Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)

The Maid of Pskov: Overture & Entr'actes
The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh: Symphonic Suite
Fairy Tale, Op.29
Fantasia on Serbian Themes, Op.6

In common with other nationalist composers, Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov began his musical career as an amateur, during service in the navy. In 1872 he resigned from the service and thereafter spent a dozen years as Inspector of Naval Bands, a civilian position specially created for him. This led him to develop a particular interest in instrumentation, an aspect of music that had long fascinated him. He owed much, at first, to Balakirev, the self-appointed leader of the Russian nationalist composers Cui, Borodin and Mussorgsky, but came to regret their lack of technical competence, a defect he sought to remedy when he came to revise work left unfinished by Mussorgsky and Borodin after their deaths. By his own efforts he acquired