Rimsky-Korsakov - The Flight of the Bumblebee

This short music piece of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was originally written as an add-on for the opera "The Tale of Tsar Saltan". The opera was first presented in Moscow in 1900 with a libretto based on a story by the great Russian poet Pushkin. The "Flight of the Bumblebee" accompanies a scene where the main character - a prince - transforms into a bumblebee.

The unusual nature and pure descriptive qualities of this piece, inspired other musicians to make their own adaptations, usually for solo instruments. The popularity of this piece is in contrast to the rest of the almost forgotten opera music.

A quick descending scale on the piano begins this perfect miniature portrait (in the adaptation for the piano). The opening measures o f the play serve not only as an introduction, but also set the stage - we hear the piano's attempts to mimic the buzz.

From this point, the piano paints a vivid picture of the insect that its flying reminds, as much as no other, of the days of summer.

In the orchestral version, as the play evolves, the melody emerges and sinks and returns to itself, growing in intensity as it moves to the upper limits of the string spectrum. Eventually, the melody climbs to scale, before plunging into a gentle closing pizzicato chord.

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Johann Strauss II - Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, Op. 214 in A major

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The Woodman’s Child by Arthur Hughes reflects the dreamy and introspective atmosphere of Schumann’s Träumerei from Scenes from Childhood . For Robert Schumann , music was almost always a deeply personal expression of introspection, emotion, and poetic reflection—qualities that firmly establish him as one of the most significant composers of the Romantic era. The piano was Schumann’s first great love, and his works for the instrument have proved remarkably enduring over time. Schumann composed Kinderszenen ( Scenes from Childhood ), his best-known piano cycle, in 1838. It consists of thirteen “peculiarly small pieces,” as the composer himself described them, each bearing a title that evokes a distinct childhood impression or memory. Although all thirteen pieces share a sense of intimacy and charm, “Träumerei” ( Dreaming ) stands out as the most beloved and universally recognized. The piece is frequently included in solo piano anthologies and is often chosen by virtuoso perform...

Johann Straus II - Vergnügungszug (Pleasure Train), op. 281

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