Russia: Classical Music Around The World, Part 1

Classical music takes us on a journey around the world, and this week I want to focus on Russia. In the past few weeks, we have looked at composers from the four major periods of modern music history from each country. Russia, however, presents us with a problem. The first significant composer from Russian wasn’t even born until 1804.

I continue to state that music and art is a reflection of the culture in which it is created. Around 1700, many would say that Russia was behind the times, and the Tsar, Peter the Great, sought to make his country a real European power during his reign. His first move was to relocate the capital to St. Petersberg. This move provided greater access to Europe, and the art and music started to flow into the city. First, Russian artists and writers followed the influence of Italian, French, and German artists, and finally, music was composed that captured Russian culture and style. 

Mikhail Glinka (1804 - 1857) was the first Russian composer who created music on par with other Europeans of the time. His music contributed to the developing Russian style. To this means, he wrote the first Russian opera, and since language affects melody and style, he had created what was considered the Russian sound. In the playlist, listen to the overture from A Life For The Tsar.

Even after Glinka found success, careers in music, especially as a composer, were not readily available. Mily Alexeyevich Balakirev, a St. Petersburg pianist who was inspired by Glinka’s success, sought to encourage a new generation of Russian composers. He gathered around him four individuals who enjoyed music as a hobby and nothing more. First was César Cui, an army officer, Modest Mussorgsky, who worked for the post office, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a naval officer, and Alexander Borodin, a doctor and chemist. Altogether, they became known as The Five or The Mighty Handful. They taught themselves composition by playing music from ever great composer and had lively discussions about the workings of musical form, function, and style.

In contrast to what Peter The Great attempted in the 1700s, The Five maintained and even expanded, the Russian style of music. In the playlist, be sure to listen to Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances and Rimsky-Korsokov’s Flight of the Bumblebee and Scheherezade. 

As Halloween approaches, I will be sure to include a post highlighting Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain. In part two this week, I will highlight Tchaikovsky and some Russian composers from the 1900s.