Suite No. 3 is an eclectic set of nine variations on a short theme, incorporating baroque, classical, and Chopin-esque styles.
Suite No. 2, 'Silhouettes', is a work similar to Schumann's Carnaval, featuring five witty musical characterizations.
The second and third Suites by Arensky originally began as piano duets.
Arensky's Suites showcase typically Russian traits of humor, gravity, and sparkling color.
The fourth movement of Suite No. 1, 'Basso ostinato', was hugely popular during Arensky's time.
Anton Arensky, a Russian composer, blended Russian Nationalism with European Romanticism, influencing the pianism of Rachmaninov and early Scriabin.
