Rimsky-Korsakov, N.A.: The Snow Maiden Suite / Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh / Night on Mount Triglav Mikhail Pletnev

• Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844 – 1908): Suite from Snow Maiden:
• 1 I. Introduction 03:33
• 2 II. Danse des oiseaux (Dance of the Birds) 02:51
• 3 III. Cortege 01:49
• 4 IV. Danse des bouffons (Dance of the Clowns) 03:30
• Suite from Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya:
• 5 I. Prelude: A Hymn to Nature 04:25
• 6 II. Wedding Procession - Tartar invasion 03:15
• 7 III. Battle of Kershenets 04:23
• 8 IV. Death of Fevroniya 08:22
• Nuit sur le MontTriglav (3rd Act of the Ballet Opera Mlada):
• 9 Act III Scene 1, Introduction: Nuit sur le Mont Triglav et apparition des hombres 08:59
• 10 Act III Scene 2: L'ombre de Mlade de Jaromir 02:34
• 11 Act III Scene 3: Sabbat des esprits infernaux et Ronde infernale 04:09
• 12 Act III Scene 4: Apparition de la Reine Cleopatre 08:19
• 13 Act III Scene 5: Matin 03:56
• Total Runtime 01:00:05

Info for Rimsky-Korsakov, N.A.: The Snow Maiden Suite / Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh / Night on Mount Triglav

Between 1860 and 1870, a group of composers got together in St Petersburg under the leadership of Mili Balakirev. The “Mighty Five”, as they came to be known, aimed to create an independent, distinctly Russian musical language. Michail Glinka was a major influence on the group, which consisted of amateurs with regard to composing, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was the only member who was professionally active in music. Sent to naval cadet college at the early age of 12 to pursue the traditional family career of a naval officer, that was where he received his first lessons in music, became acquainted with the operas of Verdi, Glinka, Meyerbeer, Mozart and von Flotow, studied Beethoven’s piano sonatas and made the acquaintance in 1861 of Mili Balakirev, who became his teacher. Balakirev’s lessons and views influenced Rimsky-Korsakov deeply. Balakirev strongly eschewed Western music, and any academic syntax for that matter; he was convinced that it would be possible to write great works without any technical qualifications. And thus he set his pupils loose right away on major music forms such as symphony and opera.

“...richly played and caught with a vividness arresting...Pletnev gives [the Mlada excerpt] immense scale” (BBC Music Magazine)

“Pletnev and his virtuoso orchestra make a charming sound picture of the Dance of the Birds, woodwind all a-twitter, and leap with plenty of vigour into the single most popular item, the Dance of the Clowns, or Skomorokhi...the death and transfiguration of the Princess Fevronia...is evocatively played.” (Gramophone Magazine)

Russian National Orchestra
Mikhail Pletnev, conductor

No biography found.

Booklet for Rimsky-Korsakov, N.A.: The Snow Maiden Suite / Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh / Night on Mount Triglav