Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov - Turkish Fragments, Op. 62

Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov 

 (Russian:  19 November [O.S. 7 November] 1859 – 28 January 1935)

 Russian composer, conductor and teacher.

Turkish Fragments, Op. 62  

Movement I: Caravan
Movement II: At Rest
Movement III: Night
Movement IV: Festival

This is a series of orchestral sketches by Russian composer Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov (1859-1935), incorporating Turkish folk melodies and richly scored for a large orchestra.

Conductor: Choo Huey
Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Turkish Fragments, Op. 62 (Russian: Тюркские Фрагменты) is an orchestral suite written in 1930 by Russian composer Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov and published in 1931.^[1][2] This suite is sometimes entitled as Orchestral Suite No. 3, even though there is no official numbering. This work for large orchestra was dedicated to Shevket Mamedova, an Azerbaijani soprano.^[3]

Structure[edit]

This suite has four movements and would take approximately 15 minutes to perform. The movements are listed as follows:

• I. Caravan (Караван)
• II. At Rest (У становища)
• III. Night (Ночью)
• IV. Festival (На празднике)

All of the movements use material drawn from Azerbaijani, Turkish, Uzbek and Kazakh folk music. The Turkish fragments contain dominant chimes strings and beats. The Caravan has a steady ambitious beat and a characteristic Turkish melody that goes on for the entire piece and the loudest of all the Fragments. At Rest is rhythmic but tranquil, with a central section of a livelier nature. Night is a peaceful, more quiet part and respects its name; it has plenty of Turkish melodies and also has a central, livelier section. Festival closes this suite. It consists of a dance, sounds upbeat and at times peaceful.^[3]