Date:

Author:
Category:

"Fly away on the wings of the wind" - how Borodin's opera classic was created

"Fly away on the wings of the wind To your native land, our native song, "To the place where we sang you freely, Where we were so free with you..."

The story of the creation and true meaning of one of the most beautiful opera compositions in history

Opera "Prince Igor." - legendary masterpiece BorodinaThe composer (who was also an organic chemist) worked on it for 18 years! But, alas, even this was not enough for Alexander Porfirievich to complete what he had started: the maestro died at the age of 53. Nevertheless, his great brainchild was brought to fruition - albeit now through the efforts of Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov.

Today, everyone knows this opera - and every third Slav loves it, because it very poignantly addresses and vividly demonstrates Prince Igor's devotion to his homeland! But even if you are far from opera, you have definitely heard one composition that concludes the second act: and it is "Fly away on the wings of the wind.".

Where the story began

Alexander Borodin
Alexander Borodin

It sounds surprising today, but the much-respected Alexander Porfirievich was not a composer by training! He was a chemist, but as a true St Petersburger, he felt an acute craving for the beautiful. And so, having returned from abroad to his homeland, Borodin took the first step towards his future opera - he joined a creative partnership "A Mighty Bunch.".

It is worth noting that Borodin lectured at the Medical and Surgical Academy, and his work took up almost all of his free time. For this reason. opera Prince Igor and it took so long to write. And it began when Alexander Porfirievich composed Symphony Number One, which the critic Vladimir Stasov loved immensely. He was the one who advised Borodin to use the historical masterpiece The Tale of Igor's Campaign as a basis. The patriotic theme, in turn, fascinated Borodin. The man approached this work with the utmost responsibility - even in person at the Putivl came to visit! That's how the story began.

Creation process

Putivl
Putivl

The composition enters the scene "Polovtsian Dances.". It (the scene as a whole) was written in the summer of 1875: Alexander was on holiday in Moscow at the time. As soon as he returned to his small homeland, the first thing he did was to show the scene to his Mighty Handful comrades. They were absolutely delighted... I should like to add that Borodin had an obvious poetic talentbecause he wrote the lyrics to the song.

And so, for 18 long years, Borodin created the future classics as best he could - either during weekends or on holiday. And, alas, he never had time to complete his meticulous work: the composer died in 1887 at the age of 53 years old. Such an unjustly early death came from a heart attack.

Fortunately, the great labour was not wasted, but was duly finished - all thanks to the endeavours of Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov! The premiere took place on 23 October 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, and was an unqualified success!

What's the point

Alexander Borodin
Alexander Borodin

We think the meaning of this delightful composition understandable to everyone. Beautiful lyrics express love and longing for the homeland, for the landscapes dear to the heart....

"Fly away on the wings of the wind
You to the land of the native, native song of ours,
To the place where we sang you freely,
Where you and I were so at ease..."

In opera, this work opens "Polovtsian Dances." after Prince Igor refuses the terms of Khan Konchak and the latter, in order to lighten the gloomy atmosphere, commands his subordinates to sing and dance.

Relevance today

Masterplan
Masterplan

Despite the fact that this work was written over 130 years ago. (!), it is insanely popular even today! This is evidenced at least by the fact that every second teenager will quietly sing to you "fly away on the wings of the wind...". It's a classic.

This composition is often referred to by the media, television and modern musicians. A striking example is the rock band "Aria." (from the album "Battlefield.").

Even foreign artists have resorted to instrumentalising this masterpiece, for example the band Masterplan with a song "Lonely Winds of War".

We wonder if "Fly Away on the Wings of the Wind" will still be playing in another 130 years? Somehow we're pretty sure it will!

LEAVE ANSWER

Please enter your comment!
please enter your name here

41 − 38 =

'Pretty Woman With A Secret': Debbie Harry's 'Blondie' Secrets She Long Hid From Fans

Debbie Harry: facts about her personal life and career Debbie Harry is unfortunately a rarity: a surviving 78-year-old punk scene icon whose career developed during the era of...

Yuri Antonov - The Hardest Idol: Antics and Scandals That Made Producers Walk Away From the Master

Yuri Antonov: character, scandals, antics Recently, producer Sergey Lavrov said that Yuri Antonov is the most difficult, capricious and wayward maestro of the domestic variety, with whom he...
Recommended

Top 7 coolest covers performed on violin, according to Fuzz Music Magazine

The best violin covers: modern songs, hits, facts and videos The violin is often referred to as "the Devil's instrument"! Largely due to the fact that many prominent violinists, such as...

"Flight of the Valkyries" by Richard Wagner: history and interesting facts about the legendary opera

Ride of the Valkyries (1851) - Richard Wagner - Die Walküre Richard Wagner was a German composer who left a legacy of 14 operas and many other...

Top 10 best classical pieces in music

Legendary classics: the top of the best works in history Despite the ever-changing trends and popular genres, classical music never ceases to fascinate listeners: for a...

The motet Miserere: a history and first copy of...

The story of Miserere: the famous motet and its first "pirated" copy... Miserere is the name of the famous motet on the text of Psalm 50 by Italian composer Gregorio Allegri. Written ...