(RACHMANINOFF sings “Mountains,” a song based on op. 14, no. 4, “I Came to Her”)

[RACHMANINOFF]
HE CAME TO ME
AND SANG OF MOUNTAINS
AND HE SANG TO ME
OF THUNDER AND GODS

AND THEN HE SANG OF DIAMONDS
AND MARBLE STATUES
AND LIBRARIES FULL OF BOOKS
AND THE BOOKS WERE FULL OF NAMES
PAGES OF NAMES
ALL THE GREAT NAMES
HE'D KNOWN EVER SINCE HE WAS A CHILD
AND HE LOOKED ON EVERY PAGE
TO SEE IF HE WAS THERE

THEN I CAME TO HIM
AND SANG OF SILENCE
AND I SANG TO HIM
OF NOTHING AT ALL

(The song becomes the second theme of Piano Concerto no. 2, op. 18, first movement. RACH listens. Then:)