Untitled Quiz

• In the 19th century, a surge of nationalist feeling swept across Russia.
• Russian artists and composers shifted from mimicking Western styles to creating their own sense of identity.
• "The Mighty Handful" was a group of five composers passionate about developing distinctly Russian music.

The Mighty Five

• The "Mighty Handful" aimed to develop a uniquely Russian musical identity.
• They collaborated on music, performed new compositions, discussed ideas, and suggested alterations to each other's scores.

Musicians of the Mighty Five

• Mily Balakirev (1837-1910) was the group's leader who encouraged the other composers, but struggled to finish his own compositions.
• Alexander Borodin (1833-1887) was a chemist who composed music on weekends, known as the most romantic member of the group, famous for his lively choral music.
• Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881) lived a chaotic life and drank heavily; his music is earthier than that of the other members.
• César Cui (1835-1918) composed operas and children's songs; his music was inspired by Russian folktales, incorporating elements of Russian folk music.
• Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) used folk melodies and Russian themes, as well as understanding and using Western styles of music.

Musicians' Influences

• Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857), "Father of Russian Music," encouraged a return to the real music of Russia.

Russian Traditions

• The "Mighty Handful" drew inspiration from Russian legends, stories, songs, and folk dances.

Historical Context

• 1855: Mily Balakirev moved to St. Petersburg where he met and was inspired by Mikhail Glinka.
• 1856: Balakirev befriended César Cui and Modest Mussorgsky, who were both enrolled in the Russian army; he persuaded them to dedicate more time to their music.
• 1857: After Glinka's death, Balakirev championed Russian music.
• 1858: Mussorgsky left his army career to pursue his increasing interest in music.
• 1861: Balakirev and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov met combining a career in the navy with his music.
• 1862: Balakirev met Alexander Borodin. Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov began composing their first symphonies. Balakirev, aged 25, founded St. Petersburg's Free School of Music and spent his summers traveling around the Caucasus, gaining inspiration from folk music.
• 1863: Balakirev encouraged Borodin to dedicate more time to music.
• Late 1860s: The group began to disagree and drift apart, moving away from Balakirev's increasingly demanding influence.

Notable Works

• Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain: Russian folk group dance featuring witches and demons gathering for the black Sabbath with wild cries and eerie, unsettling sounds.
• Rimsky-Korsakov's Tale of Tsar Saltan: a magical story of romance and deception following Prince Gvidon, marooned on an island as a child which features the Flight of the Bumblebee, Rimsky-Korsakov's most famous work.
• The Flight of the Bumblebee from Act III of The Tale of Tsar Saltan is played when the Swan-Bird changed the Tsar's son into an insect so that he can fly to his father.
• Borodin's Prince Igor: tells the story of a Russian prince captured by the Polovetsians featuring the Polovetsian dances full of energetic leaps and whirls (completed by Rimsky-Korsakov after Borodin spent 18 years on it).