🇷🇺Mily Alekseyevich Balakirev ： 30 Russian Folk Songs No.17 Many Oak Trees in g-moll

This piece is an arrangement of a Russian folk song for piano four hands, built around a familiar melody that conveys a simple yet powerful singing quality. It unfolds with the phrasing of the folk tune at its core, and listening for the exchanges of the melody and changes in the accompaniment reveals a flow resembling a dialogue between the two players. In performance, it is important to keep the main melody clear without allowing the accompaniment to become too heavy. By coordinating the breathing of each phrase and carefully shaping dynamic levels and melodic handoffs, the unity and vitality characteristic of piano four-hand music come to the fore. A stable tempo and attentive listening between the players help bring out the natural, songful phrasing of the folk tune.