![[Russian Music] Balakirev, Mily Alexeyevich. (1837–1910) Islamey. Fantaisie Orientale pour Piano.](http://www.schubertiademusic.com/cdn/shop/files/Balakirew_Islamey.jpg?v=1722187164)
[Russian Music] Balakirev, Mily Alexeyevich. (1837–1910). Islamey. Fantaisie Orientale pour Piano. . Hambourg [Leipzig]: D. Rahter. [ca. 1889]. Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée par l'auteur. Upright folio. Elaborate decorative title page, 19 pp. [PN] 2897.
Balakirev, a committed nationalist whose music was influenced by Russian traditions, was inspired to write his now-famous "Islamey" after a trip to the Caucasus, as he relates in a letter:
"...the majestic beauty of luxuriant nature there and the beauty of the inhabitants that harmonizes with it – all these things together made a deep impression on me... Since I interested myself in the vocal music there, I made the acquaintance of a Circassian prince, who frequently came to me and played folk tunes on his instrument, that was something like a violin. One of them, called Islamey, a dance-tune, pleased me extraordinarily and with a view to the work I had in mind on Tamara I began to arrange it for the piano. The second theme was communicated to me in Moscow by an Armenian actor, who came from the Crimea and is, as he assured me, well known among the Crimean Tatars" (Letter to Reis, 1892).
Its technical difficulty made it a favourite with virtuosi such as Nikolai Rubinstein (who premiered the piece), Franz Liszt and others. Balakirev himself, considered a virtuoso pianist in his time, once admitted that there were passages in the piece that he "couldn't manage" and Alexander Scriabin did apparently serious damage to his right hand in practicing this work.
Balakirev, a committed nationalist whose music was influenced by Russian traditions, was inspired to write his now-famous "Islamey" after a trip to the Caucasus, as he relates in a letter:
"...the majestic beauty of luxuriant nature there and the beauty of the inhabitants that harmonizes with it – all these things together made a deep impression on me... Since I interested myself in the vocal music there, I made the acquaintance of a Circassian prince, who frequently came to me and played folk tunes on his instrument, that was something like a violin. One of them, called Islamey, a dance-tune, pleased me extraordinarily and with a view to the work I had in mind on Tamara I began to arrange it for the piano. The second theme was communicated to me in Moscow by an Armenian actor, who came from the Crimea and is, as he assured me, well known among the Crimean Tatars" (Letter to Reis, 1892).
Its technical difficulty made it a favourite with virtuosi such as Nikolai Rubinstein (who premiered the piece), Franz Liszt and others. Balakirev himself, considered a virtuoso pianist in his time, once admitted that there were passages in the piece that he "couldn't manage" and Alexander Scriabin did apparently serious damage to his right hand in practicing this work.
[Russian Music] Balakirev, Mily Alexeyevich. (1837–1910). Islamey. Fantaisie Orientale pour Piano. . Hambourg [Leipzig]: D. Rahter. [ca. 1889]. Nouvelle édition revue et corrigée par l'auteur. Upright folio. Elaborate decorative title page, 19 pp. [PN] 2897.
Balakirev, a committed nationalist whose music was influenced by Russian traditions, was inspired to write his now-famous "Islamey" after a trip to the Caucasus, as he relates in a letter:
"...the majestic beauty of luxuriant nature there and the beauty of the inhabitants that harmonizes with it – all these things together made a deep impression on me... Since I interested myself in the vocal music there, I made the acquaintance of a Circassian prince, who frequently came to me and played folk tunes on his instrument, that was something like a violin. One of them, called Islamey, a dance-tune, pleased me extraordinarily and with a view to the work I had in mind on Tamara I began to arrange it for the piano. The second theme was communicated to me in Moscow by an Armenian actor, who came from the Crimea and is, as he assured me, well known among the Crimean Tatars" (Letter to Reis, 1892).
Its technical difficulty made it a favourite with virtuosi such as Nikolai Rubinstein (who premiered the piece), Franz Liszt and others. Balakirev himself, considered a virtuoso pianist in his time, once admitted that there were passages in the piece that he "couldn't manage" and Alexander Scriabin did apparently serious damage to his right hand in practicing this work.
Balakirev, a committed nationalist whose music was influenced by Russian traditions, was inspired to write his now-famous "Islamey" after a trip to the Caucasus, as he relates in a letter:
"...the majestic beauty of luxuriant nature there and the beauty of the inhabitants that harmonizes with it – all these things together made a deep impression on me... Since I interested myself in the vocal music there, I made the acquaintance of a Circassian prince, who frequently came to me and played folk tunes on his instrument, that was something like a violin. One of them, called Islamey, a dance-tune, pleased me extraordinarily and with a view to the work I had in mind on Tamara I began to arrange it for the piano. The second theme was communicated to me in Moscow by an Armenian actor, who came from the Crimea and is, as he assured me, well known among the Crimean Tatars" (Letter to Reis, 1892).
Its technical difficulty made it a favourite with virtuosi such as Nikolai Rubinstein (who premiered the piece), Franz Liszt and others. Balakirev himself, considered a virtuoso pianist in his time, once admitted that there were passages in the piece that he "couldn't manage" and Alexander Scriabin did apparently serious damage to his right hand in practicing this work.