Ex. 4-12: Orientale

No. 9 from César Cui's Kaleidoscope (Op. 50), a collection of 24 short pieces for violin and piano composed in 1893.

The melody is based on a Serbian folk song known as "The Bright Sun." The same melody was also used by Tchaikovsky in his Slavonic March and by Rimsky-Korsakov in his Serbian Fantasy.

"Orientale" is Cui's most famous work and is still widely performed today. Its exotic melody and unique rhythm have led to many arrangements for other instruments, including cello, flute, and guitar — the cello version is especially popular.

From the album Music for Viola and Cello by Herbert Downes and Jacqueline du Pré (2016)
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