Modest Mussorgsky

Belonging to the circle of Russian nationalist composers called "The Mighty Five," Mussorgsky composed the opera Boris Godounov in 1868, along with songs and incidental pieces such as the piano work Pictures at an Exhibition from 1874 and A Night on Bare Mountain. Despite enduring a challenging existence marked by periods of near poverty, employment in the uninspiring role of a civil clerk, and struggles with alcoholism, he created some of Russia's most distinctive and outstanding songs, which have since become staples in the standard repertoire. The allure, power, and passion found in Russian folk songs and stories fueled his creativity, as well as that of his colleagues in their pursuit of an authentic Russian musical identity and expression. This pursuit finds vivid expression through striking orchestral colors in the renowned Night on Bare Mountain, commonly encountered in Rimsky-Korsakov's revised orchestration, and through deeply moving, narrative-like intimacy in the song cycles Songs and Dances of Death and Bez solntsa (Sunless, or Without Sun), in addition to the well-loved Pictures at an Exhibition featuring its diverse atmospheres and unforgettable tunes. To truly grasp the essence that would transform Russian music in the following century, the operas Boris Godounov, Kovanschina, and Sorochintsy Fair ought to be experienced in their original forms whenever feasible.