Flight of the Bumble Bee (Arr. by S. Rachmaninoff)

Nikolay Rimsky Korsakov  

Flight of the Bumblebee (Arr. by Sergei Rachmaninoff)

– Interlude from Act III of the Opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan"

Composer: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov / Arranger: Sergei Rachmaninoff

This is "Flight of the Bumblebee," a famous piece from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, arranged for solo piano by Sergei Rachmaninoff. It is a masterpiece that boasts an overwhelming sense of speed and superb virtuosity.

【Sheet Music Features & Performance Advice】

Difficulty: Intermediate-Advanced

Featuring continuous chromatic 16th notes and Rachmaninoff's signature chord leaps, this arrangement offers an exceptionally rewarding challenge.

Dealing with Rachmaninoff's "Unreachable Chords"

When performing this piece, you may encounter Rachmaninoff's characteristically wide chords that are difficult for your fingers to reach. In my own performance, instead of playing them as a standard, slow arpeggio, I play them with the crisp, rapid feel of an acciaccatura (short appoggiatura/crushed note) to quickly slide into the notes. Please give this technique a try!

Hand Indicators

The scores are clearly marked with "R.H." for the right hand and "L.H." for the left hand.

No Fingering Included

Please note that no fingering is provided in this edition. Because of the ultra-high speed of this piece, this allows you to explore beyond fixed constraints and freely discover the best fingering that naturally fits your own hand size and skeletal structure.

Whether you want to take your time listening closely to the sounds to perfect it at your own pace, or push the absolute limits of your speed—this score is for you.

Use your own unique approach and fingering to take on the thrill of chasing the bumblebee! 🐝

I highly recommend watching the performance video to check the difficulty level and overall nuance before your purchase.

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