Alexander Borodin’s “Polovtsian Dances” from “Prince Igor”
Notes by TŌN bassoonist Kylie Bartlett
Alexander Borodin took 18 years to write the opera Prince Igor since he was a hobby composer (albeit a very good one) and only wrote music in his spare time from his career as a chemist. He passed away in 1887 before completing the opera, and it was left to his friends Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov to finish and prepare for the stage. It is intriguing to see an example of such a well-rounded individual in history who was proficient in both science and music, so much so that he was among the most prestigious Russian composers of the 19th century, all while holding a day job in another field.
“Polovtsian Dances” is a selection from near the end of the second act. Prince Igor Svyatoslavich, who embarked on a campaign against the brutal and powerful Polovtsians who were ravaging his territories, is captured and held hostage by the Polovtsian Khan. The Khan decides to entertain Igor while he is in captivity, possibly a way of showing off his extensive collection of slaves and worshippers. The “Polovtsian Dances” begins with the slave women dancing and singing a sorrowful song of their homeland. This is reflected by beautiful oboe and English horn solos singing a nostalgic melody. In the ballet a choir sings their song along with the orchestral arrangement, although the selection is often performed in concert without the choral accompaniment. The women are sad and longing for the land they were forcefully removed from and their hope is that the words reach the place where they were once free.
“Fly on the wings of the wind
To our native land, dear song of ours, …
You are free there, song.
Fly home.”
As if inspired by their leader’s powerful presence, the Polovtsian men leap into action and begin singing their version of entertainment, an ode to their king.
“Sing songs of praise to Khan! Sing!…
The Khan is equal to the sun!…
The Khan female slaves praise the Khan,…”
Their words are in stark contrast to the women’s, and the listener can grasp the depth of enslavement. The piece ends with a powerful variation of the main theme representing the Polovtsians’ force and control over Igor and leaves the listener with a sense of scale, as well as insight to the tragic situation of the captives.