In the Steppes of Central Asia

In the Steppes of Central Asia (Russian: В средней Азии, V srednej Azii, literally in Central Asia) is a symphonic poem by the Russian composer Alexander Borodin ( 1833-1887 ). He composed this orchestral work in 1880 on the 25th anniversary of the reign of Tsar Alexander II and dedicated it to the composer Franz Liszt. This Tsar Turkestan, a region in central Asia, and annexed to the Russian Empire.

The work is a typical example of program music. Borodin gave him fully formulated the following program:

The piece consists of four musical building blocks that can be characterized as follows:

• Endless expanse of the steppe
• Russian Song
• Patter ( the caravan and a horse's hoof )
• Oriental manner

In a very high, long and softly ringing sound of the violins, which characterizes the endless expanse of the steppe, the Russian song rings through the clarinet and the horn. Then sounds patter by plucked strings along with the Endless expanse of the steppe, and the English horn bears in tender tone Oriental way before. Borodin also linked in the course up to three musical building blocks to each other simultaneously. Exception is the representation of the Russian song by the whole orchestra in the middle of the piece to symbolize here the " protection of Russian weapons."

1882 Borodin edited the Steppes of Central Asia a piano duet piece.