GLINKA Mikhail (G-48)

Russian composer, the founder of Russian classical music. As a child, he studied piano and violin. Since 1817, he continued his musical studies at the Noble Boarding School at the Main Pedagogical Institute (St. Petersburg). In the 1820s he took piano lessons from J. Field, S. Mayer, Z. Den (Berlin). The artistic environment of St. Petersburg, close communication with A.S. Pushkin, V.K. Kuchelbecker, V.F. Odoevsky, A.S. Griboyedov, A.A. Delvig, and many future Decembrists helped the rapid formation of M. Glinka's aesthetic views. During the life of M. Glinka traveled around Europe for many years, was familiar with G. Berlioz, F. Mendelssohn, V. Bellini, G. Donizetti. In 1837-1839 M.I. Glinka was the kapellmeister of the Court Singing Chapel (St. Petersburg). From his pen came works of various genres that became the first classical examples in Russian music (operas "Life for the Tsar", 1836, and "Ruslan and Lyudmila", 1842, symphonic and chamber-instrumental pieces, vocal compositions). The role of M.I. Glinka in Russian music is akin to the role of A.S. Pushkin in Russian literature: he initiated a new stage of its development. Based on the deeply understood role of nationality in musical aesthetics, M.I. Glinka formed the concept of national musical culture. In the last years of his life he wrote literary memoirs ("Notes", 1854-1855, publ. 1870). M.I. Glinka's "Patriotic Song" was the official anthem of the Russian Federation from 1991 to 2000. In honor of M.I. Glinka is named after: the State Academic Chapel (St. Petersburg), the Museum of Musical Culture (Moscow), Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Magnitogorsk and Dnepropetrovsk conservatories, several music educational institutions, choral and chamber-instrumental collectives of Russia and neighboring countries. From 1965 to 1990 there was the State Prize of the RSFSR named after M.I. Glinka, since 1958 the All–Russian Music Festival named after M.I. Glinka has been held in Smolensk, and since 1960 - the International (formerly All-Union) competition of vocalists (Moscow).