Scherzo in A-flat major (Borodin)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Borodin
's Scherzo in A-flat major is a lively piece written in 1885, while Borodin was in Belgium for an early performance of his then incomplete opera Prince Igor
. It was originally written for solo piano but in 1889 Alexander Glazunov
orchestrated it, along with the Petite Suite
. Borodin dedicated the piece to Théodore Jadoul, who made a four-hand piano arrangement of it.
The following pianists have recorded the piece:
orchestrated the Petite Suite
. Glazunov's orchestration of the Suite makes the 7th movement (Finale) the Scherzo, with the Nocturne inserted inside it as a trio section. The total length of the movement is around eight minutes.
Alexander Borodin
Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin was a Russian Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian–Russian parentage. He was a member of the group of composers called The Five , who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music...
's Scherzo in A-flat major is a lively piece written in 1885, while Borodin was in Belgium for an early performance of his then incomplete opera Prince Igor
Prince Igor
Prince Igor is an opera in four acts with a prologue. It was composed by Alexander Borodin. The composer adapted the libretto from the East Slavic epic The Lay of Igor's Host, which recounts the campaign of Russian prince Igor Svyatoslavich against the invading Polovtsian tribes in 1185...
. It was originally written for solo piano but in 1889 Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Glazunov
Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was a Russian composer of the late Russian Romantic period, music teacher and conductor...
orchestrated it, along with the Petite Suite
Petite Suite (Borodin)
The Petite Suite is a suite of seven piano pieces, written by Alexander Borodin, and acknowledged as his major work for the piano. It was published in 1885, although some of the pieces had been written as far back as the late 1870s...
. Borodin dedicated the piece to Théodore Jadoul, who made a four-hand piano arrangement of it.
Style
The Scherzo can be recognized as one of Borodin's compositions instantaneously because of its bright tone, pounding rhythms and exciting melodies. In the main theme of the piece a constant rhythm is used, giving it a clear beat, but unfortunately this also makes it very challenging for the pianist due to the constant jumps required. The piece often modulates, making it more interesting and varied. Played at correct speed, the piece only lasts around three minutes. However this "miniature" offers an admirable summary of its composer's style.Recordings
| Pianist | Duration | Record Label | Recording Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vladimir Ashkenazy Vladimir Ashkenazy Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy is a Russian-Icelandic conductor and pianist. Since 1972 he has been a citizen of Iceland, his wife Þórunn's country of birth. Since 1978, because of his many obligations in Europe, he and his family have resided in Meggen, near Lucerne in Switzerland... |
02:48 | Philips Records Philips Records Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also... |
1983 |
| Margaret Fingerhut Margaret Fingerhut Margaret Ruth Fingerhut is a British concert pianist who has performed in many different countries and has become well-known for her innovative and entertaining recital programmes which combine popular and unusual repertoire... |
02:58 | Chandos Records Chandos Records Chandos Records is an independent classical music recording company based in Colchester, Essex, in the United Kingdom, founded in 1979 by Brian Couzens.- Background :... |
1985 |
| Philip Edward Fisher Philip Edward Fisher Philip Edward Fisher is a British classical pianist.- Biography :Born and raised in Birmingham, England, Philip Edward Fisher began playing the piano at the relatively late age of 9, making his concerto debut only 3 years later with a performance of Shostakovich's Second Piano Concerto at the... |
03:22 | Chandos Records Chandos Records Chandos Records is an independent classical music recording company based in Colchester, Essex, in the United Kingdom, founded in 1979 by Brian Couzens.- Background :... |
2011 |
| Roberto Giordano | 03:12 | Cypress Records Cypress Records Cypress Records is a record label which was distributed by A&M Records between 1988 and 1990.-External links:* Label history, artist roster, Billboard performance.*... |
2004 |
| Dirk Joeres | 02:59 | Largo Records | 1986 |
| Vladimir Leyetchkiss | 03:15 | Centaur Records Centaur Records Centaur Records is one of the oldest and largest independent classical labels in America. The company is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was founded in 1976. Their recordings are available in major markets throughout the world, and their catalog includes classical, historical, pops,... |
1991 |
| Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music... |
02:57 | RCA Victor | 1935 |
| Marco Rapetti | 03:21 | Brilliant Classics | 2008 |
| Victor Ryabchikov | 03:04 | Olympia Records | 1999 |
| Joseph Villa | 02:49 | Dante Records | 1980 |
Orchestration
In 1889, just two years after Borodin's Death, Alexander GlazunovAlexander Glazunov
Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov was a Russian composer of the late Russian Romantic period, music teacher and conductor...
orchestrated the Petite Suite
Petite Suite (Borodin)
The Petite Suite is a suite of seven piano pieces, written by Alexander Borodin, and acknowledged as his major work for the piano. It was published in 1885, although some of the pieces had been written as far back as the late 1870s...
. Glazunov's orchestration of the Suite makes the 7th movement (Finale) the Scherzo, with the Nocturne inserted inside it as a trio section. The total length of the movement is around eight minutes.
External links
- [ Scherzo in A-flat major] at Allmusic
- Scores for Scherzo in A-flat major at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)International Music Score Library ProjectThe International Music Score Library Project , also known as the Petrucci Music Library after publisher Ottaviano Petrucci, is a project for the creation of a virtual library of public domain music scores, based on the wiki principle...
- Scherzo in A-flat major played by Sergei Rachmaninoff at YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Scherzo in A-flat major played by Margaret Fingerhut at YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....