Khan

Julie Giroux

Khan depicts Genghis Khan (1165-1227 and his army on the move.

The opening "Warlord" theme representing Khan is followed by the "Horseback" theme (with an A and B section.) These musical representations are used throughout, creating a musical "campaign," complete with a serene village scene just before its destruction. Note the brisk tempo combined with energetic rhythms and driving percussion, and dynamic contrasts which contribute to the emotional turbulence. Khan ended the lives of thousands of people and his "Warlord" theme, with great force, ends this work.

Khan was one of history’s most brutal, charismatic and successful warlords. A strategic genius with a disciplined and effective army, he conquered more land than any other ruler, creating the largest contiguous empire in history. Many of his campaigns were in conquest of territory and riches, but many were in retaliation. Recent DNA studies suggest that about 10 percent of the men who reside today within the borders of Khan’s Mongol Empire may carry his Y chromosome, and so about 0.5 percent of men alive in the world today are his direct descendants.

Last updated on July 23, 2024 by Palatine Concert Band