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]>