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Romantic Russian

MUSSORGSKY, Modest

Portrait of Modest Mussorgsky (1881) by Ilya Repin

Born in Karevo, Pskov district, March 9/21, 1839
Died in St. Petersburg, March 16/28, 1881

  • Modest Mussorgsky was born to a wealthy land-owning family. As a child, Mussorgsky showed an exceptional talent for piano. However, as a 13-year-old, the burgeoning musician was forced to enter military training instead. Mussorgsky wouldn’t be able to return to formal musical training for several years.
    • In late 1857, Mussorgsky began composition lessons with Mily Balakirev. Under Balakirev, Mussorgsky analyzed works by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Berlioz, Liszt, Glinka, Bach, Handel, Mozart, and more.
    • Mussorgsky’s relationship under Balakirev quickly began to fray, after which the young composer set out on his own, writing pieces based on his own creative instincts and musical tastes.1
    • In 1861, as a result of the emancipation of the serfs, Mussorgsky’s family estate collapsed, and Mussorgsky was forced to take on side jobs to support his art.
  • As a composer, Mussorgsky is best known for his opera, Boris Godunov, as well as his songs. Interestingly, despite piano being his primary instrument, Mussorgsky wrote little for the instrument.
  • For subject matter, Mussorgsky often turned to more realistic depictions of life, even the grittier moments, rather than more traditional topics of love, heartbreak, nature, etc.
    • “Mussorgsky’s aim… was to free Russian music from the ‘high-heel inserts and tight shoes’ of Western European music, and to give unaffected expression of the depiction of Russia in its ‘bast sandals.'”2
  • Despite leaving behind a multitude of unfinished works, the influence Mussorgsky had on emerging turn-of-the-century composers cannot be underestimated. For example, Debussy and Ravel were both fascinated by the Russian composer’s “innovative and audacious use of harmony.”3
  • Mussorgsky died in poverty at just 42 years old as a result of chronic alcoholism.4

Learn More
Biography via Deutsche Grammophon

Sources

  1. Robert W. Oldani, “Musorgsky [Mussorgsky; Moussorgsky], Modest Petrovich,” Grove Music Online (2001); accessed February 12, 2024, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000019468.
  2. Daniel Jaffé, “Composer of the Month: Modest Mussorgsky,” BBC Music Magazine Vol. 27, No. 4 (2019), 58-62.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Robert W. Oldani, “Musorgsky [Mussorgsky; Moussorgsky], Modest Petrovich,” Grove Music Online.

Pieces