Question by Joel: Why are there so many great Russian Composers?
When I think of Russian music from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, I think of lush, romantic, long melodies or a rigid emotional intensity in some cases, but in every case such powerful music. Why is this the case? Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovitch, Stravinsky, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Kabalevsky are just a few composers that I can think of, that have writen really great stuff. Who is your favorite Russian composer and what do you think was a major influence on their music? And why was there such an output of this type of music from this area?
Answers and Views:
Answer by Y
Europe in general puts a much greater emphasis on developments in the Arts, than North America, or most other world areas other than Europe (up till recent times anyway).
Art, Theater, Music, Ballet, Circus, all these art forms were very productive in Russia in the 19th and 20th centuries due to Russia’s status as a Great Power, and then a Superpower with a growing population and increasing interest in the arts.
The US also has many fine producers of theater, ballet, etc. but the general population doesn’t care about such endeavors.
Read all the answers in the comments.
Give your own answer to this question!
Anna Fransson says
As Boris Pasternak observed in 'Doctor Zhivago' – "No-one loves poetry like a Russian", and I'm sure the same applies to music: they're just so passionate about it. Then, of course, there is a rich source of folk music to draw upon, and that was surely an inspiration – it certainly was for Tchaikovsky, and he drew upon it quite often. As it happens, I consider Tchaikovsky the greatest of all Russian composers – hardly anyone else comes close, although I have tremendous admiration for Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin. From the 20th century, I prefer Shostakovitch, rather than Prokofiev or Stravinsky, although I recognise the genius in both of them.
And, as a footnote – what a pity that Kalinnikov seems almost forgotten. Two marvellous symphonies that are rarely performed.
James says
Borodin is my favorite Russian composer.
As for the question of why there are so many great Russian composers, I don't think that there are a great many relative to Russia's population. Austria, with a much smaller population, produced Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert in a period of less than seventy years.
Dan says
cliche but my favorite is Tchaikovsky. I just love the nutcracker soundtrack