D USSLAN AND LUDMILLA (1842) is founded on a fairy tale by the Russian pbet Pushkin, but the author was killed in a duel before he could revise it for Glinka's use, and various other people had a hand in the libretto. After two performances, at which the work was a failure, it became a great success.
The First Main Tune is given out, after a few bars of Introduction, by the Full Orchestra, with great energy. This is worked up a little, one part ' imitating ' another, and then the broad, swinging Second Main Tune (based on one of Russian's songs) comes on the Bassoons and lower Strings.
These tunes are developed in a contrapuntal fashion that shows the effect of the teaching of Glinka's master, Dchn, who was a great Bach student... „ ...".....
It is just before the Coda that we hear the ' whole-tone scale,' blared out by the heaviest, bass instruments. After it, the Overture quickly rattles on to a rollicking conclusion.