Introducing Myself & Question About Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto 2

Heyo! Im new around here, so... Yeah! I've been composing for 2 years now, im quite experienced, even though i've never actually composed for anybody rather than myself. I mostly compose short pieces of music, and finishing music for me is something rather difficult. Well, it happens sometimes, of course. I'll see if I can upload 'em here in the Piano section :P im actually really glad i found this forum! :D

I also have this weird habit of only considering "true compositions", music that i made by writing alone or in front of my keyboard. In short: I've done a lot of music using only a computer but i don't get as much satisfaction by doing that as by hand, mind and instrument. 

I sometimes like to write music that is impossible to play (or at least for me, they are), so in this case i have to use a computer :P

I usually only compose for piano, but i've been recently writing for small jazz ensembles (writing the drum part is usually very cool, specialy considering the fact that i played drums for a lot of years now). And the only reason i've never actually finished other things i've tried, like orchestral, is the fact that every computerized orchestra is scraggy, and i don't have friends who play those instruments (like violin, cello, etc).

(sorry if none of that made any sense. i have no idea how to describe the things above, so it feels like im just spilling random words)

ANYWAYS ONTO THE QUESTION

I've been hearing a lot of Rach's 2nd Piano Concerto lately and i've been asking myself: How did he write those string parts? They sound so awesome! (I'll point which ones im talking about in a moment). And it still boggles my mind how he wrote them. I mean... ugh, how do i explain that? Just listen to them yourself. Can anyone point out how i can sort of mimic those strings, in some way? Because for me, its hard to identify which chords he is using and im so curious as to how he wrote that. I mean, i can only hear the violins, but where are the rest of the strings? I know they are blended in there, that is for sure.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qycQIsPC2qo    ---- AT 5:40 TO 6:30 (this interpretation is a bit faster than usual)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt8lc5LFI5Y  ----- AT 9:57 TO 10:52

ehh sorry if the request seems a bit... akward, to say the least

Hey! Welcome to the forum! 

As to an answer to your question, I would suggest you read up on some orchestration material regarding string writing. What Rachmaninoff does is nothing special. I believe in the first example, he doubles the violins (1 and 2) and violas, while the cello and bass fill out the root harmonic notes. 

Have you heard of ISMLP? You can download scores and look at them whilst listening to music. I think listening to different kinds of music while looking at their scores greatly helps.

Here's a link: http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/f/f7/IMSLP00295-Rachmaninoff_-_Piano_Concerto_No.2_-_Mov.I.pdf

Sorry for the hap hazard response, kind of doing this really quickly. 

There are many things you can do to "mimic" that sound in the piano concerto. In the short amount of time I have to write this reply Im going to give you the short version of what you can do.

I am only assuming you can read music and read a score, if you can't, start learning. It makes the process of figuring out a composer sound much easier. 

First here are the scores:

http://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No.2,_Op.18_(Rachmaninoff,_Sergei)

All of his tricks and sounds are found within the pages of this score. 

Second-depending on your educational background will determine which one of these paths you should take. Again I am only guessing at your background and current knowledge. 

Choice number one: read a couple of analysis papers on the concerto

here is one:

http://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/3544/1/umi-umd-3377.pdf

Here is another one: this one is strictly about the second concerto

http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc3648/m2/1/high_res_d/dissertation.pdf

Choice number two: If these are starting way to far ahead of what you can grasp at the moment I would suggest reading up on the Romantic Period of western Music history, improve your music theory skills, and do a simple analyzation of not just the concerto but of other pieces by Rachmaninoff.

Choice number three: If the above two choices just to far before where you are in your music knowledge, here is a play list of music documentaries that I give to my students that need a crash corse in music. 

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLyBjeNu2GkqWqdquXmrvmq8pJ4CJkHRG

After you go through the video, go here and start the lessons: http://www.musictheory.net

Then go through choice two and then choice three after you feel you can fully grasp what is being discussed in the papers in choice three. 

Thanks guys! :D Its hard to follow the piece in the score but ill do my best :P

Pretty much all of the harmony in those examples comes from the horns and trombones, holding chords mp-mf while the violins, violas and cellos play the melody line in octaves with the basses (obv), tubas and bassoons et al having the bass line.

This is a pretty common way to do things in orchestra music, here's another example that came to mind (but starting with the chords so you hear the background before the melody)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=C2BmRfQ5txM#t=252