You know this music. Incredibly, almost everyone seems to know it. Flight of the Bumblebee seems to perfectly embody quicksilver action. Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov wrote it in the late 1800s as part of an opera called The Tale of Tsar Saltan, and Flight of the Bumblebee remains one of the most recognizable classical hits.
To celebrate the anniversary of the composer’s birth, CBC Music approached rapper Kia Kadiri, flutist Mark McGregor and Russ Klyne (who created the beats and arrangement) to create this new recording. It playfully remoulds the composition into something just a tad more contemporary-sounding, pitting the rapper against the flutist, each lightning fast.
For your entertainment, CBC Music presents this musical battle — a contest of skill, will and musicality. May the best bee win.-CBC