Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op. 36 (1888)

Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (Russian: Никола́й Андре́евич Ри́мский-Ко́рсаков; 18 March [O.S. 6 March] 1844[a 1] – 21 June [O.S. 8 June] 1908) was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five. He was a master of orchestration. His best-known orchestral compositions—Capriccio Espagnol, the Russian Easter Festival Overture, and the symphonic suite Scheherazade—are staples of the classical music repertoire, along with suites and excerpts from some of his 15 operas. Scheherazade is an example of his frequent use of fairy tale and folk subjects.

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Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op.36 (1887-88)

USSR Symphony Orchestra conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov

Russian Easter Festival Overture: Overture on Liturgical Themes (Russian: Светлый праздник, Svetliy prazdnik), Op. 36, also known as the Great Russian Easter Overture, is a concert overture written by the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov between August 1887 and April 1888. It was dedicated to the memories of Modest Mussorgsky and Alexander Borodin, two members of the group of composers known in English as "The Five". It is the last of what many call his three most exceptionally brilliant orchestral works, preceded by Capriccio Espagnol and Scheherazade. The work received its premiere at a Russian symphony concert in St. Petersburg in late December 1888.

The score is prefaced by two quotations from the Old and New Testaments and a third written by the composer corresponding to each of the overture's three parts. The first part is prefaced by two verses from Psalm 68:1–2; the second from the Gospel of Mark 16:1–6; and a third which is a description of the Easter celebration written by the composer himself.

The tunes in the overture are largely from the Russian Orthodox liturgy, based on a collection of old Russian Orthodox liturgical chants called the Obikhod.

Rimsky-Korsakov said in his autobiography that he was eager to reproduce "the legendary and heathen aspect of the holiday, and the transition from the solemnity and mystery of the evening of Passion Saturday to the unbridled pagan-religious celebrations of Easter Sunday morning".[this quote needs a citation] He had always been interested in – and enjoyed – liturgical themes and music, though he was himself a non-believer.

Miloš Velimirović explained that, "The Obikhod was like the Russian's Liber usualis... In 1848 it became mandatory for all of the Churches in Russia."[this quote needs a citation] Thus the Obikhod became nationalistic in a sense. The tunes that Rimsky chose from the Obikhod would carry a certain nationalistic and religious weight to them, and the Russians would absolutely know them. The second way that the piece helps to pull on the heart strings of Russians as well as express its nationalistic appeal is by drawing on religious subject matter via word painting for the Easter Holiday.

Professor Robert Greenberg describes the Russian Easter Festival Overture as, "A narrative story of a Russian Easter day from dawn until dusk."[this quote needs a citation] In Russian, Easter is known as the "Bright Holiday".

[parintelebaiazid]

13:27 - the announcement of the Ressurection, and 13:38 - imagine a choir of 10.000 Christian Orthodox priests singing in one voice! Such power, chills all over!

[FueganTV]

Rimsky-Korsakov was an absolute master of the orchestra.

[aramkhachaturian]

Easily one of my favorite overtures. The simplicity of this piece can be brought to high standards through the quality of the musicians who play it. This is true music played by professional musicians.

[yp]

Apart from being a versatile artist (musician, Composer, teacher, writer & navy officer) N. R-Korsakov, stylistically, was ahead of his time. His students (Glazunov, Arensky, Stravinsky, Prokofiev) & non students(Rachmaninov), admired him equally. It's interesting to listen how the latter(S.R.), uses the same melodic ostinato effect, in his notorious 3rd piano concerto (3: finale-alla breve) just like Korsakov did in his "Russian Easter overture", imitating the sound of church bells with trombones, tuba, bassoon & strings.(pam-pa-pa-pam /pa-pa-pam

[jacktrainer]

One of my top two favorite overtures. Played it as a 2nd violin years ago; it was a work out. It's fascinating to see the overall complexity evident in the score. And, yes, I listen to this every Easter. Thanks for putting this together!

[gionnim]

Potente! Immensa! Travolgente! Rimsky Korsakov, il Lev Tolstoj della Musica!

[Jx]

Bravo to the person who put this video together. Soo many slides

[coasterdragon]

This was the first piece for full orchestra I played in a Districts festival. I fell in love with it on that very day. What a piece

[simoes]

Que gestual magnífico o do regente. Precisão, caráter, fraseado, enfim, tudo ali, no movimento de cada parte do seu corpo.

[madhousetas]

Thank you so much. This is one of my most favourite pieces of music.

[aramkhachaturian]

I come a year later to put 6:40 on repeat, literally a beat drop.

[kathleenmcdowell]

Thank you SO MUCH for saving me so much time by putting all that in the description box😍😍😍😍

[VideogamePotato]

4:55 You can just feel the excitement in the piece, as if children were playing in a courtyard. Such elegance.

[ericnk]

The 2 themes on which the Overture is based are (1) Da voskresnet Bog (Let God arise!) and (2) Angel vopil (An Angel wailed).

[mr-wxlv]

Before I heard this piece. Someone tried to describe it as "if you get the best of Tschaikovsky and the best of Dvorak and mix them together, you kind of get the Easter festival overture " a bit of a generalisation, but I know where they're coming from... Brilliant composition even though I never heard it in the flesh, unfortunately 😢

[lumenpraetorius]

Brilliant composition and orchestration! Bravo Rimsky-Korsakov!

[paulwagner]

It takes a vocalist to conduct this well. The Chant is everything in this.

[Exelsio]

My gorgeous! Still, Svetlanov is the pinnacle of conducting art, just like the RK was of composing.


May God rest their souls. ❤

[paulziolo]

Христос воскресе из мертвых, смертию смерть поправ, и сущим во гробех живот даровав!

[rambuxraider]

Fascinating to follow the score through. RK doesn't half expect much from the orchestra!