Borodin - In The Steppes Of Central Asia

In the Steppes of Central Asia (В средней Азии, V srednyeĭ Azii, literally In Central Asia) is the common English title for a symphonic poem by Borodin, composed in 1880, dedicated to Franz Liszt, and originally intended to be performed in celebration of the silver anniversary of the reign of Alexander II of Russia. Though the intended production never took place, the work became a concert favorite since its first performance in St. Petersburg under Rimsky-Korsakov.

The work depicts the image of a caravan of Asians crossing the steppe lands of the Caucasus under the protection of Russian troops, with melodies for each party that are eventually combined in a counterpoint fashion, and accompanied by a third 'travelling' theme.

Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin (12 November 1833 -- 27 February 1887) was a Russian Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian--Russian parentage. He was a member of the group of composers called The Five (or "The Mighty Handful"), who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music. He is best known for his symphonies, his two string quartets, and his opera Prince Igor. Music from Prince Igor and his string quartets was later adapted for the US musical Kismet.

Creative Commons license: Public Domain.