Polovtsian Dances

Name#

The name Polovtsian Dances refers to the Cumans (Polovtsy), who were nomadic invaders of Russia; the Cumans capture Igor in the opera and then entertain him with dances.

Analysis#

The first dance, which uses no chorus and is sometimes omitted in concerts, is No. 8, entitled “Dance of the Polovtsian Maidens” “Пляска половецких девушек” : presto, , F major; it is placed directly after the “Chorus of the Polovtsian Maidens” which opens the act and is followed by “Konchakovna’s Cavatina”.

Theme from No. 8#

: \relative c \key f \major \time 6/8 c4\p( bes8 a bes c bes a bes g a bes) a( g f g f e f e d d4) r8 \bar " " Contains notable instrumental solo for clarinet.

No. 17, “Polovtsian Dance with Chorus”#

The dances proper appear at the end of the act as an uninterrupted single number in several contrasting sections, as in the following list. Basic themes are identified by letters in brackets (e.g. a ) and illustrated in the notation below the list. ; No. 17, “Polovtsian Dance with Chorus”: Половецкая пляска с хором tr. Polovetskaya plyaska s khorom : a Introduction: Andantino, , A major : b Gliding Dance of the Maidens Пляска девушек плавная : Andantino, , F minor : c + a Wild Dance of the Men Пляска мужчин дикая : Allegro vivo, , F major : d General Dance Общая пляска : Allegro, , D major : e Dance of the Boys Пляска мальчиков and 2nd Dance of the Men Пляска мужчин : Presto, , D minor : b′ + e′ Gliding Dance of the Maidens (reprise, soon combined with the faster dancing of the boys): Moderato alla breve, , A major : e″ Dance of the Boys and 2nd Dance of the Men (reprise): Presto, , D minor : c′ + a″ General Dance: Allegro con spirito, , A major ;Themes from No. 17: a Introduction: Andantino, , A major: : \relative c \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4 = 84 \key a \major \time 4/4 b8^" a “\p( cis d4) \times 2/3 fis8( e d cis4) d8( cis16 b a4) r2 fis8( gis a4) \times 2/3 cis8( b a gis4) a2 r2 \bar " " b Gliding Dance of the Maidens Пляска девушек плавная : Andantino, , F minor: : \relative c \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4 = 84 \key a \major \time 4/4 b,8-.\p^” b " b( fis'4)fis8 e16( fis) \appoggiatura d16 e d8( cis16 b) cis( d e8)e4 e8( fis) \appoggiatura cis16 d cis8( b16 a) fis8-. fis( b4~) b8( cis) \appoggiatura b16 cis b8( a16 gis) a( gis fis8~)fis4 fis8 (gis a cis) \bar " " \layout \context \Score \override NonMusicalPaperColumn.line-break-permission = ##f \override NonMusicalPaperColumn.page-break-permission = ##f Contains notable instrumental solos for oboe and English horn. c Wild Dance of the Men Пляска мужчин дикая : Allegro vivo, , F major: : \relative c \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4 = 152 \key f \major \time 4/4 g8-.\p^" c " g8->~g16( a bes8) bes16( c bes a) a( bes a g) f8-. f->~f16( g f e) e( f e ees) d( ees e f) \break g8-. g->~g16( a bes8) bes16( c bes a) a( bes a g) f8-. f->f16( g f ees) des( ees des c) bes( c des f) \bar " " \layout \context \Score \override NonMusicalPaperColumn.line-break-permission = ##f \override NonMusicalPaperColumn.page-break-permission = ##f Contains notable instrumental solo for clarinet. d General Dance Общая пляска : Allegro, , D major: : \relative c \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 2. = 69 \key d \major \time 3/4 r4\ff^" d " a,->( b8) r r4 b->( cis8) r r4 cis->( d8) r r4 d->( e8) r r4 fis4.->( g8) g( fis) fis( eis) eis( e) e( dis) dis( d) d( cis) cis\trill( b) b4-. b-. \bar " " e Dance of the Boys Пляска мальчиков and 2nd Dance of the Men Пляска мужчин : Presto, , D minor: : \relative c \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 2. = 100 \key f \major \time 6/8 ) e2.~e8 r e( g4->) e8( g4->) e8( g4->) e8( a,->) \ \hideNotes r2. \unHideNotes r8 c (e d c bes a) r r d,-> r r c-> r r bes-> r4 a8-> » \bar " "

Ballets Russes performances#

As part of his first at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Sergei Diaghilev presented Polovtsian Scenes and Dances, consisting of act 2 of Prince Igor, with full orchestra and singers. The premiere took place on 18 May 1909. The choreography was by Michel Fokine and the sets and costumes were designed by Nicholas Roerich. In later seasons, without singers, the work was given as The Polovtsian Dances. For the 1923 season, it was partly re-choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska. In 1971, the ballet was presented by choreographer Igor Moiseyev in the USSR Folk Dance Ensemble (Одноактный балет “Половецкие пляски”. Балет Игоря Моисеева). It was premiered at the Palais des Sports at the Porte de Versailles in Paris; in Moscow, in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, in Leningrad and other cities of the USSR. The ballet was filmed.

In popular culture#

Themes from the Polovtsian Dances have been used widely in popular culture. The 1953 musical Kismet is mostly adapted from Borodin’s music, including these dances. The most prominent example is the popular standard “Stranger in Paradise,” adapted from the “Gliding Dance of the Maidens”. In “The Simpsons” episode Little Big Girl, an instrumental version of the song can briefly be heard during Bart’s dream sequence. The song was performed at the 2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony during the handover segment to Sochi, Russia. Russian mezzo-soprano Maria Guleghina sang an excerpt of the piece. Four years later, it was again performed during the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, this time in its entirety. In The Amazing Digital Circus episode “Beach Episode”, when the main characters are escaping from the Digital Circus, an instrumental of the piece is heard.

External links#

• • • , Dutch National Opera