Gayane
|
|
Gayane (sometimes written Gayaneh) is a ballet composed by Aram Khachaturian in 1942. It is a simple tale of a collective farm in the Soviet Union. The diversity of such farms provided the backdrop for a strong ethnic flavor to each part of the music (with some tunes favoring the slower string quartet arrangements, while others taking on the lively folk instruments of the gypsies of Eastern Europe), and of a compelling tale of love between classes.
The ballet was a modest success before Joseph Stalin, and has seen limited rerelease outside of the U.S.S.R.
A shorter orchestral suite version of the music was provided for concert performance.
The Sabre Dance, a movement in the final act of the ballet, is perhaps the most famous piece of the music. It is a whirling mazurka, made famous by plate spinners and other human tricks innovators.
Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey featured some of the less up-tempo parts of the Gayane music, as did the movies Patriot Games and Aliens.