MASTER S OF R USSIAN MUSIC

R I M S K Y K O R S A K O F

M M O N TAG U NATHAN .

D UF F I E L D A ND C O M PAN Y

"fl 1' 5UU UU'l' lUN

CAR EER

PART II

AS OPER ATIC C OMPOSER

IN STR UMENTAL AN D VOCAL C OMP OSITION S

APPENDI"

OPER ATIC SYN OP SE S

W OR K S

R IMSKY - KOR SAKOF

INTRODUCTI ON — S TUDENTS of Slavon ic Literature a subj ect that deserves the earnest attention of allwho would under — stand Russian music are aware that the poets of the first quarter of the nineteenth century were for the most part in revolt against the then prevalent worship of Classicism in art , and that with the early works of Pushkin a movement aiming at the enthronement of

Nationalism was initiated . The parallel force in music can hardly be called a movement , since the prime mover was a man who , at i a moment when isolated from nationalistic nfluences , stumbled upon the truth by accident . Michael i ink s l Ivanov ch Gl a , listening to mu ic in Italy , sudden y became possessed by an intense longing for a kind of of e music that would speak to him his nativ land . At that moment he had little more than his profound love of for ni e music to help him , his tech cal knowl dge was i of of the scantiest . His conv ction that the music the — People a vast though neglected store of melody

ul of - u co d be used as the basis art m sic was sufficient . ’ The result of Glin ka s effort has been acclaimed by 8 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF

of several generations , and his fame as the composer for A Life the Tsar is ever on the increase . But it was not until the fifties that Russian musical nationalis m really became a movement . Active pro pagan da did n ot begin until that fateful evening when Mli Alexe evich Balakiref the two young reformers , i y es and C ar Antonovich Cui , met at a concert in of Petrograd , and agreed that in the foundation a national Russian Music they had a common cause

worthy of their labours . It was then that the first word of a glorious page in Russian musical history was or written . Their activities were more less limited until r Borodin and Moussorgsky joined in thei deliberations , and the campaign was not fully launched until the great

- t f mi k . . S asso Dar o s art critic , V V , and the composer g j y , s whose reputation was already establi hed , associated s them elves with the little band . on e Curiously enough it was the last recruit , and the e who l ast musically educated , was destined to achieve more for Russian musical nationalism than any of his

s - or akof comr ades . When young Rim ky K s joined the group he had nothing to contribute beyond an en thu sia m n s for the joi t ideal . His technical understanding

’ of the art of music was virtually m l he had heard n ot comparatively little , and he did possess the saving grace that gave Moussorgsky a certain power among

—a for - them gift piano playing . Like Glinka , he regarded the national ideal as something affectin g him

’ erson all an d l p yfi profoundly . If anything cou d bring in to action the creative faculty he felt v rs it INTRODUCTION 9

this need for the expression of the Soul of Rus sia in its — mus ic the chief topic of discussion among the Five . s Balakiref Dar omi sk Hi torians relate that in and g j y , “ ll w e both persona y kno n to Glinka , the fath r of Russian Opera saw the upholders of the tradition

he had founded . Events have proved that the young of naval cadet , who thought the composer of A Life for the Tsar rather as a god than as a mortal , was the on e on whose shoulders the mantle of Glinka

For Rims ky- K orsakof was by nature both a nation i s . al t and a propagandist He was , moreover , a was o s thorough Russian in another sense . He p sses ed of the spirit that drives a man to undertake the ap n l o s pare t y imp ssible . And thi faculty has saved both himself and the cause he represented from destruction of at the hands a reactionary opposition . Begging the o con tra is questi n in the argument National m , its opponents never tired of referring to the technical

To i - K ors kof deficiencies of its advocates . this R msky a nl on e Al z d found o y answer possible . ready recogni e l as a gifted composer , he addressed himse f to an of arduous course technical study , from which he eventually emerged with so great a mastery as to arouse the envy of the most exp erienced and respected

c o of . omp ser his day , Tchaikovsky Henceforth Nationalism was to be free of the stigma of being — advocated by dilettanti its future was assured . The naval offi cer had become a musician at whose technical a i ttainments none could cav l . 10 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF

But his respect for the original ideal was not in any degree impaired by the eru dition with which his studies u had endowed him . J st as the poets of the previous c of i e century , prior to the re onstruction the mut lat d e ui r Russian tongue , had be n obliged to eq p thei e stringl ss lyre before it could be used , so had Rimsky K orsakof been confronted wi th the task of cons tructing in his own personal medium of expression . Hav g e n acquir d the means , he proved his worthiness to attai the end by showing that the hardly- won instrument was in the hands of a true bard .

That Rims ky- K orsakof was a poet no on e can doubt of who has read his impressions the ocean , recorded

u . when , as a naval cadet , he cruised in the so thern seas ’ f They recall Gogols famous descriptions o the steppes . l ff of Yet whi e a poet , he was not lacking in the stu which reformers are made . When quite a youth he was proud to number himself

- among the champions of free thought , and he found scope for its advocacy among his comrades aboard the — clipper in which he made his tour of the world some of them being inclined to uphold the old régime of n of serfdom and obscurantism . Readi g these dis cussions on e of n , is reminded the you g Krapotkin , of who at about the same time , while a member the of s Imperial Corps Pages , was awakening to a consciou wi sympathy th liberal principles . Fortunately for the composer he was able to envelop his protests in a veil that was but rarely penetrated of r by the eye authority , though he did not altogethe INTRODUCTION 11

e s escape c nsure . He became embroiled in the trouble of 190 5 when pleading for the self - government he deemed necessary to the future welfare of the s e Petrograd Con ervatoire , ov r which he was then presidin g ; and it was not for nothing that the students “ ” chose the symbolical K ashchei as the opera to be performed at the complimentary gathering held in his u hono r . e Yet his was not in the least a pugnacious charact r , and his music would as well have represented a man who held that the function of music began and ended of with the expression beauty .

It has , however , done far more than that . In his

fifteen operas Rims ky- K orsakof has collected all the

of - elements art nationalism . He has taken the folk tales of Pushkin from the fireside and has brought n them i to the theatre , where an assembly may be made free of them ; he has rescued the folk- song from the printed volume in which it had but an ethnological ni m sig ficance , and has given it back to those fro e whom it came . He has revealed the sourc s from which the all - pervading spirituality of the Russian

People has sprung , and has introduced into his music n of dramas a vast amou t episodic material that . as a s of of i mean playing upon the emotions his aud ence,

as ff - or - is just e ective as any folk song fairy tale . “ own In his words he has listened to the People , and has restored to them their own product embellished of by the touch the artist . k we The People are the creators , said Glin a , RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

of imsk arrangers . The output . R kof forbids the use of such a as arran g

re- to describe it . His art is a creation , ai bstan ce is tran sfigured the of his i i n o . P A R T I

CAREER

I .

NIK OLAI AN D R E YEVI CH R IMSK Y- K OR SAK OF was born 6th 1844 vi Go on March , at Tikh n , in the vern of of ment Novgorod . The early signs musical aptitude show n by the child cannot have come as a great sur

s to s to pri e his parents , ince they were accustomed enliven a rather dull provincial life wi th musical pursuits of a more or less elementary nature . Hi s father , a retired civil Governor and landed proprietor , n played the piano pretty well , and his fi gers , if a l of little ha ting , were capable giving a fairly good account of his favourite tunes from such operas as ’ “ ” “ “ Mehul s Joseph , Tancredi , and The Magic ” i Flute . In her youth his mother had been a pian st whose defects were more conspicuous than her qualities ; on e of — a in to the former tendency , when sing g , — son reduce the speed of the song was inherited by her .

was who She had a brother who musically gifted and , i although entirely untra ned , was able to play quite a f number o piano pieces by ear . The youngster ’s first practical demonstration of musical sensibility was his manipulation of a drum I 3 l4 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF stick ; with this instrument he showed himself capable ’ of keeping accurate time to his father s performance on the piano , despite frequent deliberately executed of variations rhythm and tempo . Before receiving any serious instruction he discovered that he possessed the faculty of absolute Wh old en six years he began to learn the piano .

His first teacher was an elderly lady who lived near by , for o She taught the little fellow ab ut two years , at the close of which time she confessed herself at of The the end her tutorial resources . avowal was as n ot opportune as it was frank . The lad had found her tuition at all inspiring ; from his own account we learn that so far he had not experienced any conscious for — he l ness of a love music mere y tolerated it , dis playing a moderate diligence in his studies . He was now placed under the gu idance of a governess attached to a neighbouring family , and during the next three years made s olid progress . On her depar ture a year or so later she left him to the care of the o young lady in whose family she had been empl yed . of n At the end the ensui g three years , at the age of of ous twelve , he passed through the first two seri crises in his musical career . It has been said that the boy had not up to this for time displayed any considerable liking music .

He was much fonder of child - like games than of

I n after life h e d eclared that his ear had b ecom e very m u ch impaired owin g to the difi eren ce in the pitches adopted by t he orchestras of the C on servat oire an d the Imperial Chapel . CAREER 15

si for mu c , and the passion mimicry was particularly noticeable . Neither he nor his parents had ever dreamed of the possibility of his becoming a great

s ur mu ician , and his demeanour in childhood was nat ally regarded as being normal and healthy . He was parti c ularly fond of th ose games in which there was plenty ” f for o of - o scope the imitati n grown ups .

His parents intended him to follow a naval career . His elder brother and his uncle were both in the

Service , and the time was drawing near when he would enter the Petrograd Naval College . The letters n ow written home by his brother , a lieutenant , had played upon his imagination , and these , together with of some books travel , aroused in him an ardent desire ’ for a sailor s life .

for Curiously enough , it was a love not so much music as for mimicry which was instrumental in con vin cin g the boy that he was the possessor of musical ability beyond the common , and in preserving the seed of the plant that in due season blossomed forth so The wondrously . impulse that drove young Nikolai to don paper spectacles and dismember a watch prompted him to play at being a composer . His youthful attempts at composition were regarded by th ose around him with the same degree of amuse ment as his horological experiments ; there can be o s little doubt , h wever , that his attitude towards mu ic subsequent to his arrival (in 1856) at the Naval College would have been very different but for this apparently o f unimp rtant experience of the function o composing . 16 RIMSKY- K ORSAK OF

II .

Mi gration from the coun try to the capital brought with it opportunities of hearin g music in the larger ’ of forms . With some friends his brother s , the

olovi n s - K orsakof G , young Rimsky frequently visited the Opera ; he took a fancy to Lucia and Robert , and was immediately impressed by the stirring scenes r and mu sic in A Life for the Tsar . He was pa ti

ularl R usslan c y pleased with and Ludmilla , and was not a little concerned to discover that so few of Eu his friends agreed wi th him as to its merits . on e of s raptured with the Persian music , the mo t ’ l for popu ar features of this Opera , he arranged it cello

a - n and pi no , and played it in this home made versio with an acquaintance . His o of ch ice instruments needs explanation . The removal to Petrograd had of course necessitated a change of teacher . On settling down at the college ’ ‘ w he began to take lessons ith a cellist named Ulich ,

of Alexan drin sk a member the y Theatre orchestra . The pupil does not appear to have greatly respected ’ li s his master s abi ties . But the occasional visit to the theatre prevented a total dis appearance of his interest n in mu sic . The youth felt himself becomi g fascinated by the art ; yet he was quite satisfied with his own

- music making . at this time that of the most primitive l us e own teur . ama To his words , he was merely ” trifling with it . CAREER 17

He would probably have gone on triflin g for the of i n ot l rest his l fe had it happened that U ich , after

some years of altogether desultory instruction , induced the young student to seek a teacher better qualified o to guide him . So it was that t wards the close of his

r K an illé - wn fou th year at college , , a well kno and us n n a to esteemed m icia , was e g ged take his musical

education in hand . Under the new master the smouldering interes t soon f burst into a flame o enthusiasm . Encouraged by K anillé to ss s , he began make some e ays in compo ition of a more ambitious kind than any he had hitherto was i of attempted . He nitiated into the mysteries the of orchestra , and the elementary technique its consti tuen ts m e was explained to him . From Ka ill Rimsky k f of alakir f K ors a o heard for the first time B e . What a shock it must have been to the buddin g c of or ss omposer when , after a year more le serious study , just at the moment , in fact when he had begun of to loosen the bonds complete ignorance , his elder l brother , who natura ly enough regarded music as merely a p astime and looked upon a moderate proficiency in

- i u ltima thu le of piano play ng as the every amateur , announ ced that m his Opinion n o further lessons could

s K an illé i n - possibly be nece sary , while bow g to this d u s to ecree , ref sed to allow the lesson be interrupted , ffi a ul and they were continued uno ci lly and , it wo d s eem , gratuitously . 186 1 e On a memorable day in November , , mast r and u s ll on Balakiref p pil a ied forth together to call , 2 His h progressive . early association wit whose education had been anything but gave him at the begin ning of his musical utlook upon the art that was to become for acteristic of the New Russian School as

III .

nsk - K orsakof of y , a lad seventeen , ignorant n bl". the fu damental theoretic principles of 1 art , but nevertheless devoted to it , now self accepted and welc omed as the latest zst r disciple of modernism . The small ci cle sician s n so for , desti ed to become famous of y nationalism and progress , was not yet

é five years had elapsed since C sar Cui , £50 had come from Vilna to enter the

School of Military Engineering , had been

— - by Dargomijsky then a well known — l iref m oser Ba ak . p to Their first meeting ,

20 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF notorious reactionary tendencies ; they may be reckoned rather to have awakened in him a desire to probe more ’ deeply into the mysteries of Beethoven s last creative i of e phase , and to acqu re a wide knowledge cont m porary musical currents .

or - Cui was also more less a self taught musician . But the third recruit to the modernist movement was ho on e w , despite a sound early training , never ceased of his energetic repudiation traditional methods . The views of Modeste Moussorgsky are n o longer in need of for championship , they have received the endorsement of the entire musical world . Upwards of a year after the inauguration of the Balaki ref Cui e weekly meetings between and , the latt r brought with him on e evening the young guardsman ’ ar omi sk s ou whom he had met at D g j y h se . As a of of R ussalka o friend the composer , M ussorgsky was already known to a section of musical society in K orsakof o of Petrograd , and had heard s mething him

n i l from K a lé . s n of his The e . then , were the companio s leisure hours during the period of his studies at the Naval

College . He was deeply impressed by this totally strange

musical envir onment . Satisfied himself that the art of music could not flourish without progress , he had been grieved to find so little acquiescence in his views w Balakiref among the outside world . Once ithin the

Circle , he perceived that not only did these sentiments of form the foundation the accepted creed , but that CAREER 2 1 his new associates evinced a disregard for traditionalism that was as refreshing as it was daring . — Rimsky K orsakof was also profoun dly influenced of Balakiref by the conspicuous musical gifts , who in turn took a considerable interest . in his young disciple . for At his suggestion the material a symphony , the fruit of a fir st attempt to apply the principles of ’ K an illé s teachings , was put into shape , and additions thereto were made under his watchful eye .

A rude interruption was , however , to disconcert the novice j ust at the moment when for the first time he felt himself likely to become an influence in the world of

His n ow music . college course being at an end , he had or on to spend two three years an ocean cruise . When i to Almaz l his appo ntment the arrived , he did his evel best to induce his brother to allow him to relinquish s effort n the naval career . But thi . though receivi g

o of Balakiref who the sanction and supp rt , was greatly r n l upset at the impending ruptu e , was u avai ing , and

his after spending the summer at Kronstadt , where was out for ship being fitted the cruise , he bade a rather sorrowful good - bye to his musical friends on 19th 1 62 Two 8 . A z October , days later the lma put o ut to sea .

IV .

As may well be imagined , the long foreign cruise ’ contributed very little to Rimsky- K orsakof s musical development though , as has been conjectured by more on e of than writer , the wonderful tonal pictures the 22 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF

n Sadko sea , pai ted by him in such works as and Sheherazade im , were undoubtedly inspired by n pressions gai ed afloat . His musical experiences h during the cruise were few . W ile at Gravesend, for o where the ship remained four m nths , he made " to an operatic pilgrimage Covent Garden ; later , r of t in du ing a stay some three mon hs New York , he heard two operas that had already a warm place in ” ff a his a ections , namely , Robert and F ust . He occasionally played the piano for the entertainmen t of his mess - mates and guests ; and he rec ords the per forman ce of w some duets ith an American pilot , a s violini t .

The passion for composition quickly grew cold . The for s o un i Andante the ymph ny , beg before leav ng ’ Balakiref s Russia , and continued at written suggestion

o of s while at anchor in the m uth the Thame , appears to have been the only instance of creative work of any permanent value during the whole voyage T

Rimsky- K orsakof began his cruise in a spirit of

deep chagrin at being torn willy - n illy from his musical s Th e o of activitie and associates . professi n the sea to never appealed very forcibly him , but it is plain — that the pleasures of sight seeing and of making

In a e e a e J an u a 2oth 18 63 the e seem s l tt r d t d ry , , writ r ’ at a l oss adequ ately to express his disdain of H oward Glover s ” mus to u as ic R y Bl . TThe c orrespon den ce between B alakiref an d R imsky K orsakof n o in ou se of u a on revea s a se e a , w c r p blic ti , l th t v r l ’ o s a o a ten tative effort s were su bmitted for th e f rm er ppr v l. CAREER 23 acquaintance with distant lands and seas afforded him

so o by the voyage proved a fairly effective con lati n . As time went on he thought less and less about his to is whilom desire embrace the musical calling . H indifference to an Italian opera that was being played at Nice , where he made a break in the homeward n ot i journey , is perhaps as sign ficant as it appears at r n on n fi st sight , but it is certai that reachi g his native ’ shores , after nearly three years absence , his regret that his travels were at an end was almost as keen as had been the s orrow caus ed by his enforced renuncia o n tion of music . According to his w description he — was now content to remain merely an officer dilet ” to o os tante , in whom every ambition become a c mp er u h had been exting is ed .

It was lack of self - knowledge that led the retu rned o s to i wanderer to imagine his aspirati n have w thered . They were on ly dried up through being deprived so u s long of the m sical atmosphere neces ary to them , and n o s ooner did he begin once more to frequent the society of his musician friends than they revived . During his absence the condition of music in Balakir o . ef Petrograd had c nsiderably improved ,

of the with the assistance Lomakin , had founded Free

of i ou School Music , and a v sit from Wagner had ar sed great enthusiasm in the Russian capital . The Balakiref Circle had secu red a valuable recruit in Por h rievich Alexander p y Borodin , at that time a of n professor chemistry at the Academy of Medici e , and they were n ow often j oined in their deliberations 2 4 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF

Stassof t by other interested individuals , being the mos

i s - orsakof frequent v s itor . Borodin and Rim ky K appear to have dispensed with the usual probationary of to period acquaintanceship , and have at once

firm s Th e as on r become friend . latter w more o less

o s s s intimate terms with M us org ky , but his relation with Balakiref and Cui were in the nature of a con ditio u i i l i of s p p ll . Cui had late y obta ned the post mu ical n o critic o the staff of a Petr grad journal . ’ s —K orsakof s s of Rim ky first musical ta k , set him , B alakiref was s of course , by , to put the fragment the o o s Balakiref neglected symph ny int hape . proposed

o o s to pr duce the w rk , when finished , at the concert connected with the Free School which were held under o s his conduct r hip .

The symphony was duly completed and rehearsed , n 19 18 65 was o . and performed December th , The s s audience , sympathetic toward the mu ic , became still more favourably disposed when its plau dits were o n o ackn wledged by a you g officer in unif rm . The of bu t main body the press was merely amiable , Cui a wrote a ch racteristic notice in which he contrived , as his o his o for u was w nt , to show c ntempt R binstein , ’ “ He spoke of his young frien d s work as the first ” s Ru ssian ymphony ever written . of n the Despite a repetition the success whe , in o following spring , the symph ny was conducted by the

of L adof father the popular composer y , the young sailor was n ot inspired to make an immediate addition to the single example standing to his credit . CAREER 25'

Early in the summer , however , he conceived the idea of n on s writi g an overture Ru sian themes , suggested to him by the now well - know n work of Balakiref ; but beyond the selection of three themes nothing was done until after the summer holiday , which he spent

sh W yachting . On coming a ore he got speedily to ork ,

“ u was and rapidly completed his overt re . It performed ’ under Balakiref s direction at the Free School in the i follow ng December . ’ Rimsky- K orsakof s account of the double life he

’ B alakiref cciteri led at this time is amusing . By the e he was looked upon as having a moderate gift for com s a his position , but a deficient piani tic cap city . In brother ’s social circle and among his naval friends he

o was had quite a reputati n as a pianist , and much respected both for his knowledge of and judgments “ s i upon erious music , and for his creative abil ty . The Balakiref Circle was kept in ignorance of the compliments paid to the versatile young officer by the outside world .

V .

' o 18 66 - K orsakof Fr m the year , which found Rimsky s in talled in furnished rooms in Petrograd , the young ’ composer s renewal of enthusiasm for music may be said n of to date . He was ow enlarging his circle musical — ‘ acquaintances a circle which embraced a number of

s n s of ~ the most di tinguished you g arti ts the day . In these surroundings he became rapidly an couran t with i s of o the do ng the Petr grad musical world . 2 6 —K OR SAK OF RIMSKY .

’ Balakiref s encouragement did not cease , and the “ leader of the Invincible Band showed a decided u 1866 partiality for his yo ng disciple . Early in the former began to take an interest in the Southern Slav n movement , then newly established , and in anticipatio of the projected visit of the committee to Petrograd h e invited Rimsky- K orsakof to write a Fantasia on i Serbian themes , undertak ng to give a concert in honour of the event and to compose for it an Overture The on Czech melodies . two works were duly per in a in . formed the May follow g The Serbian Fantasi ,

to o o t which is dedicated B rodin , appears to be an is la ed instance of the employmen t of Serbian folk - tu nes in s art mu ic .

18 6 - K orsakof S n n Early in 7 Rimsky pent an eve i g , Balakiref Shestakof thanks to , with Ludmilla , the

s of - devoted si ter Glinka . On this red letter day he u of Dar omi sk made the acq aintance g j y , then at work “ - o s . upon his ep ch making opera , The Stone Gue t On his subsequ ent visits to the h ouse he was often

disappointed to find that card - games had a greater

attraction for the company than music . But there f r s of were compensations o this di play frivolity , and on on e occasion the sin gin g of the much esteemed K armalin vocalist L . I . encouraged him to try his

- hand at song writing . The beautiful Oriental

Romance justifies his satisfaction with the resu lt . At this time he became quite attached to Mous

s or sk u u g y . They met freq ently , and exchanged m sical o ideas with greater freedom , it seems , than was p ssible

2 8 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

The con stitution of a national music was n ot “ ” o of the sole pre ccupation the Five . The invasion of ss Ru ia by alien musicians , invited by the reigning of u monarchs the eighteenth cent ry , which had left on u s s had its mark R ssian mu ical ta te , provoked the revolt of the Invincible Band against foreign for o music in general . But in pleading the h me to o of product , they were fully alive the imp rtance securing for Russian music a respect of which a certain of n ot kind foreign music had been altogether worthy . Not the leas t significant item in their agenda was the restor ation of Opera to the place of dignity from wi to s s which it had fallen o ng the licence anctioned , in

s n as as o con tructio well in perf rmance , by the Italians . The question of the reconstitution of Opera was eagerly and earnestly canvassed by the young Russian s an d reformer , they eventually arrived at an agreement was n o r upon certain fixed principles . Opera longe to be a performance designed solely for the glorifi ca o of tion of mel dy and the gratification the singer . Instead of consisting of a series of musical and choreo graphic items loosely strung together by a plot that was on ly tolerated as a c onnecting link in the entertainment , Opera was henceforth to be a dignified of dramatic art . Some the reforms mooted were of rather a drastic order when considered fro m the stand point of a public that was accustomed to every kind of indulgence ; but a determination to make n o con cessions to the worldly taste of the old fashioned CAREER 2 9

- on e of opera goer was the first points agreed upon . The primary consideration was to be that of the

s - dignity of Opera . Mu ic drama was to be an art in which the two c onstituents could be considered as on to e equal terms . The plot was no longer be int r ru ted of of p in order to allow the introduction a ballet , or of o i n o a chorus , a v cal melody hav ng bearing of upon the dramatic content the work . These things were to enter into the scheme only when the dramatic to situation demanded their presence . Music was be n or of neither the slave the tyrant Drama . The two , of s to u by means a perfect partner hip , were b ild up an art that would compel the attention and command

of n the respect the artist and of the thinki g public . These principles were founded upon reason and not u so pon an existing model . But they appealed forcibly to Dargomijsky that he proposed to undertake an opera that would conform to them . Feeling that the advice of the young reformers might be of considerable assistance to him , he suggested that the Circle should henceforth meet at his house , and the musical setting ’ of Pushkin s version of the Statue epis ode from Don ’ Juan was proceeded with (in Rimsky- K orsakof s

un our words ) der very eyes . “ ” on The Stone Guest , hailed its completion as “ ” Cui— s their gospel , and styled by the hi torian of the group the keystone of the New Russian z s Opera , did not , however , monopoli e their evening ; on songs and symphonic music , rendered the piano , also played a part . At one of them Rimsky - K orsakof began a friendship 30 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF

was to — The that destined become a life partnership . s Pour old th e two sister , Alexandra and Nadejda g , of as latter whom he married , were by no means the le t ’ D ar omi sk s active among g j y musical set . Alexandra was o a singer who t ok her art very seriously , while

fin e - s Nadejda was a pianist and all round mu ician . Towards the end of the S prin g ( 1868) he met the rest Pour old i a of the g fam ly , and to his great satisf ction it was arranged that meetin gs sh ould occasionally be i held at the r house . ’ About this time Rimsky- K orsakof s attention was o directed once more towards the writing of. a symph nic of Balakiref s work . At the suggestion and Moussorg ky

s n he began the now celebrated ymphonic suite A tar , s n of en kovsk s s ba ed upon the lege d S y . The ugge tion ’ of an Opera having Mey s The Maid of Pskof as its n sou dramatic fou dation emanated from the same rce . n n to fir t Devoti g himself with e ergy the st projec , he composed the second and third movement of Antar S of 18 68 during the pring , the remainder following a or two u month later . D ring the summer he spent a n good deal of time in the cou try . The rural environ s n ment proved extremely in piri g , and he brought back with him some music illu strative of folk - customs th of and ceremonials intended for e first act his opera . ’ A visit to the Pourgolds coun try home was also s n musically productive . Two o gs , Night and ” The Secret , were composed , and he dedicated them ’ of the to the two sisters . The source composer s n o inspiration was probably secret . CAREER 3 1

VII .

s When in the autumn the Circle resumed its meeting , two works of absorbing interest were ready for in

tion The com spec . Stone Guest was virtually lete p , and was played over to the little gathering . ’ ’ “ Moussor sk s Go ols The The second , g y setting of g ” o Matchmaker , in which the comp ser had been guided Dar omi sk by the same ideals as g j y , excited no little s of t s a tonishment . The music followed the text hi e prose comedy word for word . Every note in the scor was devoted either to the reflection of the sentiment of its literary substance or to the pantomimic notation dramatis erson ce Of the gestures and demeanour of the p . Apparently the Circle was somewhat alarmed at this

o f th roughgoing application o its Principles . Even Dargomijsky thought that his dis ciple had gone a too of little far , but the composer The Stone Guest was highly pleased with the general conception of the work . ’ The latter s health had for some time been failing , and he was n ot able much longer to afford hospitality 1869 in to his young adherents . Early in he died , leav g ins tructions that the incomplete portions of his opera in i en should be filled by Cui , its orchestration be ng

i - K orsakof trusted to R msky . 18 69 r c In March , , Antar was given its fi st publi ’ performance at on e of the Russian Musical Society s concerts . It was warmly received by the audience , ‘ — 3 2 RIMSKY K OR SAK OF but a hard - dying antipathy to the programmatic idea c aused the Suite to be unacceptable to some of the

- of old fashioned critics . The members the Circle were well accustomed to an opposition on all points that

- Cui on came from the anti nationalist camp , and , the ’ former s behalf , was generally prepared with a critical n Roland for every Oliver sent forth by their antago ists . ’ Cui s position was on occasion rendered somewhat difficult by his dual activity as critic and c omposer . It was in order to cope with a delicate situation that

Rimsky - K orsakof c onsented to try his hand at musical i ’ journalism . Napravn k s Citizens of Nijni was to s Mar in sk s be taged at the y y Theatre , and as thi con

ductor - composer was just then occupied in preparing ’ “ ” "for o of a perf rmance Cui s Opera William Ratcliff , th e latter was particularly anxious to avoid expressing an opinion which he imagined must be unfavou r able ’ ’ - upon Napravn ik s work . Rimsky K orsakof s article o o u up n the pera , coupled with a e logistic notice of “ o a William Ratcliff which followed sh rtly fter , r esulted in creating a coolness between himself and " Napravnik which was lifelong . There are many examples of collaborative music f among the literature o the modern Russian School . The notion seems to have originated with a specimen o f our joint composition , with which subject was now f . Gede n o called upon to busy himself o , the Director O f the Imperial Theatres , desired to mount a composite

Both n otices are to be foun d in the p u bli shed volume of ’ R ims - K orsa of n s ky k s writi g . CAREER 3 3

of - l work in the form an opera ballet , to be cal ed f . o Mlada The plot , derived from the chronicles f to o . . the Polabian Slavs , was be in the hands V A Krilof to , and the four acts were be set to music by

- in K orsakof. Cui , Borod , Moussorgsky , and Rimsky on The production was conceived , however , rather too

generous a scale , and when the four composers had completed the greater part of their labours the enter f prise was suddenly abandoned owing to want o funds .

But its music , though shelved , was not altogether

abandoned , and a considerable portion of it was made u se of later in various ways by its respective composers . Rimsky - K orsakof had entered into the undertaking s on on e hi s with much ze t , and had put side work both on the orchestration of The Stone Guest and his “ ” o wn Pskof. opera , The Maid of This he was now of 187 0 able to resume , and by the end the summer of he had completed the former , had made considerable e t additions to the latter , and had found tim also o write some new songs .

VIII .

The periodical evenings , interrupted by the death

Dar omi sk of g j y , had since that event been held either ’ f r r s at the house of Mme Shestako o at the Pou gold . of Pour old A further death , that Mme g , once more caused the gatherings to be suspended for a time . In f 187 1 the summer o the family moved into the country , but were suffi ciently near to Petrograd to receive con ’ s stant visits from Nadejda Nikolaevn a suitor . The 3 34 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF latter was again hard at work upon The Maid of ” Pskof d , and had completed a goo ly portion of the f orchestral score o his opera . D u n the s u r will ri g ummer occ red an event which , as s was se be een , destined completely to alter the cour

‘ ’ f - r f o Rimsky K o sako s musical career . Fortified by ’ ff the Circle s indi erence to academical training , he had hitherto been content to rely almost entirely upon s musical instinct . One can but marvel at his boldnes in accepting the task of orchestrating The Stone ” Guest , despite his want of experience in this depart ment . Bu t e Azan chevsk wh n y , the newly appointed of s Director the Petrograd Con ervatoire , actually Offered him a post as professor of composition and s o the n o s of orche trati n , and co duct r hip the orchestral a s class in th t in titution , he realized that his profound ignorance of theoretical matters could no longer be tolerated . His own account of his feelin gs in regard to the f acceptance o the post is highly amusing . He felt

n o of of that to k w nothing counterpoint , little the

s of of s principle harmony , to be ignorant the very name of of the intervals , to have but the sketchiest idea of instrumentation and no experience conducting , might prove a little awkward for a professional musi

ian . c And he recognized that , as a professor of the s s a s subject he found him elf invited to te ch , these gap t in his equipment might easily place him in a very ti invidious posi on .

3 6 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF The two composers seem to have arranged their work exceedingly well . Moussorgsky was occupied ” Godoun of just then with Boris , and The Maid f Psk f f o o was in process o orchestration . But matters were so well adjusted that their partnership caused them no inconvenience . This proximity enabled them to of make a free exchange ideas , and their room

- became a meeting place for the Circle .

But the arrangement was n ot of long duration . ’ K orsakof s Intercourse , interrupted in the first place by journey to Italy , where his brother had died , and then to Pour old by his formal engagement Nadejda g , became less and less frequent . The prospective bridegroom spent every spare moment with his betrothed .

187 2 of Pskof In January , , The Maid was ready

for . publication It had first , however , to be sub mitted who to the Censor , took exception to certain of passages savouring republicanism , and also to the appearance of Ivan the Terrible on the stage . He

o I . sheltered himself behind a decree issued by Nich las , but considerately furnished an explanation to the effect that the spectacle of a Tsar bursting forth into song was not calculated to promote the dignity of monarchy ’ Through the interference of on e of the composer s highly placed naval friends , the objection was finally u waived , and the opera received the favo rable consider f f s ation o the directorate o the Maryin ky Theatre .

But another claim had first to be satisfied , and in thefollowing month the now fully orchestrated Stone

Guest was mounted . The cast for the occasion CAREER 3 7 was beyond cavil ; but the success of this extraordinary opera (which contained neither chorus nor ballet , and was dubbed by on e critic a recitative in three acts —probably due to the excellence of its interpretation

— n ot - was long lived , and The Stone Guest dis appeared , after a few performances , from the repertory . In the early summer of this notable year Rimsky K orsakof , deserting his comrade , took a small room near to the country house in which his fi an cée was living . On June 3 oth they inaugurated their long and happy married life , Moussorgsky officiating as best man . The honeymoon was spent in Switzerland and Northern Italy .

u e In the aut mn the pair s ttled in Petrograd , w s the musical meetings ere once more re umed , and preparations were made for staging The Maid of ”

f 187 3 . Psko . This took place in January, The inter

retation p was in good hands , the best singers of the n ow time were engaged , and the part associated with

Shalyapin was rendered by the famous Petrof. The opera achieved a very considerable success , meeting , however , with the usual carping criticism from the

- ever dissatisfi ed opposition . Meanwhile things had not been going very well wi th Balakiref the Circle as a collective institution . , already under the sway of the religious mysticism that was eventually to render him almost a fanatic , was very rarely seen in musical society , and his where ab outs had become the subject of considerable specu lation among his fellow - members of the Invi ncible 3 8 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

’ " - f . K orsako s Band Mme Rimsky sister had married , l en thu and no onger attended the meetings , and the siasm f f ffi o some o their uno cial adherents had cooled .

But Moussorgsky , busy with Khovanshchina , on tass f Borodin , at work Prince Igor , and S o ,

- k f . K orsa o remained faithful Rimsky , occupied with c x the omposition of a third symphony , was e periencing considerable difficu lty owing to an anxiety to introduce — therein a contrapu ntal interest a desire that it was ” not yet in his power to gratify without tears .

Soon after the successfu l production of his opera , the fates smiled once more upon the composer . He was invited to fillthe newly - created post of Inspector of Naval Bands , a billet that involved the entire supervision of musicians and of music associated with the Service throughou t the Empire . This appoint ment , which he accepted , brought him a very welcome f addition to his income . It was also productive o good results in the same way as his Conservatoire to u professorship . He resolved acq ire a thorough a f knowledge of the military band . Procuring set o wi nd instruments , he set to work during the summer , u spent as usual in the co ntry , and after astonishing s the natives to a considerable degree , he ucceeded in Obtaining a practical mastery as well as a fairly sound f theoretical knowledge o them . Brought up as he was in a circle in which vi rtually nothing was known of such

Alexan a our old e ame the e of A m a o as f dr P g b c wif d ir l M l , who was in comman d of the warship P etrop avlovsk when she w a n n s su k by a J apan ese mi e. CAREER 3 9 t n t hings , it does o seem at all strange that at the very outset of his studies he shou ld have proposed to him self the compilation of a textbook on the subject . — Its subsequent outcome the posthumously published Treatise on Instrumentation— is a work from which the present generation of musicians in Russia is profit in f g very greatly . In justification o his acceptance of hi s n eces the post , Memoirs record that he found it sary to exert a fairly severe discipline among the s - everal foreign ban d masters under his control .

IX .

In the following autumn Rimsky - K orsakof was much occupied with his new Inspectorshi p . He devoted a good deal of time to the scoring of works of suitable for the military type orchestra , and busied himself also with a general reorganization . One reform that afforded him no little satisfaction was the installation of native band- masters in positions hitherto

l . invariably held by aliens , principal y German But he was not neglecting his primary vocation . Towards the end of the autumn it was proposed to give a concert

f y - K rsakof in aid o a famine fund . Rimsk o was called upon to conduct , and it was decided that his now c ompleted third symphony should be performed . 187 4 o ff The concert , held in February , , went very happily in the artistic , though not in the financial , s s sen e , and the conductor had every rea on to be satis

fi ed with his initial public experience with the baton . 40 RIMSKY—K OR SAK OF

But the symphony aroused n o great enthusiasm — i among his friends its contrapuntal substance , wh ch

had given so much trouble to the young professor , was

not at all to their taste . Another event of importance punctuated the course ’ f - K rsak f s o this season . Just before Rimsky o o first of s appearance as a conductor , the production Bori Godoun of on Mar in sk took place the y y stage , causing a great deal of excitement among the adherents of s the modern Russian group , and indeed Moussorg ky

was the hero of the hour . The latter part of the season was spent in a tour of s u the Crimea . The naval in pector , having been req ired

t on n ik la ef of o report the ba d at N o y , availed himself s an d this Opportunity to betake him elf , his wife , their i s little son , born in the prev ous ummer , to the choicest

of s an d vi spots Southern Rus ia , the trio sited such of n Alou ka places i terest as p , Yalta , Sevastopol , and

Bakhtchisarai n - s , the Orie tal music of the street player in the last - named town fu rnishin g the composer with

some valu able impressions . On their return he began his first essay in chamber

n in . a music , the stri g quartet F Once gain he found himself the victim of that n ewly acquired knowledge

of counterpoint , and the quartet proved somewhat f s dull . The increasing learnedness o hi music

continu ed to disturb his friends . They were sorely f troubled by this disconcerting result o his studies . The off e ender , perceiving that his increasing knowledg of the musical sciences added greatly to his capacity CAREER 4 1 for enjoying the works of the great masters of the i past , continued to persevere w th his exercises in coun r t te p oin and fugue . Palestrina was n ow for him an Stass f o . idol , an iconoclast

Balakiref . also upbraided him , but only by letter His withdrawal from the musical world had had a disastrous effect upon the Free School ; he had neglected to resign his directorship , which had thus become f 187 merely nominal . In the autumn o 4 Rimsky K orsakof v Balakiref was in ited to take over this post , having apparently been prevailed upon by the com mitt ee to retire . The new director took his duties

u very seriously , and soon inf sed some life into the a aff irs of the Scho ol . In the following March he con u s d cted a cla sical concert , the first held in connec e tion with the institution for three years , and onc more aroused the indignation of his friends by his

s - t hni retrogressive programme . Hi fast growing ec u ff cal eq ipment a orded him , however , ample com p en sation for this unpleasant attitude adopted by them , and during the summer , spent at a country

. house on the Neva , he zealously continued his studies of They soon began to bear good fruit , evidences his prowess being provided in the shape of some choruses for female and mixed voices , piano fugues , and three small pieces for that instrument (op . These exercises seem to have been a source of comfort to the Conservatoire authorities , who hoped that some disquieting rumours circulating as to the ’ professor s want of training might thereby be hushed . «4 2 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF A concili atory effect upon his friends was created by t hesecond of two concerts given under Free School s auspices , in which the programme was exclu ively k f . Bala ire devoted to Russian music , who had lately

di . reappeared in musical circles , was alone ssatisfied He opined that to relegate Russian composers to a native programme might give an impression that Russian music was n ot of sufficient quality to emerge successfully from comparison with the works of the ” famous Westerns . ’ Balakiref s return was of happy augury for his now i . on e established pupil With him came Filippo , a s religiou mystic , whose influence is held responsible ’ Ba a f s for l kire long abstention from musical pursuits .

i l of - Filippo had col ected a number folk songs , and at his invitation Rimsky - K orsakof set about harmonizing s ome forty of these and preparing them for publica

tion . This work prompted him to make a collection f o his own . Of the hundred specimens published a o short time after , many are to be f und as themes in his ’

. Balakiref s operas Further , he was involved in ’ undertaking to edit the scores of Glin ka s two famous o of to peras, in fulfilment a promise made the great ’ f man s sister . His consent to assist Balakire in this r caused severe in oads upon his working hours , but the n e task was a very profitable o , as it afforded him so excellent an opportunity of studying exhaustively the f ” methods of the father o Russian Opera . Not s a of with tanding sudden influx pupils , introduced by Balakiref , he undertook at this time the composition

44 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

of revision his first opera , the idea of writing a second presented itself to the composer . Having discussed the matter with his wife , he resolved to base the work ’ ” Go ols upon g famous tale A Night in May , a story that they had read together on the evening of their

. For s engagement the pre ent , however , he did not propose to interrupt his labours on the revision of f f a o Psko . u The M id And in the aut mn , when , owing to the lapse of the Free School concerts through ff want of funds , some spare time o ered itself , he conscientiously devoted it to the organizing of the inner life of that institution , joining the students in informal performances . The School was supported mainly by volu ntary

n a of subscriptio s , and the general adequ cy these seems of Balakiref to have been due chiefly to the efforts , who was an indefatigable canvasser . Balakiref u still freq ented the revived Circle meetings , but the younger members were much happier on the occasions when he failed to p u t in an appearance . They and had attained to musical independence , preferred that their individualities should remain unhampered ’ ’ by their former adviser s coercive methods . Stassof s boisterous expressions of encouragement were much more to their taste .

X . mThe preliminary sketch of A Night 1n May being co plete , the winter saw the composer hard at work upon his new opera . In this he was often assisted by CAREER 4 5

of L adof n ow the counsels y , formerly a pupil , a col league . L adof y , being the son of a celebrated operatic conductor , had received a liberal education in matters to theatrical , and he was thus able Offer some valuable n on e hints . But just as his first opera had been put o side in order to afford leisure for a very curious joint composition so was the present work . In the spring of 187 8 the second in what is now quite a long f series o collaborative enterprises was mooted . This was the set of piano variations on what is known to

- us as the chop sticks theme . The plan originated Cui K orsakof L adof with Borodin , who with , , and y , put together a series of quite charming little pieces . Later on Liszt expressed his approval of these Para phrases by writing an additional number . An invitation to conduct some Russian concerts at the Paris Exhibition of 18 7 8 threatened a further f ” delay in the composition o A Night in May . But after spending a good deal of time and trouble in arran g ing programmes , the composer found himself super f seded . . o by N G Rubinstein , the brother the famous f . o pianist This , in view his inexperience , he regarded as a blessing in disguise . At any rate it enabled him to resume work upon the opera , which began to make good headway and was almost complete at the con f elusion o the summer vacation . e In December A Night in May , having b en i approved by the Censor , was subm tted to the operatic n of directorate , accepted o the recommendation 46 RIMSKY—K OR SAK OF

a . Napravnik , and in the spring was put into rehears l Taking advantage of the revi val of the Free School of t s series concer s , the composer inserted some excerpt from the new opera in on e of the four programmes of the scheme . He also included therein some of Boro ’ f din s music for Prince Igor , the composition o tf l which was proceeding somewhat fi uly . At a Moscow Philharmonic concert at which he was engaged to conduct , another sample of his operatic work , the ” of Pskof overture to The Maid , served to introduce him to the musical public in the ancient capital . Sadko was also performed , and made a profound impression on the Muscovites . His subsequent summer holiday brought forth a sketch for The Tale (op . a fantastic orchestral ’ work based on Pushkin s Prologue to R usslan and ” on Ludmilla , and a string quartet Russian themes , afterwards rearranged as an orchestral Sinfonietta . The rehearsals of A Night in May proved some what more of a drain on the composer ’ s time than he had anticipated . But the vexatious , because quite unnecessary , delay did not deter him from making progress with his further operatic plans . Although deep in discussion regardin g the scenic arrangement of ” A Night in May, his mind was already busy with ’ as strovsk s thoughts of another work . He w reading O y

- Snow Maiden .

Meanwhile the Free School concerts , the Conser vatoire o of , and the Inspect rship claimed a good deal

of first- attention . In respect the named his deter CAREER 4 7 ° mination to give prominence to contemporary Russian e “ composers involved his bearing a further burd n , for havi ng undertaken to perform their works he . found the greatest possible diffi culty in obtain ing them " was He had not only to run after the composers , but obliged in some instances actually to help them copy u i o t parts at the eleventh hour . As w ll have been ’ - K orsakof s s gathered , Rimsky indu try was never confined to the mere carrying out of his many duties . " Balakiref To add to his embarrassments , at this time

of . A continued to send him a number new pupils mong . lazou n of them came young Sasha G , whose mother had for some time been studying with him , and who quickly ’ captured his master s esteem and affection .

1880 . At last , in January , , A Night in May was

on . produced with , the whole , very happy results ’ Rimsky - K orsakof s friends seem to have been prepared for a somewhat pedagogic work , and were apparently unable to rid themselves of certain preconceived .

Opinions . Their approval , at all events , was but lukewarm . A circumstance arising out of a return visit to Mosco w in the spring was instrumental in giving a fillip to his

f . project for a new opera . Availing himself o his proximity to the home of the author of The Sno w

Maiden , he called upon Ostrovsky , and was given a ’

s . cordial reception . Encouraged by the dramati t s blessing he applied himself with energy , and by the beginning of the summer he had already prepared a . f good deal o rough material for his opera . 3 composition of such a work as Th e S now

Apparently , when seating himself at his ad but to think of the sights and sounds of

experience in this altogether, delightful at , and the music flowed forth . By the August the musical sketch had been filled hestration was begun early in the autumn , 3 18 8 1 end of March , , the whole opera was

fi res of the Circle , having heard nothing of what their colleague had been doing , 1agin ed him once again deep in musical they were overcome with astonishment ” - ed to listen to The Snow Maiden . But t .o overwhelm the composer with eulogies Balakiref Even , who showed consider re . , appears to have missed the beauty of of poetic conception , much to the chagrin as to Moscow havi ng resulted in creating Jle impression of the Petrograd com eceived for the autumn of 1880 a third It seems not at all improbable that ’ - K orsakof s ao y , who had made Rimsky ou the occasion of some visits to the Circle 1ay have exerted his powerful influence on CAREER 4 9

’ the latter s behalf ; as critic on the staff of on e of the ’ papers , he lost no opportunity of praising his friend s

work , and , as we shall see , there were reasons for sup ’ posing that Rimsky - K orsakof s popularity in Moscow

mi ght at some future time serve as a useful asset . In connection with the Free School four concerts f were announced for that season . Only one o them ’ r took place . On that occasion Mou sso gsky s Th e " Destruction of Sennacherib (after Byron) was per formed . About five weeks later Alexander II . , the a Liberator , was laid low by the bomb of an narchist , a n d within three days of this Moussorgsky breathed — his last his constitution ruined by excesses .

XI .

Of these two tragic events the second , more than the first , was responsible for changes in the subsequent ’ f - K r f course o Rimsky o sako s activi ties . The Free of School concerts were course abandoned , but the l eisure this brought was soon accounted for . With ’ ’ Mou ssorgsky s demise it fell to his friend s lot to examine and edit for publication the mass of material left by the unfortunate composer . Here was work

- . An d K or and to spare this , according to Rimsky sakof , finally dictated his resignation from the director s of s hip the Free School , a po t that had become more ’ and more uncomfortable since Balakiref s return to ’ the musical world . The latter s interference in School ’ — - a ffairs the cause of Rimsky K orsakof s dissatisfaction

For mixe o u an O es a d Ch r s d rch tr . RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF

vas given point by his immediate reacceptance of

directorship which he had been the first to hold . ’ on tributory reason for Rimsky- K orsakof s decision 3 his anticipation that The Snow- Maiden mi ght

accepted for performance at the Opera , and that , ” A Night in May , its rehearsals might demand n si ra f o de ble sacrifice o time . t‘ his anticipation proved correct . After a com ativel y uneventful summer , the composer found 1 self called upon , in December , to attend the final aration s for of his p the production opera , the pre inery rehearsals having then been in progress for z n s r - o ide able time . The Snow Maiden received

n 18 82 . first performa ce in January , Jon siderin g the number of cuts that had been de in the score , it does not seem strange that the i ce should have fou nd it wanting in dramatic in est ; but the verdict given in respect of what has since an accepted and acclaimed as a veritable master — cc . o viz , that its comp ser was not at his best in — ra sounds a little odder than the ordinary mistaken

.icism by which masterpieces are so often greeted . 3elon gin g to this period is the first public appearance — ’ Rimsky K orsakof s young pupil Glazou n of. The on ishm en t called forth by the sight of a youth in ’ ’ oolboy s uniform on the platform recalls his master s ilar wh experience . Certain sceptics there were o “ ” not conceal their belief that the little Glinka ,

.he youth had been dubbed , owed his first symphony a, more experienced hand .

52 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF this Rimsky - K orsakof took a large share of responsi k r f bilit . Bala i e y The actual directorship was given to , ’ who chose his junior as chief assistant . The latter s o first important , though by no means oner us , duty was to attend the ceremony of the coronation of the

1883 . new Emperor at Moscow in May , With the rearrangement of the various classes he fou nd plenty to occupy him . Apparently this administrative task and his other duties occupied the whole of his atten tion , for there is no record of any creative work at this time . f A relief o the pressure came early in 1884 . Doubt of of re ime less as another result the change g , the long - held Inspectorship of Naval Bands came to an end ; — the post was abolished a reform that did not meet ’ l with the deposed Inspector s approval , especial y as the military inspectorship was retained . ’ ’ Belayef s esteem for Glazou n of s early compositions was such that he now brought forward a proposal to f publish the full score o the first (E major) symphony . From this initial venture sprang the great organization ’ with which Belayef s name has been so long and so honourably associated . Hitherto he had taken an active part in the control of the large timber concern left him by his father . He resolved at this juncture to sever his active connection therewith , and henceforth to devote his energies entirely to the welfare of native of u music . With the administration the p blishing

Bela ef - K orsakof house of y , Rimsky was closely con of cerned . To him the foundation of the series con CAREER 53

certs endowed by Belayef for the furtherance of

Russian music is directly due . At this moment Rimsky - K orsakof received an invi tation from Tchaikovsky to take up the vacant

post of Director of the Moscow Conservatoire . It is a little curious that the honour paid him is not referred

to in his Memoirs . It is not difficult to understand — his non acceptance . His duties at the Petrograd

Conservatoire and the Imperial Chapel , and the con du ctorship of the newly established Russian Symphony — Concerts an appointment shared with his former — pupil Du etsch were supplemented by the further tie

Bela ef. of his association with y In addition , there was ’ the work on Mou ssorgsky s unfinished compositions .

This had already gone far towards completion .

o After a considerable am unt of trouble , he had suc ceeded in Su itably orchestrating A Night on the ” u of Bare Mo ntain , which was performed at one the of 1886 Russian Symphony concerts in the autumn ,

and soo n secured a wide popularity . But his altruistic

labours were not yet over . 15 18 87 At an early hour on February th , , he heard ’ from Stassof of Borodin s sudden death at a party on

the previous evening . Immediately after the funeral it was decided that Glazoun of and he should under tak e the completion oi the manuscripts found at the ’ ela f lamented composer s house . B ye held himself

responsible for their ultimate publication . This work

- K orsakof was begun at once , and occupied Rimsky

for the greater part of the summer , spent on the banks 54 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

f o Lake Nelai . During a break came the famous

Spanish Caprice . By au tumn he had prepared sufficient material for ’ a concert devoted to Borodin s works , arranged in connection with the Russian Symphony series , which , of Du etsch con owing to the indisposition , were all ” - r k f. s ducted by Rimsky K o sa o The Spani h Caprice , s al o produced at these concerts , was apparently the f hit o the season . This no doubt prompted the writing of further orchestral works . In the summer of 188 8 both Sheherazade and the Easter Over ture were composed , and they were performed under ’ Rimsky - K orsakof s own conductorship during the en suing concert season . Still conscientiously pursuing the ideal of thorough z musicianship , he sei ed the opportunity presented by a Wagner Season in Petrograd , which embraced ” of of n a performance the Ring , embarki g on an ’ exhaustive study of the great German s methods . of For some time , therefore , he laid aside the pen di composition . But during his work upon the Boro n material , it fell to him to deal with the Mlada v fragment , abandoned by its composer on the shel ing f f’ h o Gedeon o s ambitious project . T e suggestion that Mlada might serve Rimsky - K orsakof as the sub

- f j ect of an opera ballet came from Lyado . By the 1889 spring of it had already taken shape , and at

Christmas it was ready for performance . — The change in the Opera management Vsevolojsky had been in charge since the accession of Alexander III . CAREER 55

— - had not been attended with any speeding u p of ’ ” a ffairs . The staging of Borodin s Prince Igor , which had been quickly got ready by K orsakof and Glazoun of , was unaccountably delayed, and Mlada u s ffered the same fate . Despite its immediate accept

1892 . ance it was not actually produced until October , In the meantime the composer found other matters B la f claiming his attention . e ye called upon him to u s of ndertake the conductor hip two Russian concerts , t f o be held at the Paris Exhibition o 18 89 . The Russian visitors were entertained by the leading French musicians in a fashion that enabled them to for ’ g et the scantiness of the audiences . Owing to Belayef s an dislike to y form of advertisement , even , it seems , to that of a perfectly legitimate kind , the concerts resulted in a heavy financial loss . In the following spring Rimsky - K orsakof visited

Brussels . Russian music had been introduced into Belgium through the efforts of the Countess Mercy Argenteau some years previ ously— Cui and Borodin having been invi ted to Liege and the capital in 1886— and the Petrograd master met with a most f c ordial reception . Musicians came from all parts o a Belgium to make his acqu intance , and he was shown every possible attention and much hospitality . The two Russian concerts held at La Monnaie were a com plete success in every way . At the end of the year he celebrated the twenty - fifth f anniversary o his initial effort as composer . This was made the occasion by his friends for the holding of 56 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF d a miniature festival in his honour . A concert devote hi s was B ela ef to compositions organized by y , and the performance of the programme was punctuated by s com tributes of all kind . In the evening the worthy poser entertained his friends at dinner . .

XIII .

During the time that had elapsed since the com

letion of - K orsakof n ot p Mlada , Rimsky had been suffi ciently settled to be able to undertake further contributions to the operatic stage . He had worked

on s chiefly upon the Borodin material , and a revi ion f of o all his own earlier compositions . Every work of his nonage , prior , that is , to the beginning the studies which had so alarmed his colleagues of the Balakiref u Circle , had now been subjected to a thoro gh

. on overhauling From this time , during the last sixteen years of his life , he devoted himself almost er exclusively to operatic composition . An opera p annum was for some little time his average output . ’ He had long been attracted by the su bject of Gogol e ” Christmas Eve Revels , but had not felt himself e of ntitled to use it , since it formed the basis Tchai ’ ’ ” kovsk s Oxan a s y Caprice , a work for which the Petrograd composer had little esteem . On ’ Tchaikovsky s death in the autumn of 1893 he con s d r i e ed himself at liberty to write a new setting .

The following summer was spent at Vechasha . Here the environment proved propitious ; not only did the CAREER 57

n ew opera quickly take shape , but the composer , r while engaged upon it , conceived the idea of a furthe ”

w . Sadko ork The subject of this was , and in this opera - legend he resolved to employ a certain amount of the thematic material from the symphonic of poem the same name . Having resigned the conductorship of the Russian Symphony concerts and his Imperial Chapel appoint

ment , he was able for a time to devote a considerable portion of his day to operatic composition ; but owing to the resumption of the former duty for a season of hi s four concerts , he was obliged to confine attention on e adko was on to the opera , and S put one side until the completion of Christmas Eve Revels u sho ld be accomplished . o 1894 a T wards October , , he pproached the Censor , only to be informed that the appearance of the figure f f o Catherine II . brought the opera under the ban o n a general prohibition of royal dramatic perso ce. As ” ’ of Pskof s in the case The Maid of , the composer influ ence was sufficient to enable him to Obtain a f f suspension o this rule . But this modification o an th Imperial decree had an unexpected outcome . At e 1895 final rehearsal , in November , , it transpired that the management had put somewhat too liberal a construction upon the licence granted them ; the royal character was made up so faithfully to resemble the Northern Semiramis that two indignant mem bers of the reigning house present in the theatre made immediate representations to the authorities , and a — ~58 RIMSKY K OR SAK OF

c hange was demanded as a condition of the production . to a It was too late argue , and the Empress C therine

a of . became Most Serene Highness , the sterner sex ss In the meantime Sadko was steadily progre ing , h and the composer , havi ng again soug t inspiration at

Vechasha Bielsk . , met there his librettist y This time , s n however , his work was not so rapid . Indispo itio of caused a serious interruption , and the completion

Sadko was delayed until after the following summer . Rimsky - K orsakof was well accustomed to the

vagaries of the Imperial Opera Directorate , but hitherto he had experienced little difficulty in prevail

ing upon them to accept his operas . On submitting ” Sadko was , however , he saw at once that there an en tire lack of enthu siasm on the part of the mar age ment ; he resolved therefore to take his work else th where . An opportunity offered itself towards end

O f 1897 Mamon tof , when , an artistic millionaire whose name is honourably associated with operatic enter Sadko prises , announced his willingness to produce

l d k f . at the So o ovni o Theatre , Moscow A rather

f 18 97 . aulty first performance took place in December , Under the same auspices the work appeared shortly

a c s . fterwards in the apital , and met with great succe s By thi s time another operatic venture was already f of 18 97 course o preparation . The summer spent

michk vo l at S o , was particu arly fruitful and its product

- Svitez an ka varied . The rarely heard y (a Cantata for soprano , tenor chorus , and orchestra) , a string

c After Mickievi z .

60 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF recalling his experience with the composition of The ” - Snow Maiden . The orchestration was carried out in the autumn , and the opera was produced a year later by Mamon tof. Considering the number of Russian musical works n s that have bee based on Pu hkin literature , it is a little surprising that so determined a nationalist as Rimsky - K orsakof should have delayed so long in resorting to the folk - lore creations of the great national a poet . Hitherto Mozart and S lieri was the only example of Pushkin material used by him in opera . In this the very nature of the subject precluded the ” employment of an ything akin to national treat ”

. o f of on e ment The choice The Tale Tsar Saltan , ’ Pu shkin s — of best known folk poems , as the basis of hi s f r tenth opera gave him full scope o such treatment . Here it was no longer possible to use the origin al text ” o unaltered , as had been done with M zart and Salieri , and the libretto was entrusted to Bielsky . The tried combination of composer - librettist and the Vechasha r background again proved successful , and Tsa f n otwith Saltan was scored by the end o the year , standing the composition of The Ballad of the Doom

h , of Oleg (for tenor , bass male chorus , and orc estra) undertaken as a diversion from the operatic work . on e His dramatic output had so far been , with f ” f o . o exception , the national order The choice ’ the subject of Mey s Servilia was the outcome of a desire to be free once again from the restrictions imposed by adherence to the national programme . CAREER 6 1

i - K orsakof Balakiref But R msky , like and Glinka , preferred to construe the term nationalistic in its most liberal sense ; he was thus not deterred from de

voting himself to the exploitation of foreign nationalism . But the task of reflecting in the score of Servilia the atmosphere of its libretto— which deals with — Rome in the time of Nero was n ot undertaken with t f ou a good deal o misgiving . He thought the matter o ut i with character stic thoroughness , and succeeded in formulating a thematic plan with which he appears

to have been well satisfied . His purely orchestral work was meanwhile earning

him a solid Western reputation . Invited a second s 1900 time to Brus els , he conducted there , in March , ,

a Russian concert , in which the principal items were ” ” o wn Sheherazade Sadko his , the symphonic , l f’ an d G azou n o s Raymonda suite . On his return from Belgium he addressed himself to f his n ew operatic subject . The summer o 1900 was z spent abroad , in Germany and Swit erland , but he contrived nevertheless to make solid progress with ” i the Servilia , and it was ready for publ cation in w follo ing spring . The opera was not produced until two years later , when it was taken in hand by the Ma k r in s . y y directorate , now reconstituted With the change of management had come an improvement in

d i - K orsak f dis a m nistration , and Rimsky o , a little satisfied with the somewhat careless method oi pro duction obtaining among private opera companies, was highly pleased to learn that he could once more 62 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF

n n count upon seei g his operas o the Imperial stage . “ w “ ” Sadko n ow o n . came into its Meanwhile Saltan , Mamontof which had been promised to the concern , had been presented in Moscow (in October , of In December that year the composer , by this time feeling something of a veteran , found himself plunged into a series of celebrations in honou r of the — thirty fifth anniversary of the production of his first symphony . Returning from a visit to Moscow, a rranged in connection with these festivities , he was dismayed to learn that a further succession of concerts , banquets , addresses and the rest , with which he had

a . lready been surfeited in Moscow, awaited him In his Memoirs he gives the impression that this jubilee was one of the most u npleasant episodes in his career 1

There was little room in his min d for such futilities .

Three new operatic themes were being considered . The first was to treat of Polish life in the time of f . Godoun o Sigismund III and Boris ; its libretto ,

Tiou m en ef to undertaken by , was be romantic and

- f non political . The second was The Legend o the ” K ite Fevron ia Invisible City of j and the Maiden , ” of K ite based on The Chronicles j , which appear in ’ ’ Bezson of s K irievsk s o edition of y Song C llection , and which had for some time been the subject of conversa l Bie sk . . tions between the composer and y . E M R ussian M usical Gazette Petrovsky , of the , had sug

s s of s o ge ted the third , which was to consi t epi odes fr m

- K s i Russian folk lore with a hche as the central figu re . Of these the subject which most attracted the com “ ” oi K ashchei on poser was that , and this Rimsky CAREER 63 .

K orsakof was engaged at K rapachouka during the

1901 . summer of , and the ensuing autumn

The year 1902 was devoted partly to the composition . ” Vo evoda of of the Polish Pan y , and to the revision f ” his edition o The Stone Guest , the orchestration of which he regarded as being much below the standard

f . of his present powers . About two months o this ’ S year s holidays were pent in Heidelberg , where the composer made the acquaintance of young Igor ;

Stravinsky , who afterwards became his pupil . In October Servi lia was produced at the Mary in sk y Theatre , but , failing to attract much attention , the was withdrawn after very few performances . In same month K ashchei received its first performance » S olod vn ikof at the o Theatre , and the newer work created a much more favourable impression , as might

have been expected from the nature of its subject . 19 03 Bela ef Towards the end of December , , the y s Circle , and indeed the whole of Russian mu ical society , u s s tained a severe loss through the death , after an

f . operation , o the altruistic publisher Among the provisions of his will was the appointment of three trustees to administer the various funds endowed by this generous patron of music . These were Rimsky

f f f fi r t- K orsako laz un o L ado . s , G o , and y The named composed a small orchestral Prelude At the Grave , ’ which was dedicated to Belayef s memory and was ’ performed at the first of that season s Russian Sym

o ~ phony c ncerts , the series that owed its existence to

the deceased benefactor .

The ‘ composition of the penultimate opera , long 6 4 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF planned and begun in the summer of 1903 at Kr s chouka , was already far advanced when Rim K orsakof reached hi s country quarters at 4 1 familiar and beloved Vechasha in 190 . The duction of his Servilia by the Solodovnikof man" of Mamon tof " ment (no longer in the hands ) , w haw had followed the Petrograd presentation , fallen somewhat below the standard required by

composer , it was decided to reserve the staging Kitej until such time as it should be requisitio by the Imperial directorate . The anxiously awa invitation did not arrive until towards the close

— - 1906 . Owing to its semi religious subject matter , libretto had met with some opposition on the j of the Censor . The composer was the more grie i n since , although unorthodox his Opinions , he st a deeply religious man , and believed that the mi ght be made a powerful instrument for the spiri1 f elevation o the community . It seems strange that the permission even tu granted did not foreshadow a more enlightened attit — towards Parsifal a work often compared i Kite — on j which was decisively banned when , of expiration its copyright , its production in Ru was mooted . The immense success achieved ’ Rimsky - K orsakof s opera at its first performanc e 7th 1907 February , , was an ample repayment for

. en taile< delay Unfortunately , owing to the expense “ K ite in its production , j could not long be retained i 18 bill , and it was not rev ved until nearly four years CAREER 6 5

XIV .

’ The last years of Rimsky - K orsakof s life brought him troubles and disappointments that c ontributed

to the undermining of his health . Towards the close of 1904 ou t , during the political unrest arising of public dissatisfaction with the conduct of the Russo s of Japanese war , the tudents the University began an agitation in which the Conservatoire pupils speedi ly

o . The j ined police were summoned , the Conservatoire

- K orsakof o closed , and Rimsky was called up n to vacate — the Directorship a command intended as a reproof for w i having ritten to a newspaper explain ng that , far from ’ s s instigating the tudent agitation , he had actually f . o endeavoured to calm them This abuse authority , however , was followed by protests from many parts Of the Empire ; the students organized in honour of “ ” o of K ashchei to their late Chief a perf rmance , be followed by a concert (March , In the interval , however , such an uproar occurred that the police not only refused to allow the concert to be proceeded with , ’ but placed an embargo upon Rimsky - K orsakof s c ompositions . This crisis seems to have thoroughly upset the com o su Vechasha s p ser , and even a mmer at did not ecure a return of the peace of mind which he naturally fou n d di s f an in pensable condition o creative work . He o l l ccupied himself main y , therefore , in compi ing examples for the illustration of his Treatise on Orches 5 66 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF tration o . By the autumn the p litical atmosphere had become a little less troubled . The Conservatoire was Glazoun of reopened , was appointed Director , and the committee re- engaged the deposed Principal in a professorial capacity . hi s i In his Memoirs , w ch clo e w th an entry made at 1906 —K orsakof Garda in August , , Rimsky , while recording discussions with Bielsky in the early part of for that year regarding the material a further opera , ” makes no mention of The Golden Cockerel , although ’ he refers to Stenka Razin (the subject of Glazoun of s early orchestral poem) and to a Byronian tragedy (apparently Heaven and Earth sketches for both of which operas were found among his papers . The Golden Cockerel seems to have been begun very soon after this final entry was made .

s 1907 - K orsakof In the pring of Rimsky attended , in the capacity of conductor , the magnificent Russian musical festival organized in Paris by Messrs . Ossovsky alvocoressi di and C , and was admitted a correspon ng " f h s member o the French Academy . On i return to o Z Petr grad the composer , in a letter to imin , the controlling spirit in a private operatic enterprise , wrote that The Golden Cockerel was vi rtually but that s of vi finished , L since the neces ary process re sion

D urin g thi s visit R im sky - K orsakof ren ewed his acquain t an e r a n who had u s e u n e om his Am e an c with Sk y bi , j t r t r d fr ric ou is e o e a the two om ose s en e e n o a t r . It r c rd d th t c p r t r d i t on an d an m a e s u ss on in e e e oin e l g i t d di c i , which th y w r j d by

- the som e a s e a R akhm an in of es e n ke o ou . wh t c ptic l , r p cti g y c l r

6 8 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF had proposed to orchestrate ; sketches for an oper"

‘ ” on the subject of The Barber of Bagdad ; and th s Manual of In trumentation , to which the touches had been put a few hours before

th. attack , and which has since been issued under

- - his in . . editorship of son law, M Steinberg PAR T I I " RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF AS OPERATIC COMPOSER

I .

I N the present volume it will n ot be possible to give ’ more than a brief survey of Rimsky- K orsakof s operatic activity and output . The reader who has perused the foregoing narrative of the composer ’ s life and work will doubtless have gathered that the literary subject matter alone of these fifteen operas would provide material for quite a lengthy tome , and he is assured that their musical content is at least deserving of an r equally extended treatment . Fo the present occasion it must needs suffice to pass in review the general characteristics of the wonderful Operatic treasury left

- r ak f by Rimsky K o s o to the world . Without some knowledge of his forerunners it is impossible to appreciate the full significance of his works . They may be said to derive from three sources . ’ Glin ka s legacy to the theatre consists of two epoch ” f r . o making works The first , A Life the Tsar, is n historical , being founded o an episode which is sup posed to have occurred at the time of the inauguration f m f R usslan o R an . the o o dynasty The second , ” f r and Ludmilla , takes o its text the substance of

See o e a s n o ses . 111. p r tic y p , p 69 70 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

’ e of Pushkin early poem that name , and is fantastic c m in character . A Life for the Tsar gave its o poser an opportunity of introducing folk- song and melody of a national character ; in R usslan and dm Lu illa Glinka became , as it were , a musical of imperialist , and drew material from a variety terri torial n on on e sources , from Fi land the hand , from

Turkey and Persia on the other . These two operas have had an influence upon sub sequent Russian music that it would be diffi cult to

— f - k f . o K orsa o over estimate The output Rimsky , a ff fairly prolific operatic composer , a ords excellent ’ material for the tracing of Glinka s influence upon the f greatest Russian composers o modern times .

But ere proceeding with our analysis , it is necessary fl of to take into account a third in uence , that ’

Dar omi sk Glinka s di . g j y , imme ate successor This w ll r composer , it i be remembered , w ote two important operas . R ussalka possesses the elements of folk lore and fantasy ; in addition it is to be considered as an attempt to break away from the Italian tradition . Dargomij sky desired to establish a closer relation e of betwe n the vocal music an opera and its text , holding that the intrinsic beauty of a melody should

not be regarded as an end in itself , but that the melody should have a character in keeping with the sentiment f o the words to which it is sung . In this particular

R u ssalka was but an attempt . In The Stone Guest — the work which became the Invincible ’ — Band s model he dispensed with melody and con AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 7 1

fined the vocal line of the opera within the limits of a melodic recitative . This was not the only measure r adopted to bring about reform . Da gomij sky declined to avail himself of the various licences hitherto ao c orded the operatic composer . He paid particular of attention to the question dramatic realism , an example of which is to be seen in the absence of a c horus from The Stone Guest in the play on which ” the opera is based there was no crowd , and thus ’ r Dar omi sk s a cho us , in g j y opinion , could not be legitimately introduced . It was not long before the brotherhood of reformers as of discovered that if , they proposed , subjects ” national interest , such as A Life for the Tsar , and ” R u sslan m more particularly and Lud illa , were to be used as the basis of Russian opera , it would be impossible rigidly to follow the path indicated by ” s of The Stone Guest , and the record Russian i t operatic composition , covering the th r y years follow ing their tacit agreement as to a need for compromise t z in the mat er , contain less than half a do en examples “ f Of this legitimate type o opera . Among the dramatic works of the Five there are only three e examples . Borodin altogether repudiat d the Dar ” f - gomij skian principle o melo declamation . Cui — interpreted the code of which he was the strongest — s o advocate with con iderable elasticity , and M us sorgsky wrote only one work in which he strictly o e Godou n of bs rved the principles , though , in Boris an d ff Khovanshchina , he e ected a compromise 72 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF which in itself constitutes an important contribution to the effort to wards an emancipation of opera from s the noxiou Italian tradition . The effect upon the operatic work of Rimsky

In hi s Th e of Pskof first essay , Maid , much of the

- is itatival solo vocal music in the rec manner , but the opera cannot for a moment be considered as following ” si du ct the precept of the gospel , nce it contains a and other ensemble numbers which are an in fraction oi the Dargomij skian principle . Rimsky K orsakof is not to be regarded as having definitely — sub scribed to that doctrine later in life he spoke somewhat dis respectfully of what he characterized as

n as wi h s as havi g recognized , through sociation t thi s revolt against the past , that the future must be pent in i a a a e search ng for, if not in tt ining , the ide l op ratic structure .

II .

w a i It ill be necess ry , then , in reviewing R msky ’ ’ K orsakof s s s of Glin ka s operas , to eek for evidence influence in the direction of literary mate rial and poetic c e ontent , and at the same time to take not of the remarkable variation of style and structure to be di scovered in the material of his fifteen dramatic

a Glinkist r t As has been indic ted , the t adi ion em b s u se oi i o a - c race the h st ric l , folk lore , and fantasti AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 7 3

material , and at the same time seeks to enlarge the territory from which this may be derived by drawing ” upon all the Russias . The Oriental element in ’ - K orsakof s Rimsky music , operatic , instrumental , and vocal , is a salient characteristic . or i On historical subjects , subjects pertain ng more

- K orsakof or less closely to history , Rimsky wrote three ’ ” " of Pskof operas The Maid and The Tsar s Bride , in both of which figures the Tsar Ivan the Terrible , ” i - i and Serv lia , the last named dealing w th ancient l . Bo arin a She o a Roman life y Vera g is , properly Pskof is speaking , a Prologue to The Maid of , and thus reckoned as forming part and parcel of its plot .

- K orsakof i But Rimsky , an ardent nationalist , tak ng k a his cue from Glin a , has shown wh t abundant material other than that of purely historical interest there lies at the disposal of the Russian operatic composer who is desirous of investing his music - dramas with an atmos ’ f lin ka s phere of nationalism . The influence o G R usslan and Ludmilla is clearly present in the ” literary substance of The Tale of Tsar Saltan . In both instances the original text was that of Pushkin , and both stories are supposed to be told by the chained

ak- w cat that circled round an o tree , telling a tale hen turnin g to the left and singing a song when going in of on e the other direction . The Prologue the is the ’ c cat s Introduction , which forms the programmati ’ of - K orsakof s scheme Rimsky orchestral fantasia , The ” Tale ; while the en voi of Tsar Saltan is uttered K ashchei the by the same whiskered mouth . , 7 4 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

Ml h o Immortal and ada , in whic that terrible gre linkist again appears , are obviously inspired by the G ex ample , while The Golden Cockerel , also after u P shkin , in its Oriental aspect at least , has certain ” s l features in common with R u s an . With one o excepti n , namely , Mozart and Salieri , all the remaining operas of Rimsky - K orsakof contain in some degree the fantastic element that was first introduced ’ into Russian Opera in Glin ka s second work . A ” Night in May and Christmas Eve Revels , like Mous ’ ” s or sk s dr z g y Sorochinsk Fair , are amati ed versions of tales from a famous series by Gogol . In the first , happiness is bestowed upon the hero through the

of - benevolent intervention a grateful water nymph , ru ssalka f the o Slavonic legend . In this plot the Devil is regarded by some of the characters as being not the unlikeliest visitor to their vi llage ; but in

Christmas Eve Revels he is a prominent figure , — and his theft of the moon and stars an act frequently associated with his Satanic Majesty in northern — legendary lore is the cause of a deal of mischief . The worship of pagan gods , which is a feature of ” - these two operas and of the opera ballet Mlada ,

- — appears again in The Snow Maiden in which the advent of spring receives a poetic handling not excelled ’ — in any other of the composer s operas and on ce more ” of K ite of in The Legend j , the work Ri msky ’ K rsakof s i o last period , wh ch shows in its literary ” a spect the influence of Parsifal . A pantheist by

- K orsakof conviction , Rimsky delighted in dwelling

76 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

III . When a comparison is made between the historical Operas of Rimsky - K orsakof and those in which he of is was able to introduce the element fantasy , it quickly seen how gravely the composer was handi capped in treating real subjects . He had so great a genius for descriptive writing that a text such as that of The Maid of Pskof (with Vera Sheloga ’ ” or The Tsar s Bride , Servilia , places him at a serious disadvan tage . His power of describing fan tastic figures and of revealing their nature by means of orchestral devi ces is an exceedingly important item among the component qu alities of his nationali sm . One observes that wherever there is scope in the text for fantastic description , the orchestra is at once given a much more important rOle . There is already a n of begin ing in the first act his second opera , A Night ” ’ of of in May, when , in Levko s narration the legend

- the the oppressed step daughter , the orchestra paints picture of her act of self - destruction ; this orchestral episode contains the germ of the mu sic which in the third act f describes the un ortunate maiden , turned water ” russalki nymph and surrounded by her attendant , who disport themselves in choral games and dances . It is a curious coincidence that the peru sal of The Snow- Maiden should have brought Rimsky - K orsakof to the definite realization that the treatment of real life was not calculated to afford him full scope for AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 7 7

his descriptive powers , for it was in this dramatic study of Nature that Ostrovsky had signalized his departure from the consideration of the purely mun

. of dane The scene the enchanted forest (Act III) , a with its Wood Spirit , who transforms himself into

- for tree stump having two glowworms eyes , and the instantaneous growths that prevent the flight of the Miz uir for terrified g , is set to music which , but the ’ “ composer s emancipation from the bondage of life o subjects imp sed upon him by the decreed principles ,

might never have been written . It had become him quite evident to that , while the historical sub

ect o j aff rded greater scope for dramatic action , he could obtain ample compensation for the sacrifice when deali ng with material such as that of The

- Snow Maiden . His subsequent operatic output provides many examples of the orchestral reflection of fantastic scenes "the dance of stars and the procession of comets “ on in Christmas Eve Revels (Act III) , the scene ” Tri laf f Mount g in Mlada , the entertainment o fered Sadko in the submarine palace of the Sea - King and the transformation of his daughter into the river Volkhof s , the ymphonic introduction to the second act s and the final scene of Tsar Saltan , which de cribe of u the wonders the magic island of B yan , the music which precedes the chorus of Snow Spirits in “ ” K ashchei , the bird songs in the scene of the enchanted ’ forest in K itej all testify to Rimsky - K orsakof s power of applying his wonderful imaginative faculty 7 8 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF in the use of the individual instrument and of the collective orchestra . ’ Rimsky - K orsakof s recognition of the survival of many pagan customs in the ceremon ial of popular dances and games has already been noted . As might of have been anticipated , there is no neglect this material in his operas ; he employs folk - lore substance of u of as the basis a n mber episodic songs and dances , and obtains thereby many splendid scenic and musical f effects . His profound knowledge o and delight in the

- the subject of folk legend , and artistic fashion in which he wields that knowledge , are responsible for the many decorative scenes which adorn not only the fantastic s but the historical Operas . In the fir t act of The ’ Pskof s Maid of there is a reference , in the nur e s Tu arin who song , to the whistling dragon g , a monster bears some resemblance to the deathless K ashchei ; A Night in May opens with a representation of the ” The choral game Sowing of the Millet , in which

o od of occurs an inv cation to Lado , the g spring and of love ; of this there is a further specimen in The — Snow Maiden in the second act of Mlada there

. or o o is a Circling Dance K l , from which the Russian — peasants derive their K horovodes in this Kolo is K ou ala mentioned the god p , the prototype of Yarilo ’ the sun - god ; in The Tsar s Bride is a song and “ ” - an . dance , The Hops , old time autumn ceremonial

Tre aks n - a The p and Gopaks in The S ow M iden , “ ” “ ” “ ” K ite K ashchei A Night in May , j , and , and the M to Lithuanian dance in lada , go prove that AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 7 9

’ Rimsky - K orsakof was alive to the advantages of

national and local colour .

- Owing to his copious employment of folk song , he has been sometimes unjustly accused of a poverty of

o of s melodic invention . But , as s me the Rus ian to critics have good reason to know , it is never safe

speak without the book in this matter , for Rimsky

K orsakof , like Glinka and Moussorgsky , became s of posse sed , by an unconscious process , the power of w riting in the folk manner .

- When dealing in genuine folk songs , he employs r a them in more than on e fashion . There are al e dy specimens of complete songs to be found in the pages his Pskof of early operas , The Maid of and “ “ - A Night in May but in The Snow Maiden , ’ in additio n to such tunes as that of the birds

dance , the Carnival , the Millet chorus and

th s a a o ers , he has used certain uitable fr gments as

of u means characterization . The very pop lar song of Lel (the third given to this character) is , however , " original . Several genuine and identifiable folk - melodies appear ” on e of in Tsar Saltan , them being the tune to which the composer ’ s children were sung to sleep by an old

’ An in stan ce of the comp oser s scru pulou s regard for appropriaten ess has recen tly come to light as the result of ’ a om a son of stro s s o in a ex of h s n u m e c p ri O v ky rig l t t t i b r ,

hi a ou en in a m e e o e n to o - son w as (w ch , lth gh writt tr f r ig f lk g , set ou a e a on a o s an d th e a a ase with t lt r ti by Tch ik v ky , ) p r phr d

e s on m a e R m s - K orsakof in o e a the m u s v r i , d by i ky , rd r th t ic m b e ven the u e o a a e ight gi tr f lk ch r ct r . 8 0 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

’ nurse ; in K itej the tune of the bear s dance in the ’ of Po arok s o second act , the accompaniment y ration of n s in the third , and the chorus e camped Tatar , are all to be recognized as quotations from Rimsky ’ K orsakof s own folk - song collection ; the chorus of Mendicant Friars in the second act is from the

of i - K orsakof collection Filippo , which Rimsky har

mon ized and edited .

IV .

’ Rimsky - K orsakof s partiality for the folk - melody s was strengthened by a fondne s for modal music , in

most cases the basis of these tunes . Several instances Of modal writing occur in The Snow- Maiden ’ Lels among them may be mentioned first song , the ’ an d the of Beren de s Heralds proclamation , hymn the y ; others may be seen in the Millet chorus of A ” Night in May and in the dan ce of Maenads in the ” of i K ite second act Serv lia (Phrygian) while in j , although not as rich in this respect as on e might

anticipate from the nature of the subject , there are

o E on e three pr minent themes in the olian mode , and s of in the Phrygian , associated with the inhabitant the temporarily i n visible city .

Of Oriental colour , bequeathed to the Russian

School by Glinka , there is an abundance both in the instrumental and operatic compositions of Rim sky

f - K orsako . Besides the well known Hindoo Mer ’ ” n adko s cha t s song in S , there is a somewhat imilar AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 8 1

re Eastern episode in Mlada , where , in a scene ” li Oi - cal ng that the opera legend , a Moor cries his

golden wares , and in a series of national dances

- (in the same work) there figures a half graceful ,

- half savage Indian measure . In this opera also is the Eastern music on e would expect to find in i association w th the character of Cleopatra . The florid passages sung by "ueen Shemakha in The Golden Cockerel constitute a further example of a vein which appealed very strongly to the composer ”

of Sheherazade.

As mi - K orsakof su ght be expected , Rimsky , with ch

f u varied material at his command , had no di fic lty in maintaining throughout the music of an opera the

mood of its literary su bstance . He neglected no detail that could in any way contribute to the general homo

en eit . n g y of style Thus , when contemplati g the com ” oi position Servilia , he argued that while there are no surviving data as to the character of the music of s n ot ancient Rome , thi circumstance could excuse the presence in such an opera of anything that bore the definite impress of some particular non - Roman

nationality . He chose to write , therefore , in a i r manner partly Ital an , pa tly Greek , and partly on Byzantine , a procedure which he justifies the ground that Roman art was borrowed from these

sources . Sadko of Again , in he adopted a method recita tival writing which resembles the declamatory intona tion characteristic of the peripatetic rhapsodists when 6 ” ' scar1et t h d n e b s s 111 "MS lu eru o u s 11111 rea , O erve , out i the opera , this imparts a national and his ” K ite ma complexion to the work . In j he i the atmosphere of religious mysticism as succes ” as of l ar he does that the archaic in M ada , s atirical in The Golden Cockerel . In the matter of operatic style Rimsky- Korsa n ot to be regarded as by any means a faithful a f ” t o the Invi ncible Band . The dedication e gomij sky of the opera in which he implicitly Ob ” 1 the principles adopted by the Five , must

1 endowed with too great a significance . It was taken primarily as an exercise in vocal writi which department the composer was anxious 1 prove his resou rces . His attitude towards the ci les P atn itsk ' 1 p was , in fact , as y y j observes , an d n o enlightened liberalism , at time did he himself to slavish obedience . His life was spent in searching for an operatic n which should possess the quality of rationality w a making a fetish of realism . He was not prep exalt life or even dr ama at the expense of me" n e music . In this connection the preface to o re operas is especially significant . The prefatory printed in the’ s core of Tsar Saltan call the att

om Trofi m Gri orief R abin in an O en e s Fr g y , l t I R uib n ikof o a n e in 18 60 a n um e of hithf P . H . bt i d , , b r o on writt en legen ds for his valu ed c llecti . ’ em a An a s s of K ite e o a 19 14 . T Th tic ly i j , P tr gr d ,

the synthetic method by making sure of “ 7 components . A Night in May is a e ra so of , and neglectful his duty to the the New Russian School ” was the com he actually permitted himself the licence ng in it several self - contained numbers "

a . , and the like not be supposed , however , that A Night in any sense a return to the Italian inanities ich the reformers had so resolu tely set their

separate numbers , even in cases where

musical link whatever , do not occasion any »n in the course of the drama ; they are avant to the dramatic issue . It should also that there is a certain amount of melo ” ’ in , such as that of the scene in the Mayor s

II) . c hi - t rd work , The Snow Maiden , came a p roach to the synthetic type . Here there a judicious alloy of the melodic and the r y ; here , also , is to be seen a more generous AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 85

i and altogether broader employment of lead ng motives , f and the method o using them is individual . They n ot are confined to an orchestral utterance but , pene tratin on g to the vocal parts , are occasion worked up

of into short melodies which they are the foundation .

Another device , first observed in this work , is that which Rimsky - K orsakof himself calls the leading ” ff harmony , a term which su iciently describes the thing it represents . The presence in The Snow Maiden of a number of quotations from traditional song has already been noted . Up to this time the Russians possessed but little

of - knowledge the Wagnerian music drama , but with ’ of n 1889 the advent Neuma n s company , in , Rimsky K orsakof was able to familiariz e himself with the of u of method the Te ton genius , and in some his sub sequent operas there is a decided trace of Wagnerian influence . This is already observable in Mlada and “ Christmas Eve Revels . One notices a far greater i w wealth of symphon c riting , and the orchestra attains l an independence hitherto denied it , more especial y “ - in the descriptive scenes . In the opera ballet to be heard some harmonies which have plainly been i nf the i ass milated and , as the composer co esses , lead ng motives are worked out in a fashion that was not entirely of his o wn inventing .

- If it is in The Snow Maiden that , as the com poser avers , he definitely found himself , the completion of Sadko signalized the inauguration of that type ” of opera known as synthetic or K orsakovian . 8 6 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF

An examin ation of Sadko will provide ample means of forming an idea as to the import of these f terms . The synthesis o styles is represented first in f the direction o its literary constitution . Despite the of a spectacular character the opera , the dr matic interest , though perhaps a little wanting in intensity , is never made to serve as a mere peg on which to is too n hang the spectacle ; there , , a nice balance betwee the real and the fantastic , the harmonization of the former being simple , while the latter evokes a greater harmonic complexity . In the musical region a further synthesis is Obtained by means of a masterly distribution of responsibility between the Orchestra and the voice . Bu t it is the “ of adoption the legendary recitative that , in the of for opinion the composer , secures his opera a place vi of hi altogether apart , and it is in rtue t s device , together with a quite individual employment of the

- Sadko leading motive system , that justifies its con s f ideration as the perfect type o K orsakovian Opera . - on e Conforming to this typ e , though in instance

ou o . deviating a little from its lines , are f r ther operas In The Tale of Tsar Saltan Rimsky - K orsakof adheres to the method of keeping the real and fantastic s elements separate , and he makes the di tinction definite by employing instrumental music for the fantastic T . o sections , and vocal for the real describe this

r a in p ocedure , and to classify the Oper which its the workings are to be observed , composer adopts the ” te - rm vocal instrumental , and thus labels Tsar AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 8 7

Saltan A modification of the leading - motive system s is noticeable in this work . The motive are not con

fined to the characters (only four are thus endowed) , but are applied to events , occurrences in Nature , and the p sychological phenomena a ssociated with the dr m a atis p erson ce. There is n o sign in Tsar Saltan that its composer is allowing his individuality to be ’ dri ed up by the flame of Wagner s musical personality ; in ' s to this , as in the later opera , one is able recognize

h - K orsakof t at Rimsky is an objectivist , and that even in K itej pantheism describes his reli gious or spiri tual attitude far better than mysticism . The reasons assigned by some writers for considering ” K ashchei the Immortal as a work that is not to ” r o of be placed un eservedly in the categ ry synthetic , an d that the composer had completely succu mbed to

of a the Wagnerian influence , are not all convincing

o K ashchei kind . The prep nderance in of de clamatory writing is n ot so great as to justify its being to su es considered as pertaining that class , and the gg tion that the uncouthness of its harmonies should s weigh with classifiers is a little be ide the point . s n s s Harmonic uncouthness, as how by mu ical hi tory , h u is a purely relative thing , and as a rule t is q ality is proved in time to have represented nothi ng more than that the mu sic thu s stigmatized was progressive . K rsakof as on That the harmony of o was on occ i , and ” K ashchei n particularly in , unexpected and seemi gly is uncouth , need not necessarily imply that it all to f Wagnerian in manner . One is obliged con ess that 8 8 RIMSKY—K OR SAK OF " s l in some instance it is reminiscent , and one can on y

- K orsak f assume that Rimsky o , who was not the sort of s man to be atisfied with imitation , had in the course of a profound study of Wagnerian methods assimilated enough to have beco me unconsciously a mild plagiarist . The really frivolous arguments are that the presence of the fanfares which open the preludes in Saltan is a result of an undue reverence for the ceremonial f f ” o Bayreuth ; and that the idea o redemption , “ ”— ’ which is the ethical basis of K ashchei Nature s — movement symbolizing social development should stamp that work as being characteristic of the com i poser o Parsifal , rather than as possessing

K orsakovian attributes . i The spiritual content of the libretto , the rel gious mysticism with which the book and the score of Kitej have been suffused by Bielsky and Rimsky K rsakof s o , has given ri e to a comparison between this work and Parsifal But in virtue of the circum stances that the harmony of Kitej is by no means as strikingly Wagnerian , that the opera contains just much national as spiritual material , and that Rimsky K rsakof wn s o , instead of revealing his o p ychological h consciousness , depicts t at of the protagonists , the comparison cannot for long be maintained . The desire to make the opera worthy of the synthetic ” denomi nation is very clearly manifested in Kitej . The quality of its textual material was exceedingly

I n the last tableau there is a promin en t m elodi c fi gure that ’ an n o a to e a h n u c t f il r c ll t e Pilgrim s Choru s in Tan ha ser . AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 89 — helpful . Apart from its dramatic value once again , ” Sadko The - as in and Snow Maiden , somewhat s — lender there is a considerable variety of interest . ” of K ite Reflected in the score j , one finds the musical expression of pantheism (in a woodland scene that of u a d eb n of is , co rse, compared with the W l w e f religious ecstasy , o the pagan attitude towards the

f . Christian , and o the ascetic attitude towards life The characterization is as diverse as the individual and collective personalities are varied ; the polyphonic character of the music associated with religious devo tion is in wonderful contrast to the descriptive pages

f ioso o . ar the score For the vocal parts , prevails ; but there is an abundance of melody which includes

- l — several folk songs . Final y and this is something more than a mere factitious aid to characterization

f - there is a complicated system o leading motives , t divided by he commentators into four categories , which include the leadi ng - harmonies first met with

- in The Snow Maiden . Kitej is a fully synthetic music - drama in respect of literary substance as well as in the direction of opera ’ f n . K rsako s tic form o last opera , The Golde ”

n on m . Cockerel , is desig ed a much s aller plan There s l r is a synthesis as to con truction , but its itera y interest does n ot afford the same scope for varying n e all the character of its music . In o sense above ”

K rsak vian . others , however , it is o o The satire it contains—unfortunately smothered in the London s performances , owing to an entirely misplaced emphasi ‘ 90 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF — of the spectacular is characteristic of a man who resented any sort of high- handed interference with i of of the l berty the subject , and the pungency his protest was acknowledged when The Golden

Cockerel was banned . s There is , of course , no direct evidence that Rim ky K orsak f o , in making his initial essays in operatic form , began with the deliberate intention of acquiring experience in the use of the two main contributory

factors to the synthetic type he ultimately evolved . ’ But in undertaking to set on e of Pushkin e dramatic to u scenes music witho t altering the text , it is clear n f that , besides the defi ite plan o improving himself r s in the w iting of melodic recitative , the impul e to try conclusions with the austere Dargomi jskian method

e . must have been pr sent Mozart and Salieri , though conforming to the principles of the New ” Russian School , has little in common with either ’ The Stone Guest or Mou ssorgsky s The Match f maker . It has none of the symphonic interest o f a of the gospel , nor is there any o that not tion ’ gesture which is so wonderful a feature of Mou ssorgsky s

- fragment . Leading motives play a very small part ,

and there are but few instances of tonal suggestion .

The music is consistently Mozartean , and the little ’ movement composed for Mozart s improvization is a masterpiece that must cause us either to modify

Our of idolization the composer of Don Giovanni , — or to place Rimsky K orsakof within the same

sanctum .

92 RIMSKY—K OR SAK OF

r m i k ignore the Da go j s ian tradition . When we read — what the composer has written on the subject which is to the effect that he intended writing real ensembles — in whi ch people actually sang together we are able to realize the spirit in which this opera was devised

out . i and carried It is a lyrical opera , and is a d rect ” f f r offspring o A Life o the Tsar . It begins with the

n ot conventional long overture , which is , however , " - self contained , and is constructed apparently with to of s of a view the provision a fea t melody , in which ’ Liouba s unaccompanied song in the second act — ’ repeated as an orchestral intermezzo and Martha s r aria in the third are favourite dishes . The compose had by this time assimilated the folk—song manner to own s w his satisfaction , and was able to dispen e ith quotations , the only specimen used being the ” Slavs a i y , wh ch serves as a motive for Ivan and n which is coupled towards the close of the opera , whe of his choice a bride is announced , with the theme by ” of Pskof an which he is represented in The Maid , allusion which recalls the self - quotin gs of Strauss and his advocate Shaw . vi Vo evoda As to Ser lia and Pan y , little is need be said . In both cases the literary interest chiefly dramatic . In the matter of construction the on e is as declamatory as the other is lyrical ; the degree of deviation is common , both leaning , as it were ,

n or . i wardly , slightly towards the synthetic style

It was fu rn ished by the comp oser with a con cert ” en in d g . AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 93

VII .

Nothing could better warrant the description of ” Rimsky - K orsakof as an enlightened liberal than his operatic creations . In it is reflected the mi nd of a man clearly determined that everything that could legitimately claim the attention of a composer should

c s - find a pla e in mu ic drama . Yet while acting gener — ou sly toward the operatic art repudiating the — austere purism of the New Russian School he was wi thal fastidious in his choice of material . But the special distinction of his dramatic work would seem to lie in that he b eautifi ed the whole n ot only by his of l treatment the parts , but by the app ication of an unfailing instinct for appropriate combinations of material .

Hi s . Sadko texts are unvaryingly sound That of , derived fro m a number of chronicles of an archaic " e period and strung together by the compos r , gives some indi cation of the standard required of a libretto l li r t who . Bie sk b e by the artist arranged it In y , the ” “ ” “ tist f K ite o Tsar Saltan , j , and The Golden

- K orsakof l Cockerel , Rimsky found a co laborator entirely after his own heart . Between them there was a strong personal and artistic sympathy . The ’ quality of Bielsky s work may be appreciated by any one reading the texts of the three operas named ; they are well worth the reading for their own sake . Yet

- R im sky K orsakof was assisted by Bielsky . 94 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF we know from the composer that he was not prepared to sacrifice an y musical idea for the sake of his texts .

In an opera , reads the concluding sentence in the ” Sadko of preface to , the rhythm the poetry must f be made to con orm to the rhythm of the music , and ” not the inverse . ' His employment of folk - music was particularly felicitous . Havin g often (to use his own phrase)

o f he listened to the v ice o the People , eventually acquired the power of incorporating not merely the su bstance of their utterance , but its manner , in the music of his operas . When reading the views of Rimsky - K orsakof upon

s o - mu ic dramatic construction , one creates for oneself the idea of an orchestra that plays a subordinate part in the scheme . But , important as would seem in mi ’ comparison the le assigned to Wagner s orchestra , the symphonic interest in the Russian composer ’ s of operas is fairly abundant . The German makes the orchestra a window through which we may peep into ’ his soul . The Slav s window affords us a glimpse of ’ Nature s world , and our eye seems to penetrate into its hidden secrets .

- Even in assigning pre eminence to the voice , he never for a moment reverts to the heresies of the purely adko vocal opera . In such operas as S and The ” - Golden Cockerel , and in the opera ballet Mlada , colora there are some quite florid vocal passages , but tura is here employed as a means of securin g an appro r at p i e fantastic expression for a given character . In AS OPERATIC COMPOSER 95

his i s - K orsakof mi Memo rs , Rim ky refers to two e nent singers who approached him with the suggestion that “ ” s r he might compose an opera for u . His manne of recording the incident leaves no doubt as to his s view regarding the function of the singer in Opera .

- K orsak f n Rimsky o has , in short , e riched the form of Opera without sacrificing the di gnity of the art . He has achieved far more than the establishment in Ru ssia of an Opera positively pregnant with nation alism . The series Of operas constituting his legacy to the lyric stage is a document which , combining all

- b the approved elements of music drama , creates y their fusion something altogether unique . PAR T I I I

INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL COMPOSITIONS

I .

H for T E orchestral and , the most part , the chamber music of Rimsky - K orsakof reveals that as a nationalist composer he was not entirely dependent upon the

stage . In several of his orchestral works he used

- f folk tunes as a thematic basis . The Andante o the

First Symphony , written during his stay in England , of s u the themes the Ru sian and Easter Overt res , and “ ” of nfo the Si nietta , are all from an autochthonous source ; the Serbian Fantasia and the Spanish Caprice have a special interest as a manifestation of a nationalism that begins at home but does n ot end ” de . heheraza there As for Antar and S , they are a very definite avowal of the influence of the near Orient upon the Russian artist ; and as this influence

has flowed through the Caucasian channel , and has i n been widely assim lated by Russian poets , pai ters , and musicians , there would appear to be sufficient reason for considering the Oriental design and colouring ’ of such works as Balakiref s Islamey and ” Tamara , and the two descriptive orchestral pieces

to a . referred bove , as properly national 96 INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITIONS 97

r adko In The Tale , and the symphonic pictu e S ,

' the procedure is rather more subtle . They have a

Russian programme , but the music plays a suggestive

- part . No folk tunes are employed , but the melodies are thoroughly in keeping with the character of the programme . There is a cu rious resemblance between the s s themes which , in each ca e , appear to repre ent arr t the n a ivalthread .

It is not , however , permissible in this instance to speak of programme without an explanation that both “ ” “ ” Sheherazade as in The Tale and , as well in ” Sadko is , the programmatic material not described in the music , but is only suggested by it . With the ’ exception of that representing Sheherazade s in trodu c tion to the stories told by her to the Sultan— the passage serving as a link— there are no really definite f thematic associations in the work . The mission o the music is limited to a sugge stion of the atmosphere of “ “ ” the Arabian Similarly in The Tale , ’ which is based on Pushkin s prologue to R u sslan and ” Ludmilla , the music does not refer to the literary ’ f lin ka s s material o G second opera , but merely suggest that a fairy story is being told by the miraculous chained cat , which feline fabulist stands in the same ” relation to the story of R usslan and Ludmilla as does “ ” the indefatigable Sheherazade to the Ar abian Nights .

he o ose san on An n ot ation s commun ic ated by t c mp r cti . ” the associati on of certain p assages in Sheherazade with ” an es the e so es in the A a an N s, bu t in su n s pi d r bi ight ch i t c . m usic is for the m ost p art symb olical rather than d escriptive. 98 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF

to as It seems hardly necessary point out that , an

- K orsakof i orchestral composer , Rimsky was nfluenced in no small degree by Glinka , particularly in the matter ” of o . literary , p etic , and thematic content The Tale , “ ” “ ” the Russian Overture and Sinfonietta , and the

Spanish Caprice are suffi ciently eloquent testimony . The distinctively Russian device—accompanimental ” of Sadko variation an unvarying melody , as in , is also the legacy of Glinka . ’ ’ k Gli nka s - K orsakof s Li e , Rimsky orchestral output had humble beginnings . Thus , when writing his first ’ of Glinka s symphony , he was guided by a study ’ s e on I n stru score , and us d Berlioz famous Treatise mentation as a prop . He admits having had no clear idea of the distinction between the old- fashion ed natural brass in stru or ments , and the modern valve chromatic variety , then more or less a novelty . He was not able to rely very much upon the assistance of his musical guide l Balakiref and phi osopher , , whose knowledge in this — . His wn f viz department was sparse o con ession , that he was attempting to run ere having learned to walk— would appear suitably to describe the circum stances of his early symphonic progress . In cou rse of e time , however , when pres nted with some golden of n opportunities improving his tech ical knowledge , he availed himself of them with the same earnestness as characterized his studies in the technique of com position , succeeding eventually in attaining a mastery that was not excelled by any of his contemporaries .

100 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF the violi ns in three groups play a series of brilliant chords that sound as though coming from on e instrument . The achievement of Rimsky -K orsakof in this direc f tion is twofold . By means o such works as are here mentioned he has insisted on a high standard of

n of orchestral playing , and followi g the lead Glinka , who wrote his orchestral fantasias for this very pur pose, he has added to the symphoni c repertory a series of works that will at on e and the same time appeal to ff the sophisticated , and a ord instruction and enter tain men t to the large public that listens to music but d o t es n o indulge in any closer form of study .

II .

’ In the composer s view his most important orches tral works are roughly divi sible into two categories . ” s adko In the fir t he places the symphonic picture S , ” The Tale , and the Easter Overture . Antar e heherazade and the much lat r work S are , he for says , doubly akin , they are both symphonic suites Sheherazade and both Oriental in character . With an d the Easter Overture he links the Spani sh Caprice as representing his attainment of maturity in the region of orchestral creation . The last work li he refers to as having b een. influenced by G nka ; this is of course qui te obvious . What might perhaps escape the superficial observer is that both S adko “ ’ and An tar owe something to Liszt s Mephisto INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITIONS 10 1

s d Val e , a work which has more recently accounte ’

t for a stage in the evolution of Skryabin s art . Rimsky K or a s kof makes an open avowal of his indebtedness , and does not seek to conceal that what he might have preferred to regard as emulation is in reality more in the nature of imitation . Having often expressed quite freely his opinion of his initial essays in composition he causes no surprise ” of when , in respect Antar , he takes posterity into his confidence and give s a full and frank account of its origins and influences . The Antar theme was ’ s of invented , he ays , under the influence Cui s opera William another passage reflects the ’ manner of Gli n ka s Persian Chorus R usslan and Ludmilla while the triplet accompaniment to the ’ ” a Antar theme o wes something to Serof s R ogn ed . s of The A major epi ode the third movement , like the F sharp major melody of the first was taken

of s him from a French collection Arab tune , lent by i Borod n , and the principal theme of the fourth move Dar omi sk ment was harmonized and given him by g j y , ’ ri ti who extracted it from Ch s an ovich s compilation .

- Even the Gul Nazar theme , which the composer once thought to be original , has since proved to be practically identical with a specimen of Ar ab popular song quoted

an o the s o an a s a en on to o e em a Iv f , hi t ri , c ll tt ti th r th tic oans an d es the esem an e e een the assa e in l , cit r bl c b tw p g which ’ Catarin a (in Cu i s An gelo resign s h erself to a death by ’ o son an d the m u s a om an n the n o - a en s p i , ic cc p yi g S w M id on dissolu ti . ebtedn ess manifests itself in the thematic ’ s Sadko s dko . In the passage de cribing ’ n u a u o remi iscence of L dmilla s bd cti n , scale by which Glinka depicted his ir Chern omor being here replaced by the alternate tones and semitones after ” 1d —K orsakof by Rimsky in The Tale , d movement) , and in the operatic works ” n Pskof and Mlada . Harmo ically ru estion s o n gg of utside influence , otably

III . ion of programme the compo ser gives “ 1is intentions when dealin g with The r s e says , to be considered as ab tract s ni ss has , nevertheless , a defi te a ociation

' s s Prologue , which is establi hed by ’ in symbolical poin ts d appa’ i such as the in which we are right in seeing a musical

f - o Baba Yaga , and the flute passage

1 u or does d ty as a description , rather , a

russalki . s n the These figure belo g , as

- - 104 . RIMSKY KORSAKOF

the contrast between the orthodox celebration of

festivals and the pagan rites in which they originated . Even the bell music in which he reproduces the sou nds bo he heard as a y , when he lived near the Tikhvin o dl M nastery , evokes from him an idea which would har y commend itself to the conventionally devout "he pre fers to regard it as a species of instrumental dance u m sic , sanctioned by the orthodox Russian Church . The orchestral figure employed to describe the bells ” e a app ars gain in the Prelude At the Grave , composed t f on he death o Belayef.

- — Reference to the bell sound one of the most popular of the devices drawn upon by Russian nation s — l to alist compo ers reca ls the quip attributed Cui , ’ who declared that K orsakof s instrumentation of the chimes in Boris sounded more like the original than the original itself . This paradoxical remark would appear to characterize the composer of Antar Sheherazade as f th s and a master o e orche tra . When writing symphonic music he thought in orches tral terms ; he strove contin uously to perfect him self his n n of in ha dli g the medium , incurring among critics an allegation that he was obsessed by a mania for ”

o . s p lish Thi , in reality , was no exaggerated estimate of the importance of a complete orchestral r mastery , but simply the outcome of a desi e that the symphonic expression of any particular idea should be something more than a mere version , that it should ’ be not only the music s most expressive form but an f s integral part o the mu ic itself . INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITIONS 105

IV .

Beyond his solicitude for the individual instrument , the chamber music of Rimsky - K orsakof does not f af ord any great interest . Considering the extent to — — which in his symphonic creations the composer ff of r relies upon e ects colour , it is su prising that , in his works for string combinations , he does not strive , like his compatriot Tchaikovsky and many another

of i ff . composer modern t mes , after orchestral e ects

On the contrary , the manner of his first essay , the or as string quartet in F , a work written more less an exercise in which to test himself after his studi es of his in counterpoint , is repeated in the majority subsequent works of the kind . The interest is chiefly f t melodic , for the contrapuntal efforts o the quar et , culmi nating in an ingenious though only partially successful Finale , are hardly improved upon in the hi posthumously published string sextet , in w ch there h rondo u ato are two ighly complicated movements , a f g th scherzo . r e and a And unfortunately , apart f om

- movements that are in the folk style , there is an absence f o melodic charm . f In the series o collaborative chamber works , which f are so interesting a feature o Russian music , Rimsky K orsakof shows himself capable of carrying out his l share in the programme . The A legro for the string — u on B - F di q artet the theme La , de cated to the great m s e Russian musical patron , is an e inently uitabl 106 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF movement ; while the concluding Khorovod in the v ’ which celebrates Belayef s birthday is full of a ga that remi nds on e of the music in the festive sect ” of Sadko and The Golden Cockerel . To of c Vendredis series , a number little pieces ’ p osed by the p erson n elof Belayef s celebrated mu"

- K orsakof Friday evenings , Rimsky contributed n ll of i itial A egro the second volume , a movement is successful if considered in relation to its cont but is not in any way likely to add to its comp0 1 reputation . In referring to his early essays in chamber m1 Rimsky - K orsakof excu ses their shortcomings by plaining that his technical education was then in c plete and that the contrapuntal manner had not

Bu t the W 1 entered into his being . to judge by has on e " nesses of the specimens he left , prefers to ass that chamber mu sic was not his métier. The ar

f n bi the composer o Mlada only attai ed its g. level when he was able to work on material of w h ci allowed his using a large canvas , on hic broad splashes of colour or a multitude of wi r

i - " varied effects could be employed . R msky Kors was a musician whose gift lay in the region of a descriptive . He was inspired by his own lively p f ciation o his subject . Of this his orchestral operatic works are a suffi cient proof ; his chan music is an endorsement .

RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

” “ r it-ez anka of y , The Doom Oleg (based on ’ ’ f s in s poem) , a setting o the same poet s Upa ” Doubin ou shka and the revolutionary song , ted of 1905 by the events , have all been per 1 in Russia . Their failure is ascribed by their s er of to a want interest in such compositions , lo - vocalists preferring to present themselves in

solo examples , and the chorus in exclusively t works , while the publisher shows a distas e aterial that is not bought by the public "It ) e safely conjectured that a Russian orchestra prefer to be heard in such indulgen t numbers r hehe azade or the Spanish Caprice . choice of The Doom of Oleg for the New -on - Tyne Festival of 1909 was probably a mani on of the very differen t state of affairs prevailin g 1 country .

VI .

’ examination of Rimsky - K orsakof s songs forces the adoption of two conclusions "that his best

.n this region was done at the beginning of his at which time his vocal writing seems to have d f to little from his ignorance o technique , and s ined much as the first flow of a not too abundant inspiration ; and secondly that the composer d his highest level in song - writing when affecting the astern idiom . Thus Oriental Romance 2 its o . p ) was never excelled , and , if equalled , VOCAL COMPOSITIONS 10 9 peers are to be found in such examples as The Hills ” Of Georgia , The Fir Tree and the Palm (from

0 . o p and in the much later song , I L ve Thee , remi n is 0 Moon (from op . in which an Indian cence is clearly responsible for the happy melodic

- t inspiration . The last named specimen stands ou from a number of songs in which the glorified aecom pan im en t provides an interest far superior to that of the vocal line . It is assumed by one of the foremost Russian critics that Rimsky - K orsakof was too often inclined to regard w his songs as studies for operatic riting , and this seems probable when on e reads between the lines of his

Memoirs . But this does not account for the tendency , ’ s to noticeable in the compo er s vocal works , exalt (as “ ” Cui puts it in his di squisition Russian Song ) the f accessory at the exp ense o the essential . The aecom ’ an imen t - K orsakof s s p in Rimsky song , says Cui , bears the same relation to the melody as does a handsome frame to an insignificant picture . For this reason vocalists have neglected the greater part of his consider able contribution to their repertory . Am ong his songs are some exceedingly worthy specimens of descriptive music , such , for instance , as The Nymph

(op . but the singer is not likely to be satisfied in figuring as a pretext for the performance of a beautiful accompani ment . Some of his songs and their accompaniments ”

. Newm arch remind me , aptly remarks Mrs in The ” of - Russian Opera , those sixteenth century portraits — 11O RIMSKY K OR SAK OF

di in which some slim , colourless , but stinguished Infanta is gowned in a robe of brocade rich enough to f ” o . stand by itself , without the negative aid the wearer ” But in dealing with such a song as The Nymph , we ’ have to substitute Cui s metaphor of the ornate frame for the slender subject .

- orsakof Rimsky K was , as we know, richly endowed

- w1th the musico descriptive faculty , and had a very f correct notion o the vocal tessitura . Had he possessed sam e measure in the z a lyrical gift , his songs would surely have been unsurpassed .

112 RIMSKY - K OR SAK OF the aun e ouse is e ues e the Pan n ochka o s h t d h , r q t d by (P li h ) ru ssalka to es a s the en of h er s e m o e an d t bli h id tity t p th r, , su ee n is e a e a e e a a en in the an cc di g, r w rd d with l tt r, pp r tly h d n of a o fi a omman n the ea m an to ex writi g high f ci l , c di g H d a f is so an n a p edite the m arri ge o h n with H .

THE SNOW - MAIDEN

I n Four Acts an d a Prologu e.

Snie ou rochka the au e of os an d n is ea g , d ght r Fr t Spri g, d f ’ to her a en s a n n an d eso ves to ea e her oo an p r t w r i g , r l l v w dl d er solitu de an d to seek the compan ion ship of m ortals. H n u m eart is a m e the son s of L el the s e e b h w r d by g , h ph rd , bu t her n i n a on for him - m ee s n o es on se for L el i cl ti t with r p , is in o e K ou a a he is h a an ced of Miz uir l v with p v . S t e ffi g , a a a an d in his eas ie ou rochka es so fi e e a T t r, br t Sn g kin dl rc fla of s u rochka me as o a h s s i . n ie o p i n th t e de ert h s betrothed S g , be e e the a a es of u e u n s to her m o e wild r d by v g ri C pid , r t r th r , who in m a e n a so u e es o s u on her - a e , t r l licit d , b t w p ill f t d child the o e of u m an o B ut n o soon e oes the n o p w r h l ve. r d S w a en u e at the a es of her n e a a ene sen s M id tt r , dict t wly w k d i bilit an owal of ove for Miz uir an a ra of the a m y , a v l g . th y w r spri n g su n falls u p on her an d she floats to H eaven in a vap ou r .

MLADA

- O era B allet i n our Acts and an A otheosis. p , F p

Mstivoi n e of R hetra av n es n s u on the n e , Pri c , h i g d ig p igh b ourin n a o f Arkon sk has au se his au e g pri cip lity , c d d ght r , Voislava to esen to a a the e of Yaromir its ule , pr t Ml d , brid , r r , a o son e n p i d ri g . Not carin g to depen d up on her own charm s for the a a on of the e ea e Yaro ir n ow ex e e c ptiv ti b r v d m , p ct d ’ as a v s o to her a e s a a e Voislava n vo es the aid of i it r f th r p l c , i k the n e n a o ess o en a who u n n o n to the o m e has i f r l g dd M r , , k w f r r , a en the ea s a e of her n u se an d has e se su es e t k rthly h p r , h r lf gg t d s s e Ya mi a s o thi t p . ro r c on ceives a p s i n for Voislava which OPERATIC SYNOPSES 113

’ even su rvives a dream in which the cau se of his bride s death is e ea e but so su e as h e a em s to em a e his on so e r v l d , r ly tt pt br c c l r the a e of a a n e ven es an d u m a e su ee s in Sh d Ml d i t r , lti t ly cc d n s Voislava ose sou a n i off. R e u n he c rryi g h m t r i g , kill , wh l n o n desce ds to H ades with M re a.

CH R ISTMAS E VE R EVELS

zc I n Four Acts an d N i n e Tableau .

o o a a h as a en a an to th e e e ossa S l kh , witch , t k f cy ld rly C ck ’ ou but is ea am e e her son Vakoula s ou s i Ch b , gr tly h p r d by c rt h p ’ f an a n a n a u n o Ox the ossa s au e . A , C ck d ght r ticip ti g th t d ri g ’ Choub s vi sit to the Sacristan there will b e a m eetin g b etween the o e s o o a a an es the ev ose ire has een l v r , S l kh rr g with D il , wh b aroused by a caricatu re drawn by Vakoula on the wall of the

a e u to s ea the m oon an d s a s . I n the a n ess vill g ch rch , t l t r d rk ou a e i n in a e a es a ome an d is e u se Ch b , tr v ll g circl , rriv b ck h r f d

a m an e Vakoula who m a n es him to b e a a . d itt c by , i gi riv l ean e Oxan a a e s Vakoula o on on a he l M whil , cc pt n c diti th t wil ’

se u e for her a a of the ess s oes. o n aun e c r p ir Empr s h N thi g d t d , Vakoula see s the m e ia esen e an d is u e a e k I p r l Pr c , d ly r w rd d , ’ s the s oes an d en his a s a ou . fir t with h , th by l dy f v r

SAD K O

O era- Le en d in even T p g S ableaux.

S adko a oo bu t s e m n s e ag e s his a , p r pirit d i tr l , w r he d again st the wealth of the Novgorod merchan ts that he will catch o en fi sh in the n e ou n La e n g ld ighb ri g k Ilme . Aided by the ’ S ea- n s au e he n s an d em a s u Ki g d g ht r wi , b rk pon a voyage o n one of the flee of s s a ave e ome i O t hip th t h b c h s. vertaken ’ s o m is e e the s i s o an by t r , it d cid d by h p c mp y that on e of

e n u m e m us be o e e as a sa i e to the ea- th ir b r t ff r d cr fic S Kin g . L o s are a n the esu a a ho n t dr w , with r lt th t S d fi ds him self on a an in mi - o n pl k d cea . 1l4 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

’ n n the ea- n s om a n he a s u on his u s E teri g S Ki g d i , pl y p g li with su ch goodwill that the m on arch an d his court are soon

n an . e e a n en gaged in a fre zied d ce A fi rc g l e e su es. St . o as n e veni n on e a of sea a e s a o e as es Nich l , i t r g b h lf f r r b v , d h the us to th e ou n o e s S adko ome an d an s o ms g li gr d , rd r h , tr f r ’ the S ea- n s au e who has offe e e se to the a ea Ki g d ght r , r d h r lf lr dy m a e m n s e n o the e Volkh of on No o o rri d i tr l , i t riv r , which vg r d n o s an s w t d . M OZAR T AND SALIE R I

r m ti c olo c i n Two cen es D a a D u gu S .

a e ea ou s of the su ess of o a eso es u on S li ri , j l cc M z rt , r lv p

o sonin him . He n es his a to a mea u n p i g i vit riv l l , d ri g which there is a discu ssion as to the possibility of gen iu s an d crim e

e n un e in on e m n . a e av n ea the R e u em b i g it d i d S li ri , h i g h rd q i that M oz art h ad composed at the b ehest of a mysteriou s s an e o s the o son n o his ass an d en o a tr g r , dr p p i i t gl , wh M z rt a s n s ose but u n on s ou s of the ause is un e withdr w , i di p d c ci c , pl g d n o em o se ea n a hi s m u e ous act ma s n a i t r r , f ri g th t rd r y ig ify th t e is se n o en u s h him lf g i .

B OYAR INA VE RA SHELOGA

l Pro ogu e in On e Act.

Ve a the e of an Shelo a who is a sen at the W ar r , wif Iv g , b t ,

is s n n her hi to s ee . Na e a her s s e ea n s a i gi g c ld l p d jd , i t r, l r th t ’ the i is n ot Shelo a s bu t the m o e e u ses to u e ch ld g , th r r f div lg m o e an a on e d a en on her a to the Pechersk r th th t y , wh w y y on as e she h ad e ome a n an d had oun e se on M t ry , b c f i t , f d h r lf , e a n n on s ousn ess in the en of a s an e who su b se r g i i g c ci , t t tr g r, u en s e er a h o a ha s n q tly vi it d h t er h m e. H rdly s he fi ished h r s o en her u s an u n s en he u s e e t ry wh h b d ret r . Wh p t th “ ” ues on h ose is a 1 Na e a to shi e her q ti , W th t child d jd , ld

s s e o a m s e se the m o e . i t r , pr cl i h r lf th r The is O a the a of Pskof her a e is an the ( child lg , M id , f th r Iv e Terribl . )

116 RIMSKY- K ORSAK OF

SE R VIL IA

I n ive c F A ts.

e v a au e of the sen a o o an u s is es e her S r ili , d ght r t r S r , d ir d by a e to on a an a an e Trasea bu t the a e f th r c tr ct lli c with , l tt r , ea n of her e e en e for his a o e son Va e u s h ri g pr f r c d pt d l ri , with

a s his su . n a u s the ee m an of oran u s e n dr w it Eg ti , fr d S , b i g en am ou e of e v a on s es a a n s his m as e an d r d S r ili , c pir g i t t r Trasea an d n m a es to e v a a her su m ss on a on e , i ti t S r ili th t b i i l u a a u s a ou i a will sec re their s fety . V l eri h s m ysteri sly d s p eared an d e v a e om n a on ve to s an p , S r ili , b c i g c rt Chri ti ity,

en oun es the o . a e e o e the u n a Trasea an d r c W rld C ll d b f r trib l , o an u s are sen en e to an s m en e e v a is a a e S r t c d b i h t , whil S r ili w rd d

to n a u s . Va e u s n ow e u n s ea n a o am a on Eg ti l ri r t r , b ri g pr cl ti om Ne o a the un a is sso e The su en ea fr r th t trib l di lv d . dd r p ’ earan ce of her ove au ses S ervilia s ea an d Va e us is p l r c d th , l ri on ly preven t ed from d estroyin g him self by the in terven tion

- of his os e a e . n a u s in his woe n vo es the v n e f t r f th r Eg ti , , i k Di i

Be n an d the es o n hi m i a a m n th e s an God . i g , r t j i n ccl i i g Chri ti

K AS HC H E I T H E I M M O R T AL

n x I n O e Act an d Three Tableau .

The beautifu l Tsarevn a is held captive an d spellb ou n d in the m a n om of the m on s e K ashchei e e she ou gic ki gd t r , wh r h rly a a s e ve an e at the an s of van K orolevich her ove w it d li r c h d I , l r . ’ “ ” The a e see n K ashchei s ea a o n to l tt r , ki g d th (which cc rdi g ’ a on is an o e a on e ou n en d the o e s tr diti bj ct th t , c f d , will gr ’ ex s en e is a a K ashcheievn a K ashchei s au e . i t c ) , w yl id by , d ght r She eva s u on him to n a o on om s n him a pr il p dri k p ti , pr i i g th t “ ” s m ean s h n - f is by thi e will fi d the sou ght or death . H en sl aver i s ab out to kill him when the ben evolen t Bu rya B o a a a en s the e o an d an s o s him on a m a g tyr w k h r , tr p rt gic ’ a e to K ash i n K ash heie n a m a a u e c rp t che s ki gd om . c v kes f rth r effo to se u e an for e se om s n him the e ease o f rt c r Iv h r lf , pr i i g r l his betrothed ; an d when the latter gives expression to a feeling OPERATIC SYNOPSES 117

' f f a f i au o or her she ee s. It is in the e s o h s e pity , w p t r d ght r ’ “ ” a K ashchei s ea is i en an d at e flow his th t d th h dd , th ir n om u m es an d he on h o e s e a n ki gd cr bl t m ster dies. T e l v r r g i e ee om an d K ashcheievn a is a s o me n o a ee n th ir fr d , tr n f r d i t w pi g o will w .

PAN VOYEVOD A

I n Four Acts .

a a Oskolsk is in o e B oleslaf Cha lin sk bu t is M ri y l v with p y , ’ ove e oda ho s e a s her o e s a Pan Vo ev w v m . c t d by y , di r g rd l r cl i Yadvi a who has es n s u on the Vo evoda o a n s o g , d ig p y , bt i fr m a so e e D orosh a a o son u n a an u e she rc r r , , p i which d ri g b q t ’ ou s n o a a s ass bu t the Vo evoda n n om p r i t M ri gl ; y , dri ki g fr it in e o ex es an d Cha lin sk who is in un e a sen en e rr r , pir , p y , ly g d r t c

of ea is e ease . d th , r l d

THE TALE OF THE INVISIBL E CITY K ITEJ AND THE MAIDE N FEVR ONIA

I n our Acts an d ix Tableau x F S .

Whi le sin gi n g the praises of Natu re in a f orest n ear Little K ite the m a en Fevron ia is su se a s ran e ho j , id rpri d by t g r, w is c aptivated by her beau ty an d obt ain s her con sen t to m arry

hi m . On hi s e ar u e she ea n s a he is the son o d p t r , l r th t f the is a a e a a n e of K ite . The s who a Pri c j city tt ck d by T t r , h ve been u e en e s a K outerm a a un en e o a g id d th c by Gri hk , dr k r pr b te. Fe ron ia is se e an d a e off a n a K i v iz d c rri d , pr yi g th t tej m ay be sa ved . When the Tatars press their attack the City is ren dered in v s e an d its efle on is seen on the su a e of i ibl , r cti rf c the L a e Fe on ia es a es an d o e e the n ow e n a k . vr c p , t g th r with r pe t n t

K ou terma en e s the o es . e e she is v s e s , t r f r t H r i it d by bird of a a se an d the s of her e o e who has een e P r di , pirit b tr th d , b kill d . a n ea en of the ea a n s e e n a a in ess H vi g t br d th t bri g t r l h pp , K i e i t Fevron ia departs with the spirit . t j s restored o its tran sfi u r d e g e Peopl . l18 RIMSKY- K OR SAK OF

THE GOLDE N C O CKE R EL

I n Three Acts .

Kin g D odon takes cou n sel with his n obles in order to devise a m ean s whereby the con stan t plottin g of a n eighb ourin g os e u a u E re a a a e s em h til r ler m y be fr strated . pr ctic bl ch e has een e o ve e e en e s an As o o e who offe s b v l d , th r t r tr l g r, pr r a o n h a i n o e the he g lde cockerel . With t e bird w tch g v r city t n m a s ee an e be soun e a a ni n o ki g y l p ; d g r will d d by w r g cr w , ’ At the cockerel s fi rst alarm the kin g despatches hi s two son s to lead his arm y ; at the secon d he decides to betake mse he s s a m ee s hi s hi lf to the field of b attle. T fir t ight th t t

a e is a of his two son s who a e on e ea o e to ea . g z th t , h v d ch th r d th At a n h s n o on an d his Gen e a m s a e d w e perceive a te t . D d r l i t k s as e on n to the ea e of the o os n a m but to thi b l gi g l d r pp i g r y, their aston ishmen t there emerges from it the l ovely "ueen of em a h m e nf a u a es an d u ess oo s Sh kha. S e co plet ly i t t r thl ly f l the old o on wh o fi n a as s her to s a e his on e. On D d , lly k h r thr e e u n in s a e to the a a o on is em n e the th ir r t r t t c pit l , D d r i d d by As o o e f o en of a u he n o his om se e. T tr l g r pr i d t k gr tit d ki g, as n his e is o fi e a em an for the e son of hi s ki g pric , h rri d by d d p r

e. n u a e he s a s the As o o e . The u een brid I f ri t d , l y tr l g r q ese s hi m an d he is l e the o en ea of the a en n d rt , ki l d by g ld b k v gi g o e e c ck r l . In a e E o ue the As o o e e urn s to l e an d ( bri f pil g , tr l g r r t if assures the spectat ors that only he an d the queen are m ortals ; a e wh t th y have witn essed is but a. fan tasy . )

LIS T OF PRINCIPAL W ORKS

O PE R AS

e n o 11. S e Sy pses p . 1

O R CHEST RA

dko o . 5. m on o 1. m on u e S a Sy ph y, p . Sy ph ic Pict r , , p “ An a 0 . 9 . e an an as a o . m on u e F . 6 S S rbi t i , p Sy ph ic it , t r , p ” 2 O ve u e on R uss an em es o . 28 . The a e o . 9 . rt r i Th , p T l , p

n on e a on R u ss an emes o . 3 1. m on o . 3 2 . Si f i tt i Th , p Sy ph y, p “ ” a r a 5. as er n s a e o . 3 4 . Shehe az de o . 3 Sp i h C pric , p , p E t

O e u e o . 3 6 v rt r , p .

CH O R US AND O R CHE ST R A ”

Svitez an ka o . 44 . an a a for so an o en o o u s y , p C t t pr , t r , ch r ” o 58 an o a f oo of O e . d es a. h a o the m rch tr T e B ll d D l g , p , “ ” f r om ome o . 60 o m a e o es an d o es a. l v ic rch tr Fr H r , p , ’ e u e- an a a for em a e o es omen s o us and Pr l d C t t f l v ic , w ch r o es a rch tr . CHAMBE R MUSIC

on s to Bela ef n u a e o . 12 . on u Stri g "rt t , p C trib ti y , ” Birthday an d Friday C ollecti on s . ’ n ex e for two oln s tw o v o as an d two e os Stri g S t t , vi i , i l c ll ; n d os u mou s . u n e for an o flu e ar ne o n a p th "i t t , pi , t , cl i t , h r a soon os umou s b s ; p th .

S OL O AND O R CHE ST R A

an o on e o o . 3 0. Pi C c rt , p

S ONGS

A ou s x a so a n um e of o a u e s. b t i ty , l b r v c l d t

- C ollection of on e hun dred R ussian folk son gs. IND E"

Afan asief 5 oom o le 60 108 , 7 D f O g, ,

Alexan e . 49 51 D ou bin ou shka 108 d r II , , , A ex an e 52 54 D u etsch 53 54 l d r III , , , An elo 101 g , n tar 0 1 100 0 1 2 1 4 aster O re 54 9 6 100 A , 3 , 3 , , 1 1, 0 , 0 E vert"a , , , , Azan ch e sk 4 0 v y , 3 1 3

- B alakiref, 8 , 9 , 17 , 19 , 20 27 , Famin tsin , 27

3 0 3 4 1- 44 4 8 4 9 6 1 96 au st 22 , 7 , , , , , , F ,

98 Fétis, 102 B arber o B a dad 6 Fili of 42 80 f g , 8 pp , , B ee o en 19 20 F i r Tree and the alm The th v , , P , , B ela ef 51- 6 104 109 y , 53 , 55, 5, , 105 106 ee oo of u s 23 - 25 , Fr Sch l M ic , , Be o 2 98 4 1- 44 46 49 rli z , 7 , , ,

B ezson of, 62 Bielsk 58 60 62 66 88 9 Gedeon of 3 2 y , , , , , , 3 , B um enfe 51 Geor ia The Hills o 109 l ld , g , f, B oris odoun o 3 6 40 1 1 4 Glazoun of 4 50 - 55 6 1 63 G f, , , 7 , 0 , 7 , , , , B o od n 8 24 26 3 3 3 8 4 3 66 67 r i , , , , , , , , 4 54 6 51 53 54 557 1 75 n a 7 - 9 11 19 26 4 2 43 , , , , , , , , Gli k , , , , , , , 2 80 91, 101 6 1, 69 , 70, 7 1, 7 , 7 3 , 7 9 , ,

B on 4 9 66 95- 97 yr , , G o o 10 3 1 44 56 74 g l , , , , , 0 Calvocoressi , 66 Gold en Cockerel, 66 , 74 , 8 , 4 106 Chri stmas E ve R evels, 56 , 57 , 8 1, 82 , 8 8 , 93 , 9 , 74 75 7 85 G o o n 16 , , 7 , l vi , 4 Grave, At the, 63 , 10 27 rth 6 Cui , 8 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 24 , 29 , 3 1 Heaven an d E a , 6 5 104 10 109 3 , , 7 , , e oon 10 110 I love th e, 0 M , 9 I n strumen tation reatise on , T , ar omi sk 1 20 2 65 68 D g j y , 8 , 9 , 8 , , 6 , 3 9 , , 29 30 1 3 59 0 1 82 I olitof- an o 51 , , 3 , 3 , , 7 , 7 , , pp Iv f , 0 10 I slam e 9 6 9 , 1 y, 122

12 4 INDEX

R us s an u si a oc e 3 1 i M c l S i ty , , 43 68 2 29 3 1 R uss ia n O verture, 96 , 98 S to ne Guest, The, 6 , , , R uss an 3 3 34 3 6 3 59 63 7 0 7 1 i , , , 7 , , , , , 90

R ussla n and L udmilla , 16 , 69 , 7 0 7 1 73 7 4 9 7 10 1 102 avins 63 , , , , , , Str ky , 4 0 105 ,

S adko O e at 57 - 59 62 9 6 ( p r ic) , , ,

75, 77 , 80 , 8 1, 85, 8 6, 89 , 9 1, 92 93 94 106 ale The 4 6 72 73 95 , , , T , , , , , , S adko m on 22 26 98 99 100 102 ( Sy ph ic) , , , , , , 27 46 62 93 94 9 7 98 99 ama ra 96 , , , , , , , , T ,

a ovs 9 2s 4 s 53 Tch ik ky , , , , ,

56 , 79 , 105

S erbia n antas ia 2 6 27 99 sa r S alta n 60 62 7 77 F , , , T , , , ,

S erof, 10 1 7 9 , 82 , 8 6, 93 ’ S ervilia 60 6 1- 64 73 7 6 80 sar s B ride The 59 7 3 76 , , , , , , T , , , , ,

8 1, 9 1, 92 78 , 91, 92 me 105 so , Shal a in 3 7 59 U 16 17 y p . , lich , , a 9 1 92 U as ree 51 108 Sh w , , p T , ,

S heherazade, 22 , 54 , 6 1, 8 1, 94, 10 1 9 6 , 9 7 , 100 , 3 , 04 , 108

Shestakof, 2 6 , 33 107 Vera S helo a 43 59 3 7576 g , , , 7 , , ,

Themes, 9 1

46 , 9 6 , 9 8 S r a n 66 10 1 k y bi , , W a n e 23 54 8586 8 7 8 8 g r , , , , , , , — 5 88 8 9 10 1 94 7 6 79 , 8 4, 8 , , , illiam at i 32 1 1 9 W R d fi , , 0 108

Stassof, 8 , 2 4, 3 8 , 4 1, 44 , 51, 53