0:00 Waltz in Bb major
4:17 Waltz in Eb major
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Today I realised, that Glinka seems to be the “grandfather” of russian romanticism. I clicked on Wikipedia back and back from some early 20th composer, and then you will certainly land on “The Five” and then… Glinka.
It says
Mikhail Glinka (1804 – 1857) was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition within his own country, and is often regarded as the fountainhead of Russian classical music. Glinka’s compositions were an important influence on future Russian composers, notably the members of The Five, who took Glinka’s lead and produced a distinctive Russian style of music. He had three piano lessons from John Field, the Irish composer of nocturnes, who spent some time in Saint Petersburg. He then continued his piano lessons with Charles Mayer and began composing.
I was a bit ashamed almost that I never played a piece by him.. until now! And I was surprised how well crafted they already were, being composed at a time where Chopin was busily writing on his own waltzes (even after 1840 as we know).