Mily Balakirev

The Mighty Handful During nineteenth century, there were five major players who worked together to establish the unique and distinct sound that is Russian classical music. Mily Balakirev, Cesar Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Borodin. The five composers all lived in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and worked together to created amazing works of music from 1856 to 1870. The Mighty Handful got their name from an article entitled Mr. Balakirev’s Slavic Concert, by acclaimed

Russian Opera The seeds of a distinctively national art music in Russia are usually dated from the first half of the 19th century. The performance of the opera A Life for the Tsar (1836), by Mikhail GLINKA, is usually cited as the turning point for Russian music (Russia's national anthem is taken from this opera). In this historical opera, as well as in his subsequent opera Ruslan and Ludmila (1842), the orchestral fantasy Kamarinskaya (1848), and numerous songs, Glinka successfully fused

Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky was born into a wealthy family as a child. His family owned a lot of land, and was very successful. Mussorgsky was born on March 9th, 1839. In Karevo, Russia. He was a very fortunate person to grow up to be a musician. Music ran in his family his mother Yuliah Chrikova was an expert at the piano. As for Mussorgsky's father he also was skilled in piano, however, he did it as more of a hobby. Mussorgsky's father being a large land owner in this time period he owned a lot

and techniques would be the right way forward. Mily Balakirev led the group of composers who opposed this ideology and instead they treasured the works of Glinka and believed in distinct Russian style of music not influenced by the West. The five (also known as the mighty five) was the name given to a group of composers who believed in the idea of Russian music and didn’t agree with the western European teaching and the composers were Mily Balakirev, Céser Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin

After a series of wars spread throughout Europe in the early 19th century, many countries found themselves developing a national identity through their music. This move toward what became known as Nationalism opened new doors for composers, but it also created tension among those who had different ideas about creating that national sound. In Russia, a group of five composers, later known as The Mighty Handful, gathered together to firmly establish music that would instantly be recognized as Russian

devastated, feeling insignificant and “ungifted,” which led to the worsening of his health. Nevertheless, he soon came on friendly terms with The Five when Rubinstein resigned as conductor from the conservatory and the main leader of The Five, Mily Balakirev, replaced him, who helped boost Tchaikovsky’s confidence and relationship with

Russian culture in the nineteenth century was propagated virtually entirely through the poetry of a few writers such as Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, and Pushkin. This is to say that the works of a select group of wordsmiths represented the majority of the artistic output of the largest country in the world and earned them elevated status. Russian music at this point took place on the most miniscule of scopes, consisting mainly of folk melodies passed down equally through generations of nobility and peasantry

romantic period. He was only a boy of nine years when he started playing piano, which he was naturally gifted at; he started composing his own music at the age of eleven. When his talent was discovered by the former head of The Russian Five, Mily Balakirev, news spread quickly to the famed composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov who sought to meet this young, high school aged, composer. Glazunov was taught privately by Rimsky-Korsakov at the conservatory of St. Petersburg; Rimsky said that “His musical

Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, conductor, teacher, and naval officer during the nineteenth century. A talented pianist, Rimsky-Korsakov wrote works such as operas, choral and chamber music throughout the course of his life. He greatly impacted Russian classical music, particularly with his incredible use of word painting. According to scholarly author Zoran Minderovic, “Rimsky-Korsakov's music is accessible and engaging owing to his talent for tone-coloring and brilliant

Activities xx provide more information Discuss with class the characteristics of 19th century classical Russian Music. Discuss Russian composers, in particular “The Five” or “The Mighty Handful” ( Mousorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Cui and Balakirev). Play selections/excerpts of pieces by Russian composers and have students describe characteristics of the music they hear. Discuss particular instrumentation, tone colors. Discuss how Russian music was often based on stories, characters and Russian