author
Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov
1844–1908
Best known for the dazzling colors of Scheherazade and other vividly imagined scores, this Russian composer brought storytelling to orchestral music with uncommon flair. He also shaped generations of musicians as a teacher, editor, and central figure in Russia’s nationalist school of composition.
2 Audiobooks
Principles of Orchestration, with Musical Examples Drawn from His Own Works
by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov
Ma vie musicale
by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov
About the author
Born in Tikhvin in 1844, he first trained for a naval career before music took over. He became one of "The Five," the circle of Russian composers who wanted to build a distinctly national style, and he soon stood out for his gift for brilliant, descriptive orchestration.
His music is famous for its atmosphere and color, especially in works such as Scheherazade, Capriccio espagnol, and the Russian Easter Festival Overture. He also wrote many operas, often drawing on folklore, legend, and fantasy, which gave his music a strong sense of place and story.
Beyond his own compositions, he was an important teacher at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and a careful editor of other Russian composers’ works. That mix of imagination, craft, and influence helped make him one of the most enduring figures in Russian classical music.