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One example of the "fascination with all things Araby"* during the Romantic Period, Alexander Borodin's haunting tone poem In the Steppes of Central Asia:
* from Raphael Patai's The Arab Mind
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He had quite an interesting life, great selection.
ReplyDeleteAlexander Borodin said
ReplyDelete“In the silence of the monotonous steppes of Central Asia is heard the unfamiliar sound of a peaceful Russian song. From the distance we hear the approach of horses and camels and the bizarre and melancholy notes of an oriental melody.
A caravan approaches, escorted by Russian soldiers, and continues safely on its way through the immense desert. It disappears slowly. The notes of the Russian and Asiatic melodies join in a common harmony, which dies away as the caravan disappears in the distance.”
A Secret Sharer said
ReplyDeleteThis poignant Borodin masterpiece is used to accompany wonderful black and white footage of Moscow Clad in Snow (1908) –– a perfect evocation of the essence of a once quiet, now vanished world.
https://youtu.be/EPgbIK002us
Thank you for that video!
DeleteI had never thought about what 'central asia' looked like in the sense of this very un-Russian looking space at the edge of the Russian empire. Amazing slideshow.
ReplyDeleteBaysider,
DeleteGlad that you enjoyed the slide show. It really did add to the piece, IMO.
Haven;t you posted this before?
ReplyDeleteWhatever, it's an excellent piece.
I may have. I adore Borodin's compositions.
Delete