Nikolaï Rimski-Korsakov (1844–1908)

Rimsky-Korsakov entered the Naval College in St Petersburg and served as a naval officer while frequenting Balakirev’s circle, the future “Five”. Largely self-taught, he was appointed professor at the St Petersburg Conservatory in 1871 and trained himself in harmony and counterpoint at the same time.

He became one of the greatest orchestrators in history: Scheherazade, the Capriccio espagnol and the Russian Easter Festival Overture dazzle with colour. He also wrote fifteen operas, often based on Russian tales, including The Tale of Tsar Saltan, which contains the famous “Flight of the Bumblebee”.

An influential teacher, his pupils included Glazunov, Respighi and Stravinsky, and he wrote a treatise on orchestration. He also completed and revised several works by his late friends Mussorgsky and Borodin. He died in 1908.

His piano output is modest but pleasant; it introduces a clear, colourful language with Russian harmonies and helps develop rhythmic precision and lightness.