Mily Balakirev was the senior member of the “Big Five”, a cadre of Russian nationalist composers (in case you’re wondering, the other four were Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Koraskov, Aleksandr Borodin, and Cesar Cui). Balakirev spent some time exploring the Caucasus region in southern Russia, and came across the “islamey”, a cultural dance that featured lots of rapid movement. In this vein, he wrote the piece that is regarded as the most difficult in all of the piano literature.
Nikolai Rubinstein premiered the piece just two months after it was completed in 1869. The musical world has never been the same since.
Handbells (5 octaves) plus handchimes (5 octaves)
AGEHR Level: 7 (per J.D. Frizzell).
MP3:
Preview:
Individual version: $5.00 US
Purchasing the handbell choir version of this arrangement grants permission to print and maintain up to fifteen copies for your handbell ensemble; purchasing the single copy version grants permission to print and maintain one copy. Purchase also gives permission for performance, broadcasting, live-streaming and video-sharing online. See our licensing agreement for full details, and please remember to mention the title and arranger of the piece on video-sharing sites, social media and any printed materials such as concert programs.
