This is a transcription of the Hopak from Modest Mussorgsky's unfinished opera Sorochintsy Fair (1874 - 1880). Rachmaninov first wrote the arrangement for solo piano, premiering it in Scranton, PA, on November 13, 1923. He made some minor revisions to the work the following year, then adapted it for piano and violin in 1926, producing his only transcription for that instrumental combination. The Mussorgsky Hopak is a lively, rollicking number that evokes images of Russian dancers, vodka, and much festive merriment. It is not to be confused with an earlier song of his by the same title, dating to the 1866 - 1868 period. Rachmaninov perfectly captures the spirit of Mussorgsky's Hopak in music that reveals relatively little of his own style, but all of the rowdy, playful side of the older Russian masters. Its fast tempo, driving rhythms, and catchy folkish tune will linger long in the mind's ear even after just one hearing. The piano/violin version is probably the more colorful of the two, but the solo piano rendition is the more deliciously rowdy. The piece typically has a duration of two minutes.

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