BALAKIREV Mily (B-13)

Russian composer, pianist, conductor, head of the musical Association "The Mighty Five". In childhood he studied piano with A. Dubuque. He was a volunteer at the faculty of mathematics of Kazan University (1853-1855). Serious musical education owes mostly to himself. In 1855 he moved to St. Petersburg, where he met with M. I. Glinka, who convinced him to engage in musical activities. In 1856-1862 as a result of acquaintance, and subsequently friendship with C.Cui, M.Musorgsky, N.Rimsky-Korsakov, A.Borodin and the critic V.Stasov, he formed a musical circle known as Balakirev's or later "The Mighty Five", which had a significant impact on the development of musical art in Russia. In 1862 he founded the "Free music school" (in 1868-1874 and in 1881-1908 – Director). In 1866 he was in charge of the production of Glinka's opera "Life for the Tsar" and "Ruslan and Lyudmila" in Prague. From the autumn of 1867 to the spring of 1869 he conducted Symphony concerts of the Imperial Russian musical society (1867, together with H. Berlioz). In 1883-1894 he was in charge of the Court singing chapel. The main sphere of creativity by M. Balakirev – instrumental (symphonic and piano) music. His name is associated with the birth of genres of Russian epic Symphony and original Russian piano style. Romances and songs of Balakirev occupy a prominent place in Russian chamber and vocal music.