Islamey

The oriental fantasy Islamey (also Islamey ) is a first time published in 1870 in Moscow piano piece that was written by the Russian composer Mili Alexeyevich Balakirev in 1869 and revised in 1902. It was because of its technical requirements, including view of Hans von Bulow after a long time as the most difficult piece ever.

In the main part ( " Allegro con fuoco " ) followed by a slower middle section ( " Andantino espressivo " ), because the repetition of the main part closes in a modified form, and key to. Then follows ( " Allegro vivo " ) a Trepak ( Russian dance ), the work ends with a coda ( " Presto furioso "). The key of the piece ( although difficult to specify, since the piece already carries a lot of dissonant trains ) changes ( according to the sign) between D flat major and D major. Islamey was later orchestrated by Alfredo Casella (1907 ) and Sergei Lyapunov. The style of the piece is heavily influenced by the eastern, oriental music. The autograph is in the Russian National Library.

Balakirev traveled to the North Caucasus and occupied himself there with the traditional music of the Circassians. The Circassian folk dance Islamey inspired him for this piano piece.

Maurice Ravel wanted with his piano piece Gaspard de la nuit create a work that should be " more difficult than Balakirev's Islamey ".