A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Rimsky-Korsakow, Nikolaus

RIMSKY-KORSAKOW, Nikolaus Andrejewitch, born at Tichwin, Russia, in 1844, was at first intended for a military career, and became an officer of marines in the Imperial army. After several years' service, he abandoned his profession in order to devote himself to music. Although principally self-taught, he turned his studies to such good account that in 1871 he was made professor of composition at the Conservatorium at St. Petersburg. Not long afterwards he was appointed director of the free school of music in the same capital. Two operas by him have been represented at the Russian opera-house, 'Pakowitjanka,' Jan. 13, 1873, and 'Die Mainacht' (as the name is given in Riemann's Opernhandbuch), Jan. 20, 1880. The words of the latter are by the composer himself. Some fragments of another opera were published at St. Petersburg, where several symphonies, works for piano, and a collection of 100 Russian popular songs, have appeared. A 'legend' for orchestra, entitled 'Sadko,' was given by the Allgemeine Deutsche Musikverein at Altenburg in 1876, in which year a string quartet by him obtained considerable success, The society just mentioned produced his symphony 'Antar' (op. 15), at Magdeburg in 1881. He lately collaborated with the Russian composers, Liadow, Borodine, and Glazounow, in writing a string quartet on the name Belaieff, i.e. the notes 'B-la-f,' or B♭, A, F. A 'symphoniette' in A minor has lately been published as op. 31, a 3rd symphony as op. 32, a fantasia for violin and orchestra on Russian themes as op. 33, and a Capriccio Espagnol for orchestra as op. 34.

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