Mussorgsky (Rovolt Musician Biographies Series)

Author: Hans Christoph von Wuthenow
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-31
Features: ig">Mussorgsky, Modest (1839.3.21—1881.3.28) was one of the famous Russian composers in the 19th century who created works based on Russian folk songs. His songs and operas are characterized by realism, with vivid character portrayals that deeply reflect Russian life. His musical language is bold and unique, with distinctive and concise harmonies and orchestration. Although his works are not numerous, they have had a profound influence on later composers. His father was a landlord, and his great-grandmother was a serf. He claimed that listening to his nurse tell Russian mythological stories in his childhood was his greatest creative motivation. His mother was an excellent pianist, and he learned piano from her, being able to play simple piano pieces by Liszt by the age of 7. In 1849, he went to St. Petersburg with his father and entered the Peter and Paul School, preparing for a career in the military. At the same time, he studied music with Glinka. In 1852, he entered the Imperial Guard Cadet School, where he began to compose and developed a deep interest in literature, history, painting, philosophy, science, astronomy, and theology. In 1856, he became a second lieutenant in the guard and met the composer Borodin. That same winter, he was exposed to Glinka's music, further deepening the Russian influence in his works. Later, he joined's circle and left the military to dedicate himself to music. In 1866, he composed a set of songs about ordinary people, and his creative style gradually matured. In 1868, he began working on the vocal cycle "The Nursery" and composed music for Pushkin's play "The Marriage" for the first act. In 1869, he wrote the opera "Boris Godunov" based on Pushkin's work, but the Imperial Theater rejected it. The second draft was completed in August 1872 and premiered in St. Petersburg in February 1874. In 1872, he lived with Rimsky-Korsakov. Later, he met the poet Kutuzov, who inspired him to write two sets of melancholic vocal cycles, "Sunless" (1874) and "Dance of Death" (1875–1877). In 1865, his mother passed away, and Rimsky-Korsakov, who had been living with him, married and left in 1872, leaving him lonely and struggling with alcoholism. He left behind an unfinished opera manuscript, "Khovanshchina," which was later completed by Rimsky-Korsakov.