Time flies. So I am not altogether finished a post on Sweden’s Age Liberty which began a little before Peter the Great defeated the Swedish Empire and ended in 1821 and lasted until Swedish King Gustav III‘s self-coup of 1872, which takes us to the House of Bernadotte (27 September 2018).
I’m nearly done.
I thought of writing a little in-between post introducing Alexander Borodin, one of The Five (composers), or The Mighty Handful, whose goal was to capture the very soul of Russia’s culture. They gave Russian music its idiom. The Five are Mily Balakirev (the leader), César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Borodin. All lived in Saint Petersburg.
Borodin is exceptional. He was a doctor and scientist. Music was not his profession, but who could tell? His lyricism is a major characteristic of Borodin’s compositions and these are numerous. In the Steppes of Central Asia has an exotic flavour. It is a tone poem, one continuous and rather short piece of music.
The piece I selected does not feature bells. It therefore differs from Modest Mussorgsky‘s Night on Bald Mountain, Une nuit sur le mont chauve, 🎶which is the very first piece of music I was introduced to. Among my early memories of the red brick house are my father’s late night gatherings with music lovers. Chauve means bald. We could see chauves-souris (bats) flying about.
So, we will not hear bells in Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia (Mongolia), composed in 1880. However, a wide range in volume is typical of the music of the Five, and Borodin’s.
My main source is Wiki2.org.’s entry on Borodin’s lovely piece and my own knowledge. I have studied music, every aspect, all my life.
Love to everyone 💕
© Micheline Walker
5 November 2018
WordPress
ksbeth said:
how wonderful
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michelinewalker said:
It’s lovely. And it is music that appeals to children. This piece is a “tone poem.” https://wiki2.org/en/Symphonic_poem and it is short. I thank you for writing. 🙂
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wse999 said:
MIly Balakirev… I just meet his 1st and 2nd Symphonies. Worth the wait.
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michelinewalker said:
You’ve just met something extraordinary. There’s always something to discover. Best, Micheline
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derrickjknight said:
It is interesting how medicine, music, and maths go together
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michelinewalker said:
Derrick, you have said what I have said for years. Among the little group of music lovers, who came to our house to listen to music, were three medical doctors, out of six persons. Music is in fact one of the most difficult fields of knowledge because it requires a mathematical mind, a great deal of sensitivity (artistry) and, for most musicians, the ability to make ten fingers (and two feet, the organ) go in different directions, I’ve studied music all my life, all aspects and three instruments. Best regards to the two of you (I’m including Jackie).
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derrickjknight said:
Many thanks from us both, Micheline
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michelinewalker said:
💕
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