Morceaux de salon, Op. 6 (Rachmaninoff)
The Morceaux de salon ("Salon Pieces"), Op. 6, are a set of two pieces for piano and violin composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff in 1893. History. The two "Morceaux de salon" were composed in the summer 1893, when Rachmaninoff was already established as a composer and pianist. His "Morceaux de fantaisie", Op. 3, had already been published, and he had completed the Suite for two pianos, Op. 5. The "Morceaux de salon" are similar in scope and structure to the "Pieces for cello and piano", Op. 2, which consists of a Prélude, and a "Danse  orientale". It is likely that they were dedicated to Julius Conus, whose son would later marry the daughter of Rachmaninoff. Structure. The "Morceaux de salon" consists of a Romance and a "Danse hongroise" (Hungarian dance). Both pieces are written in D minor. A performance takes approximately 11 minutes. Reception. Robert Matthew-Walker writes that "such is the composer's mastery of violin writing (though he may well have enlisted Conus's assistance in this regard) that one regrets that he did not leave a more extended work for the instrument".