2.Eastern Song: Enslaved by the Rose, the Nightingale (Vostochnïy romans)

Already in 1866, the 22-year-old Rimsky-Korsakov could turn out as sultry, as studied, as oriental, and as deeply and achingly erotic a piece of music as he would ever write. Inspired by the hearing the soprano of Zotova at a party given by Glinka's sister, Rimsky-Korsakov immediately wrote Vostochnïy romans (Eastern song aka The Nightingale), only his second song. With its long, languorous modal melody above a slowly strummed piano accompaniment and its vocal line embodying all the sensual longing of the imagined East, Vostochnïy romans does as much for voluptuous eroticism in four minutes as Sheherazade does in 40. The wordless melisma that closes the song may be the sexiest music Rimsky-Korsakov ever wrote.

© All Music Guide