The works of Rimsky-Korsakov are characterized by graphic arts, they are characterized by a special purity of lyrics. All of them are connected with the fairy-tale world, with the life of the people, with the nature of Russia. Of no less importance is the representation of oriental images in them.
N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. Biography: childhood
The future composer was born in Tikhvin in March 1844. His father came from a noble noble family. Starting with the great-great-grandfather, who was the rear admiral of the fleet under Elizabeth Petrovna, all his ancestors held important posts in the administration or in the army. Nick's music (the so-called boy’s family) began to be engaged in from the age of six. But boring teachers could not instill in the child a love for the subject.
N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. Biography: departure to Petersburg
At the age of twelve, his father brought Nikolai to the northern capital and designated a cadet in the naval corps. His childhood dream came true. The boy was engaged with zeal, but over time it turned out that both the local customs and the drill were all alien to him. In the same year, cellist Ulich began to teach him how to play the piano. At the age of 16, Nikolai began to take lessons from F. A. Canilla, a famous pianist. Music pushed to the background the maritime business, which Nikolai's elder brother was very dissatisfied with. In addition, the young man joined the Balakirev circle in 1861. Rimsky-Korsakov was very glad that people who were keen on music accepted him as an equal. In the same period, Nikolai is experiencing a bereavement - the death of his father. A year later, Rimsky-Korsakov set sail around the world. During the journey, he wrote only one Andante for a symphony.
Rimsky-Korsakov. Biography: 1865-1882
After returning to his homeland, he eagerly makes up for everything that he missed during his voyage: reading, playing, talking, working on the First Symphony and performing it in a concert. In 1867 he composed "Sadko" for the orchestra. This "musical picture" brought him real recognition. In the same period, love came to Nicholas. He is passionate about Nadezhda Purgold, who, along with her sister Alexandra, performed works written by members of the circle. For the next four years, the composer works on the opera Pskovityanka. At this time, many exciting events took place: the elder brother died, in 1871 Nikolai began to teach at the conservatory, in the same year Nadezhda Purgold became his bride. Returning from a honeymoon, the couple set about learning a new opera. In 1873, her premiere took place. The public approved the work. From 1873 to 1878, Rimsky-Korsakov was engaged in improving his own technique, as he felt significant gaps in his musical education. Members of the circle did not understand this zeal.
They warned that technically advanced works would be an order of magnitude lower than those written by the soul. And so it happened. The third symphony, performed in 1876, was received with restraint by the public and the press. And finally, the long-awaited inspiration came to the composer: very quickly he wrote the opera May Night. Immediately after it, Rimsky-Korsakov asked Ostrovsky for permission to use his play “The Snow Maiden” for composing music. The playwright agreed and was shocked by the result.
Rimsky-Korsakov. Biography: 1894-1902
During this period, the composer began to work on the second opera based on the plot of Gogol's works - "The Night Before Christmas." The next work, The Tsar’s Bride, was accepted ambiguously. But there was no end to applause, when in 1900 the Tale of Tsar Saltan came to life on stage. It was written on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of A.S. Pushkin.
A brief biography of Rimsky-Korsakov: recent years
The combination of composer and pedagogical activity could not but affect the health of Nikolai Andreevich. However, this did not stop him from writing his most innovative work - the opera Kashchei the Immortal. Then came the shock of Bloody Sunday in 1905. Students at the gathering demanded to stop classes until the fall. Nikolai Andreevich supported them, for which he was fired. Behind him, thus expressing protest, many more professors left the conservatory. Since then, the idea of writing such an opera in which tsarism could be exposed has not left Rimsky-Korsakov. In 1906, he began work on the Golden Cockerel. A year later, the opera was written. The Governor-General of Moscow opposed her production, as he was alerted by the severity of satire on the tsar. The opera was nevertheless performed in 1909, but the composer did not see this. In June 1908 he died.