Musorgsky and His Circle

Description:

"The extraordinary group of Russian composers who came together in St Petersburg in the 1860s - long known as 'The Mighty Handful', but, as the moguchaya kuchka, better translated as 'the great little heap' - gave rise to one of the most fascinating and colourful stories in all musical history. Stephen Walsh, author of a major biography of their direct successor, Stravinsky, has written an absorbing account of Musorgsky and his circle - Borodin, Cui, Balakirev and Rimsky-Korsakov. With little or no musical education they created works of lasting significance - Musorgsky's Boris Godunov, Borodin's Prince Igor and Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherazade. Written with deep understanding and panache, The Kuchka, is highly engaging and a significant contribution to cultural history."--Publisher's description.

subjects: Music, history and criticism, 19th century,  Music, russian,  Nationalism in music,  Mussorgsky, modest petrovich, 1839-1881,  Moguchai͡a kuchka (Group of composers),  Music,  History and criticism,  Groupe des Cinq (Groupe de compositeurs),  Nationalisme dans la musique,  Biografie,  Das @mächtige Häuflein,  Musik,  Historia