Sergei Lyapunov published his Transcendental Etudes around the year 1900. Lyapunov dedicated them to Franz Liszt, and in many ways they resemble Liszt's own set of transcendental etudes. This is the tenth in the set of 12 etudes, and its style is based on a cultural dance of the Lezgians, hence the name "Lezghinka." The Lezgians are a people group from the Caucasus, the area surrounding the southern tip of Russia and east of Turkey. In the dramatic, fast-paced dance, the man kneels and leaps while imitating the movement of an eagle, and the woman dances slowly and smoothly, imitating a swan. Lyapunov brilliantly incorporates both of these roles into this etude, beginning with a repeated leaping pattern. Later, the woman gracefully enters the dance (2:31), only to be interrupted by the man (4:58). The woman returns for a brief time (6:27), but the eagle takes the stage once more for an exciting finale (6:45). This performance is by Grant Smith.
27 сен 2024
