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Pieces of this program demonstrate solidarity of Russian composers helping each other to complete their works.
Suite in D minor by M. Balakirev is an orchestration of Chopin's piano pieces: Etude in E flat minor, Op. 10, No. 6; Mazurka in C major, Op. 41, No. 3; Nocturne in G minor, Op. 15, No. 3 and Scherzo C Sharp minor, Op. 39. Balakirev admired the genius of the Polish composer. In 1981 he visited the place of Chopin's birth - Zhelyazova Vola - making an effort to organize a memorial museum and create a monument for the composer. Later Balakirev visited the museum's opening. His Suite is an Offertorium to Chopin.
Borodin's "Polovtsian Dances and Chorus", as well as "Polovstian March" are pieces from his opera "Prince Igor". Borodin had worked on this opera the entire life but failed to complete it. Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov finished "Prince Igor" after Borodin's death.
"Night on Bald Mountain" by Mussorgsky was created as a part of "Mlada", an opera-ballet written in collaboration with several composers. The orchestral version of "Night on Bald Mountain" was made by Rimsky-Korsakov after Mussorgsky death.
M. Balakirev
(1837 - 1910)
Suite of Four Pieces by F. Chopin, in D minor
1. Preambule (Etude) - 5:08
2. Mazurka - 3:49
3. Intermezzo (Nocturne) - 6:44
4. Finale (Scherzo) - 6:42
A. Borodin
(1833 - 1887)
From "Prince Igor"
5. Polovtsian Dances and Chorus (Act II) - 10:50
6. Polovtsian March (Act III) - 5:32
M. Mussorgsky
(1839 - 1881)
7. Night on Bald Mountain (Fantasia for symphony orchestra,
editing and orchestration by N. Rimsky-Korsakov) - 11:00
Two choirs with symphony orchestra
8. Destruction of Sennacherib (after G. G. Byron) - 5:55
9. Jesus Navinus (arranged text from the Bible) - 5:34
Total time - 51:27
The USSR TV and Radio Large Choir
Artistic Director, Klavdi Ptitsa
The Moscow Chamber Choir
Artistic Director, Vladimir Minin
The Novosibirsk Chamber Choir
Artistic Director, Boris Pevzner
The USSR Symphony Orchestra
Conductor, Evgeni Svetlanov