Symphony No. 3 'Ilya Murometz' in B minor, Op. 42: Movement I

Reinhold Gliere (1875-1956) composed this large symphonic work between 1908 and 1911, and it earned the composer his third Glinka Award. The SYMPHONY No. 3 in B minor, Op. 42 ("ILYA MUROMETZ" or "ILIA MOUROMETZ") is a programmatic work that depicts the life of folk hero Ilya Murometz, with each of the four movements depicting an episode of the epic. The 80 - 90 minute long work premiered on March 23, 1912, in Moscow by the Russian Musical Society Orchestra under the baton of Emil Cooper. In Movement I, Pelerins errants. Ilia Mourometz et Sviatogor (Wandering Pilgrims. Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor), two pilgrims tell Ilya to become a bogatyr. The most powerful bogatyr, Svyatogor, bequeaths his strength to Ilya as he dies. The Kalmus edition of Gliere's work is published in four volumes, one for each movement. Instrumentation: Movement I only: 3+Picc.3+EH.3+BCl.3+CBsn: 8.4.4.1: Timp.Perc(5): 2Hp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set) or Complete Symphony: 3(3rd d.Picc)+Picc.3+EH.3+BCl.3+CBsn: 8.4.4.1: Timp.Perc(6): 2Hp.Clst: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set). Reprint edition.