RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV BIOGRAPHY
1844-1908
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV was a brilliant RUSSIAN
COMPOSER/NATIONALIST, Naval Officer, and composer of the famous "THE
FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLE-BEE" from "The Tale Of Tsar Saltan"!
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
was born in Tikhvin, Russia on March 6, 1844 into a prominent
naval military family. He entered the St. Petersburg Naval
Academy at the age of 12, where he also studied cello and piano.
At the age of 17, Rimsky-Korsakov's music teacher introduced him
to Mili Balakirev, who brought Rimsky-Korsakov into his group of
RUSSIAN NATIONALISTS
composers named the
"MIGHTY HANDFUL" or "MIGHTY FIVE"
- which comprised of Borodin, Mussorgky, Balakirev, Cui and now
Rimsky-Korsakov.
Between 1862-1865, while finishing a Russian Naval tour,
Rimsky-Korsakov began composing his First Symphony. He decided
to end his naval career and concentrate on composing and being a
professor. Rimsky-Korsakov insistent on becoming totally trained
in theory and composition and he wrote books on harmony and
orchestration ("Principles Of Orchestration").
One of his most famous students was the Russian genius composer
Igor Stravinsky ("The Rite Of Spring").
Rimsky-Korsakov wrote his famous tone poem
"Capriccio Espanol"
in 1887. He was inspired to compose
"Scheherazade"
in 1888 from the
"Arabian Nights"
and he composed about 15 operas, mostly based on
Russian fairy tales, folk themes and magic, including the Opera
"The Tale Of Tsar Saltan".
"THE TALE OF TSAR SALTAN" Opera Featuring "THE
FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLE-BEE"
Rimsky-Korsakov wrote the 4 Act Opera
"The Tale Of Tsar Saltan"
in 1900, which features the now world-famous
"The Flight Of The Bumble-Bee" (which happens to be The Great
Kat's Signature Song!).
This is a fairy tale about 3 sisters, the youngest of which
marries a Tsar. The older 2 sister's become servants to this
Tsar. When the Tsar's new wife has a baby son, Prince Gvidon,
the 2 jealous sisters throw the baby and the mother in a barrel
into the sea. The son grows up and wants to go home to see his
father. A magical swan turns him into a BUMBLE-BEE so he could
fly to visit his fathers' court, where he stings his evil aunt's
eye. In the end, the swan turns out to be a princess who he
marries. Prince Gvidon, his mother and the Tsar are all
reunited.
Rimsky-Korsakov died on June 21, 1908 in Lyubensk after
suffering angina. He was buried next to Borodin, Mussorgsky and
Glinka. Rimsky-Korsakov is known as ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
AND PROLIFIC COMPOSERS IN RUSSIAN HISTORY.
