Something for Thursday

I don't remember if I've featured this before, but it's just such a perfect piece of music that it's worth revisiting now and again. Alexander Borodin's In the Steppes of Central Asia depicts the meeting of two trade caravans, on some road in the Asian wilderness. There is no war or conflict here, just two groups coming together -- depicted by two melodies of differing character -- greeting one another and parting. This wonderful piece is so full of warmth and human optimism that it simply glows.

Here is In the Steppes of Central Asia.