This rollicking overture, one of the best known orchestral showpieces in the West, providing a challenge for all musicians, particularly the bassists. Perfect in style and duration for either the first work on a program or an encore, this work incorporates melodies patterned on folk music, and it is scored in lavish orchestral colors. While Glinka's second opera is unfortunately performed irregularly outside of Russia, this overture has become very familiar to Western concert-goers. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2+CBsn: 4.2.3.0: Timp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).