Tamar

Mily Balakirev completed his symphonic poem “Tamara” in 1882, after working on it for decades. The piece is based on the poem of the same name by Mikhail Lermontov and ranks among the most significant works of nineteenth-century Russian nationalism. As the driving force behind the group known as "The Mighty Five," Balakirev shaped an entire generation of Russian composers — and “Tamara” is widely regarded as his crowning orchestral achievement.

The musical language is steeped in oriental colour: chromaticism, modal inflections, and distinctive rhythms combine to create an atmosphere of mystery and sensuality. The richly scored orchestra — featuring two harps, an expansive brass section, and finely differentiated percussion — unfolds a vivid, at times intoxicating splendour of sound that calls Berlioz and Liszt to mind, while remaining unmistakably Russian.

Stylistically, “Tamara” stands between the Western European tradition of Romantic programme music and the folkloristic, exotic aesthetic of the Russian school. Those who love works such as Rimsky-Korsakov's “Scheherazade” or Borodin's tone poem “In the Steppes of Central Asia” will find an equally captivating sonic world in Balakirev's masterpiece.