MILY BALAKIREV

MILY BALAKIREV

Balakirev, Mily born Jan2, 1837 died May 29, 1910 Balikirev was a leading Russian nationalist composer known for setting the course for Russian lyrical song during the second half of the nineteenth century. Balikirev received his first musical training from his mother and proved to be a precocious student, being able to reproduce tunes at the piano by the age of four. By the age of fourteen he was made conductor of an orchestra of the nobleman Aleksandr Oulibishev who became his patron. He was encouraged by Mikhail Glimka when Balakirev moved to St. Petersburg in 1855. He later formed a famous group of musicians known as the "five" which included Aleksander Borodin, Cesar Cui, Modest Mussorgsky and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. He was also one of the founders of the Free Music School in St. Petersburg and was director of the Court Chapel. Balikirev wrote many works based on Russian folk themes and collected and arranged many Russian folk songs. Among his most famous works is the incredibly difficult piano fantasy Islamy, the overture Russia and the symphonic poem Tamara. Unfortunately Balikirev's life was troubled by fits of depression, extreme poverty, encephalitis, headaches and constant disorders of the stomach and nerves. Known to be a strong advocate for musical nationalism , and having a somewhat fierce and tactless character, he gained many enemies particularly in German academic circles. Eventually he received some triumph in 1867 when he succeeded Anton Rubinstein as the conductor of the Russian Musical Society symphony concerts and director of the Free School.