Polovtsian Dances

Borodin (1833 - 1887)

Alexander Borodin was born in St. Petersburg, the illegitimate son of a Russian aristocrat, Prince Luka Gedianishvili. In accordance with the custom of the day, he was registered as the lawful son of one of his father's serfs - Porfiry Borodin. His early interest in music was encouraged by his mother who arranged for the young Alexander to have flute lessons from a military bandsman. Borodin's interest in music continued, but his career was to take a different path and during his adult life, music was relegated to being a leisure activity. His early interest in chemistry (making fireworks!) developed and in 1850 he entered the Medico-Surgical Academy studying various sciences, but especially chemistry which became a consuming passion. Borodin subsequently made his living as a chemist and eventually became Professor of Chemistry at the St. Petersburg Academy of Medicine. His spare time was severely limited so it is not surprising that his output as a composer was relatively small. This led Hadow to make his famous comment in 1906 : "No musician has ever claimed immortality with so slender an offering." Since then, the number of works identified as being by Borodin has almost doubled, but his total output is still small - for example, his purely orchestral works number just four : two completed symphonies, an incomplete third symphony, and the tone-poem "In the Steppes of Central Asia".

In 1869 Borodin's friend, the critic Vladimir Stasov, suggested that he should write an opera on the subject of "Prince Igor". A twelfth century manuscript containing the epic story of Prince Igor Svyatoslavich's campaign against the Polovtsi tribesmen had been found in 1791 and Stasov provided Borodin with a three-act scenario based on the story. Borodin began work on the project the same year but progress was erratic. He had no definite plan and wrote the libretto himself as he went along. Due to his academic commitments and other difficulties, the opera remained unfinished at his death, eighteen years later. It was eventually completed by Glazunov and Rimsky-Korsakov, fellow members of "The Mighty Handful" group of Russian nationalist composers, who orchestrated some parts, filled in some of the missing sections themselves and reconstructed others from their memories of what Borodin had played to them on the piano.

Perhaps because of it's 'disjointed' composition, the opera has never been particularly successful, but the overture (one of Glazunov's and Rimsky-Korsakov's 'reconstructions') and the Polovstian Dances have gained popularity in the concert hall. Set in 1185, the opera tells the story of Prince Igor and his son Vladimir's battles with the Polovtsi who have invaded the Russian Steppes. Igor and Vladimir are captured by the Polovtsi whose leader, Khan Konchak, entertains his 'guests' with the colourful Polovtsian Dances performed by his people. The Dances contrast rhythmic and energetic sections with other more lyrical passages including a beautiful melody which was later to find greater fame as "Stranger in Paradise" in the musical "Kismet". The spectacular finale of the Dances brings Act II of the opera to its exciting conclusion.

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Trumpet Concerto

Arutiunian (born 1920)

(Soloist - Anthony Thompson)

Alexander Arutiunian was born in Yerevan in Armenia. He studied at the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory and graduated in piano and composition in 1941. Further periods of study at the Conservatory between 1942 and 1946 were followed by a spell between 1946 and 1948 at the House of Armenian Culture in Moscow where he studied composition and orchestration. His graduation piece in 1948 was the cantata "Cantata on the Homeland" which was the first work to establish his reputation as a composer. Apart from this brief spell in Moscow, Arutiunian's musical development took place almost exclusively in his native Armenia - from 1954 to 1990 he was Artistic Director of the Armenian Philharmonic Society, in 1964 he became a lecturer at the Yerevan Conservatory and in 1977 he was appointed a Professor there. His ability as a composer was, however, recognised outside Armenia and in 1970 he was made a People's Artist of the USSR.

Like his better-known countryman Aram Khachaturian, Arutiunian has been greatly influenced by the folk music of Armenia. However, his compositions reflect this influence in their exuberant colour rather than through the use of actual folk tunes. Arutiunian's compositions include symphonic, choral and chamber works, as well as music for the theatre and cinema.
His Trumpet Concerto is one of his most popular works and certainly the one for which he is best known outside his homeland. It dates from 1950 and reflects the policies of the time in the USSR in that it fuses characteristics of mainstream Russian music with elements of the composer's homeland. It was written for the great Armenian trumpet player Aikaz Mesiyan. The concerto is in one continuous movement. It opens with a tremolo in the lower strings above which the soloist makes a dramatic opening statement. This leads into the rhythmic dance-like main Allegro. A second, more romantic melody is introduced and these two themes are developed as the music builds. A more reflective section featuring the muted trumpet follows before the two earlier themes reappear. A brilliant cadenza for the soloist follows before the concerto ends with a final flourish in the form of a brief coda.

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Symphony No.5 in E minor (Op. 64)

Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)

In early 1888 Tchaikovsky moved into his new home at Frolovskoye near Klin. He had for some years been supported financially by Nadezhda von Meck, a wealthy widow who admired Tchaikovsky's music. She paid him an annuity on the understanding that the two should never meet, although they corresponded regularly, and this enabled him to devote his time to composition without having to worry about earning any additional income. Free from mundane financial worries, Tchaikovsky was able to concentrate on composing a new symphony - the E minor symphony was in fact to be his sixth, having been preceded three years earlier by the unnumbered "Manfred" Symphony. He worked quickly and four months later was able to write to Mme. von Meck : "Now that the symphony is about to be finished I may say that, thanks be to God, it is not inferior to the other one." The 'other one' was his fourth symphony which he and Mme. von Meck referred to as "our symphony" in their correspondence. However, despite his apparent satisfaction with his new work, he was later to come to dislike it. The symphony was first performed on 17th November 1888 in St. Petersburg with Tchaikovsky conducting - this was the first time he had conducted the premiere of one of his major orchestral works. It was well received by the audience, but some critics wrote that it was unworthy of Tchaikovsky. History has shown that the audience was the better judge as the symphony was destined to become one of his best-loved works.

The symphony begins, like the Fourth, with a motif representing Fate. This is the core of the symphony and is introduced in sombre fashion by the clarinets - a marked contrast to the shattering fanfare introduction of its counterpart in the Fourth Symphony. The fiery Allegro features a rhythmic dotted theme which builds to a climax before a contrasting lyrical theme is introduced. The themes are developed and reach a final climax before the movement ends with a sombre coda based on the opening theme of the Allegro. The second movement features the famous tender horn melody and the glorious impassioned theme introduced by the oboe and then taken up by the strings. This reaches an emotional peak before the mood is shattered by the reappearance of the Fate motif. The process is repeated before the movement draws quietly to a close. The third movement is a graceful waltz with just the faintest hint of wistfulness. But even this music cannot escape the clutches of Fate which stirs in the depths of the orchestra as the movement ends. The Finale begins with the Fate motif totally transformed in the majestic E major introduction which then leads into the agitated Allegro vivace. Although it has its darker side, the mood is such that the triumphant nature of the conclusion is inevitable. The grand coda based on the Fate motif is in total contrast to the opening of the symphony. As one writer put it : "If Beethoven's Fifth was Fate knocking at the door, then Tchaikovsky's Fifth is Fate trying to get out."

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