Morceaux de fantaisie (French for "Fantasy Pieces"; Russian: Пьесы Фантазии, Pyesy Fantazii), Op. 3, is a set of five piano solo pieces composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff in 1892. The title reflects the pieces' imagery rather than their musical form, as none are actual fantasies.
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Elegie (Элегия, Elegiya) is a musical elegy at moderato tempo.
The second piece, Prelude (Прелюдия, Prelyudiya) is undoubtably the most famous of the set.
Melody (Мелодия, Melodiya) is a short piece played Adagio sostenuto. It was rewritten by Rachmaninoff in 1940, along
with the Serenade.
The fourth piece, called Polichinelle (Полишинель, Polishinyelʹ) is a unique piece in F sharp minor, played Allegro vivace. It is a character piece, based on the Commedia dell'arte character Pulcinella (Polichinelle is the French translation of this word) from which Punch (from Punch and Judy) derives. It is in ternary form (ABA), beginning and ending with a lightning fast devilish section that gives way to a slower, lyrical melodious passage in the middle.
The set ends with Serenade (Серенада, Serenada). It was rewritten by Rachmaninoff in 1940, along with the Melodie in E Major.
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