Mark Knezevic [[log in to unmask]] wrote:

>Anyway ... Rimsky-Korsakov wrote a work "Variations on Serbian Themes"
>for Orchestra, a work which will be performed later in the year by the
>West Australian Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Verbitsky.  I'm
>looking forward to that at least.  It seems that Tchaikovsky was not the
>only Russian inclined to dedicate (to be inspired by) a work to Serbia.

Rimsky-Korsakov, then a young and inexperienced composer, wrote his
"Fantasy on Serbian Themes" for the concert of May 12th, 1867, organised on
the occasion of the Pan-Slavic Congress at Petersburg to show Balakirev's
prowess as a conductor and to present the Free Music School as a viable
alternative to the conservatory.  This concert acquired its fame in history
because of Stasov's review, which concluded with the words: "the small but
already mighty little heap of Russian musicians".  Actually, besides
Rimsky-Korsakov, only Balakirev featured on this concert as a Russian
composer.

Probably the "Fantasy" will performed in its second version of 1886.
I hope you will enjoy it.

Willem Vijvers <[log in to unmask]>