大象传媒

Donald Macleod surveys the life and work of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Rimsky-Korsakov鈥檚 music is filled with lush orchestration and hints of orientalism and folk music. These elements and his role as a leading member of 鈥淭he Mighty Handful鈥� of composers who sought to forge a truly nationalistic music have led him to be regarded as the main architect of the Russian style of composition we know today. We hear about Rimsky Korsakov鈥檚 lifelong relationship with the sea, his fascination with myths and folklore, the acts of rebellion which pepper his life, his changing religious beliefs and his carefully constructed legacy.

Music featured:
By the Sea, Op 46: The Wave Breaks into a Spray
Scheherazade (I. The Sea and Sinbad鈥檚 Ship)
From Homer Op.60
Symphony No 1 (II. Andante tranquillo)
Sadko, Op. 6
Trombone Concerto (I. Allegro Vivace)
Captivated by the Rose, the Nightingale (4 Songs, Op 2 No 2)
Antar: IV. Allegretto - Adagio
Skazka, Op 29
Capriccio Espagnol, Op 34
Hymn to the Sun from The Golden Cockerel
Allegro in B flat major (Les Vendredis, Book II)
Overture on Russian Themes, Op 28
Symphony No 3: II. Scherzo
Kashchey the Immortal: Tableau 3
Suite from 鈥淭he Golden Cockerel鈥�: IV. Wedding Feast 鈥� Death of King Dodon - Finale
Octave (5 Songs 鈥淭o the Poet鈥�, Op 45)
May Night: Overture
Snow Maiden: Act IV Finale
Russian Easter Festival Overture
Chants for Holy Week
The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya Suite: I. Hymn to Nature
Flight of the Bumblebee (Tsar Saltan)
Maid of Pskov 鈥� Overture
Night on the Bare Mountain
Polonaise (Christmas Eve Suite)
Mlada: Act III, Scenes 2 and 3
Mozart & Salieri: Scene 2 (extract)
Upon the hills of Georgia, Op 3
Presenter: Donald Macleod
Producer: Sam Phillips for 大象传媒 Wales

For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: /programmes/m0001n89

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we鈥檝e featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z