, op. 16 no. 1, 3, 4, 6