Various - Nikolay-Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov: Complete Operas and Fragments

Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was born on March 18, according to the Gregorian calendar (Juli an: March 6) 1844 in Tikhvin, in the Russian district of Novgorod. In Saint Petersburg, then capital city of the Russian empire, he made the acquaintance of the composer Mily Balakirev ( 1837-1910), who recognised the boy's talent immediately and encouraged him to compose music. -Together with Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881), Cesar Cui (1835-1918) and Alexander Boro�din ( 1833-1887) they joined the Mighty Handful, as a critic had dubbed the group of five composers . They pursued ideas of a uniquely Russian music tradition, free of any degenerate western influences and unspoilt by any academic input.