Kara Karayev: Ballet Suites

Seven Beauties (1952) • In the Path of Thunder (1957)  

Moscow Radio and TV Symphony Orchestra • Rauf Abdullayev, conductor 

Catalog No. DRD 2009 

Karayev’s beautiful, exotic ballet music has broad sweep and dimension, along with poignant emotional content and lively Azerbaijani folk elements. A leading figure among post WWII Russian composers, Karayev is a master orchestrator, whose music shows influences of Prokofiev and Shostakovich. 

In these stunning ballets, Karayev is writing about the stuff of legend, with a Middle Eastern flavor in the epic Seven Beauties. Both ballets are large designs, telling stories of legendary figures — powerful stories with deep human emotions.”

The plot of Seven Beauties deals with the conflict between oppressed people, symbolized by the lovely Aisha, and corrupt rulers, the Shah Bakhram and his Vizier,” says musicologist Yuriy Gabay. “The fantastic, lyrical and psychological images are fused and intermingled with folk dance scenes in impetuous and colorful movement.” 

In the Path of Thunder is set in South Africa, and tells the story of interracial lovers, their tender and deep love, and their tragic end. African folk music and rhythms are woven into the powerful score. Musicologist E. Mnatsakanova says “We are reminded that Lanny’s and Sarie’s love was a daring challenge to the forces of evil; and their tragic death in the name of love is a call to struggle for human rights.” 

Works:

SEVEN BEAUTIES 

Suite from the ballet (1952) 

Waltz (4:31) Adagio (5:42) 

Dance of Merriment (1:47) 

Prelude (4:12) 

Indian Dance (0:53) 

Khorezm Dance (0:50) 

Slavonic Dance (2:39) 

Magrib Dance (3:03) 

Chinese Dance (1:25) 

The most beautiful of all beauties (4:54) 

Procession (4:17) 

IN THE PATH OF THUNDER 

Suite from the ballet (1958) 

General Dance (4:08) 

Dance of the Girls with Guitars (6:15) 

Night in Stilleveld (5:21) 

Scene and Duet (10:01) 

Lullaby (5:48) 

In the Path of Thunder (6:35) 

Total Time: 72:34