Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsian (Polovetsian) Dances Cover Image

Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsian (Polovetsian) Dances: Full Orchestra, Study Score

$24.95 USD
$24.95 USD
Skip to product information
Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsian (Polovetsian) Dances Cover Image
Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsian (Polovetsian) Dances: Full Orchestra, Study Score

Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsian (Polovetsian) Dances: Full Orchestra, Study Score

By Alexander Borodin, arr. Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov/ ed. Nancy Bradburd/ ed. Clinton Nieweg

Item: 36-S000701
$24.95
Shipped

One moment…

Related Items

Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsian (Polovetsian) Dances: Conductor Score

$60.00
View

Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsian (Polovetsian) Dances: Conductor Score & Parts

$210.00
View
Description
From the end of Act 2 from Borodin's opera Prince Igor, which remained unfinished at the time of the composer's death in 1887, this most famous version of the Polovtsian Dances (or Polevetsian Dances) was orchestrated by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. While the music includes choral/vocal parts, those are often omitted when performed as an orchestral showpiece. This edition has been edited by Nancy M. Bradburd and Clinton F. Nieweg. Instrumentation: 2+1.2(2dEH).2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(4-5): Hp: Str(9-8-7-6-5 in set): (Mix Chor). Study score.

Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsian (Polovetsian) Dances: Full Orchestra, Study Score isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

No sample pages found.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Study Score Series
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 1-63-361956-7
ISBN13: 978-1-63-361956-2
UPC: 660355081521
SKU: 36-S000701
Instrumentation: 2+1.2(2dEH).2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(4-5): Hp: Str(9-8-7-6-5 in set): (Mix Chor)

More about this title

About the Composer: Alexander Borodin

Alexander Borodin (1833, 1887) was a Russian composer who balanced his work as a chemist and researcher with an intense commitment to composition. He was part of The Five, a nationalist group of composers dedicated to developing a distinctly Russian musical voice, and his music channels the folk traditions and exotic orientalism of his homeland with sophistication and structural mastery.

Prince Igor occupied much of Borodin's final years. The opera remained incomplete at his death, and it fell to Rimsky-Korsakov to orchestrate and complete the work for performance. The Polovtsian Dances, which close Act II, showcase Borodin's gift for melody and orchestral color in their most concentrated form, and they have remained a concert staple for over a century.

Why we love this

These dances bring visceral, audience-friendly excitement to any program without sacrificing musical substance. The orchestration is transparent enough for a study score to reveal how Borodin layers color and rhythm, yet the piece demands serious ensemble coordination and will teach your musicians how a great composer builds energy across large forces.

What to expect

Exotic and propulsive. The Polovtsian Dances evoke Central Asian color through unexpected harmonies and bright orchestration, yet they move with relentless forward momentum. There's a sensuality to the opening that gives way to pure kinetic energy, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.

Who it's for

Advanced youth orchestras, college ensembles, and semi-professional orchestras looking for a showpiece that sounds grand without requiring professional soloists. Directors who want their students to study how a master orchestrator handles large instrumental forces and complex rhythmic figures will find this score invaluable.

How to get the most out of it

  • Anchor the main dance rhythms in your percussion and low brass section first; once that foundation is locked, the melodic lines will sit comfortably on top.
  • Balance the prominent woodwind solos against the string accompaniment so neither overwhelms. Borodin writes for these instruments conversationally, not competitively.
  • Treat the harp part as structural glue rather than decoration. It maintains harmonic cohesion and clarity when the orchestration gets thick.
  • Shape the tempo with the drama: the opening demands restraint, but allow the piece to breathe and accelerate naturally as it builds toward the climax.

How to use it

Position this as a concert centerpiece or finale where you want immediate impact. It works particularly well on a program alongside other Romantic orchestral works or as the showstopping conclusion to a concert built around Russian or nationalist music. The piece requires rehearsal time but rewards investment quickly, making it ideal for mid-season programming.

Skills your students will build

  • Coordinating multiple rhythmic layers and meters across the full orchestra
  • Balancing prominent solo lines with sustained accompaniment
  • Reading and executing complex syncopated figures in woodwinds and percussion
  • Understanding orchestral color through Rimsky-Korsakov's approach to instrumentation
  • Managing dynamic contrast and musical phrasing over extended passages
  • Responding to subtle tempo and expression changes that drive forward momentum

You May Also Like