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Prokofiev - Alexander Nevsky - Battle on the ice:
Let me start by saying that this piece requires some patience. In that it does not have an astonishing opening; in fact, in takes almost 3 minutes to reach its first climax. Well, this is only to be expected. It is, after all, a classical piece.
Classical music? Vat? Vat would von possibly want with classical music?
Well, this piece has something quite astonishing, quite enjoyable -- when you listen to it, you experience the drama and the turmoil of 10,000 soliders ice skating with guns, trying to shoot each other. The author went through the period of hell-on-earth known as 1910-1940. He experienced some of the horror.
And although the climax is 3 minutes in, it is anything but boring. It is pretty damn nifty, actually. So listen to this piece; then you can brag about how cultured you are at the same time as you are secretly enjoying yourself.
Posts: 3060 | Registered: Nov 2003
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The battle on the ice referred to in the piece took place long before guns were common on the battlefield, somewhere between between the years 1100-1300.
Posts: 151 | Registered: Apr 2005
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to be more accurate, the battle took place in April of 1242. for more info: Alexander Nevsky infoPosts: 151 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Wasn't that battle one of the major losses suffered by the Teutonic Knights? If it is, guns and ice skates wouldn't be present... though the concept of mounted knights on horses on ice is nearly equally entertaining.
*Looks at link*
Hey cool, my memory isn't failing me yet. Anyone seen the Black and White Movie over this battle? I swear the Teutonic Knights in it were the inspiration for the Knights Who Say Ni.
Feyd Baron, DoC
EDIT: The movie is called, obviously enough, Alexander Nevsky. It was directed by Sergei Eisenstein and was originally released in 1938. An interesting piece to watch.
Posts: 1368 | Registered: Sep 2002
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