The Transition of the Waltz in Russian Music: From Borodin to Scriabin and Beyond

In the history of Russian music, the waltz was not just a dance, but an important genre that reflected the personality of the composer and the historical background. This paper traces the evolution of the style and expression of the waltz from the Russian Five (Могучая кучка) of the late 19th century to the composers of the early 20th century, and further discusses how this influence was carried over to later generations.

◆Borodin: song melody and folk color

Aleksandr Borodin (Александр Бородин, 1833-1887) was one of the composers who combined the waltz with Russian nationalistic elements. The second "Interlude" from one of his best-known works, "Minor Suite" (1879), is based on a waltz-like rhythm, but is characterized by an oriental melody. Also, in his unfinished opera "Prince Igor" (Князь Игорь), elements of three beats are scattered among the dances of the Polovets. His works are characterized by his prioritization of the Russian song character over the refined waltz of the West.


◆Tchaikovsky: Artistic Sublimation of the Waltz

Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Пётр Чайковский, 1840-1893) was a composer who established the status of the waltz in Russian music and refined it artistically. His waltzes in "Swan Lake" (Лебединое озеро), "Sleeping Beauty" (спящая красавица), and "The Nutcracker" (Щелкунчик) became essential elements of ballet music. The "Waltz of the Flowers" in "The Nutcracker" stands out in particular for its mastery of orchestration.

The third movement of his "Symphony No. 5" features a waltz with a graceful three-beat melody and a melancholy harmonic progression. This is not a mere dance, but a means of expressing inner conflict and a sense of destiny.


◆Arensky: Lyricism and Chamber Musical Sophistication

Anton Arensky (Антон Аренский, 1861-1906) was a composer who was strongly influenced by Tchaikovsky, but with a chamber music approach. The "Waltz" in his "Suite No. 1" (Op. 7) is at once elegant and introspective. The second movement of his Piano Trio No. 1 (Op. 32) also shows elements of a delicate waltz.


◆Graznov: The classical elegance of the waltz

Alexander Glazunov (Александр Глазунов, 1865-1936) was a composer who developed the waltz in a symphonic structure. His "Ballet Music 'Raimonda'" (Раймонда) and "Waltz, Op. 42" combine lyricism and refined orchestration, combining the Russian musical tradition with Western elegance.


◆Rachmaninoff: Waltz of Melancholy

The waltzes of Sergei Rachmaninoff (Сергей Рахманинов, 1873-1943) combine romantic passion and melancholy. The third "Waltz" in his "Fantastic Pieces" (Op. 3) is characterized by technical piano passages and sweet melodies. The second movement of his "Symphonic Dances" (Op.45) also skillfully incorporates waltz rhythms, demonstrating the evolution of the waltz in the 20th century.


◆Prokofiev and Shostakovich: The Quest for a New Waltz

Sergei Prokofiev (Сергей Прокофьев, 1891-1953) introduced distorted sounds and unpredictable developments in his "Cinderella" waltz and "War Sonata" (Op.84).

Dmitrij Shostakovich (Дмитрий Шостакович, 1906-1975) used the waltz as a vehicle for irony and humor in the third movement of his Fifth Symphony and in "Jazz Suite No. 2" (especially "Waltz No. 2").

Conclusion: Qualities of the Russian Waltz

From Borodin to Scriabin, and from Glazunov to Prokofiev and Shostakovich, Russian composers have used the waltz form not as a mere dance but as an important means of expression that reflects their individuality and the spirit of their times.

The waltz is not a relic of the past, and will continue to be a deeply expressive part of Russian music in the 21st century.