Russian Easter Festival Overture

Russian Easter Festival Overture Op.36 ("Svetliy prazdnik", also known as The Great Russian Easter Overture) is a concert overture written by the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov between August 1887 and April 1888 dedicated to the memories of Modest Mussorgsky and Alexander Borodin, the two members of the legendary "Mighty Handful". It is subtitled "Overture on Liturgical Themes". It is the last of the composer's series of three exceptionally brilliant orchestral works, preceded by "Capriccio espagnol" and "Scheherazade". The work received its premiere in St. Petersburg at late December 1888.

Instrumentation

* Romantic Orchestra (3d1,2,2,2 - 4, 2, 3, 1, str, timp, perc, hp) [ [http://www.lucksmusic.net/cat-symph/showdetailMain.asp?CatalogNo=06469 Luck's Music Library - Symphonic Orchestra Music ] ]

Background

The tunes in the overture are largely from the Russian orthodox liturgy, based on a collection of old Russian Orthodox canticles called the "Obikhod". Rimsky-Korsakov includes several biblical quotations in the score to guide the listener as to his intent, including Psalm 68 and Mark 16.

In this overture, the composer, as he says in his autobiography, is eager to reproduce "the legendary and heathen aspect of the holiday, and the transition from the solemnity and mystery of the evening of Passion Saturday to the unbridled pagan-religious celebrations of Easter Sunday morning". Rimsky-Korsakov always had a great interest in - and enjoyment of - liturgical themes and music, though he was himself a non-believer (see main article Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov and notes).

tructure

The opening "Andante lugubre" alternates two themes: the first is intoned solemnly by woodwind "Let God Arise, let his enemies be scattered"; while the second is the hymn "An Angel Cried Out", after a solo violin cadenza, first heard on solo cello. Trombones and strings then repeat the first theme antiphonally. The "allegro" section, led by a second solo violin cadenza, has a very lively and syncopated theme, which quotes the hymn "Let them also that hate Him flee before Him", and the mood builds up to one of exultation. A calm melody, which is based on a famous Russian Easter chant "Christ is Risen", also appears. All these themes appear at the climax, and the chant "amids the trumpet blasts and the bell-tolling, constituting a triumphant coda".

A feature of the work is its use of short violin cadenzas to separate some of its sections. They represent the light shining from the Holy Sepulcher.

The opening section is written in 5/2 time, and is one of the more famous works in 5 for orchestra. The final section of the piece is notated in 2/1 time, making occasional use of 3/1, and is one of very few orchestral works to use either of these time signatures.

References