| Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (Russian: Никола́й Андре́евич Ри́мский-Ко́рсаков, Nikolaj Andreevič Rimskij-Korsakov, 18 March [OS 6 March] 1844, -- 21 June [OS 8 June] 1908) was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five. Symphony No. 2, Op. 9 "Antar". (1868, this version from 1875) 1. Largo - Allegro giocoso Rotterdam Philharmonic conducted by David Zinman Score arr. for piano 4-hands. Arranger:Nadezhda Rimskaya-Korsakova (1848-1919) Publisher Info.:Paris: Alphonse Leduc, nd Plate AL 8683. Copyright:Public Domain He wrote the piece in 1868 but revised the work in 1875 and 1891. He initially called this work his Second Symphony. He later reconsidered and called it a symphonic suite. It was first performed in 1869 at a concert of the Russian Musical Society. This work was inspired by an Arabian tale by Sennkovsky, suggested to Rimsky-Korsakov by Modest Mussorgsky and César Cui. Antar, an enemy of all mankind, has become a recluse in the desert. He saves a gazelle from a large bird. Weary from fighting the bird, he falls asleep exhausted. He dreams he is in the palace of the Queen of Palmyra. The queen, the fairy Gul-Nazar, was the gazelle Antar saved from the bird. As a reward, she permits Antar to fulfill three of life's greatest joys — vengeance, power and love. He accepts these gifts with gratitude, then makes a request himself. He asks the queen to take his life if these pleasures become tiresome. He then falls in love with the ... |
