Duelling operas

The Mighty Handful, who collaborated between 1856 and 1881, changed the direction of Russian music, permanently freeing it from Germanic influences and setting the scene for the country’s ground-breaking music in the 20th century.

Who were these five composers? What was the dynamic between them, and what conditions fomented their musical iconoclasm?

In this episode, Donald Macleod looks at a rich period of stage works for the group. Now freed from Balakirev’s criticism, Mussorgsky worked on his opera Boris Godunov.

We hear how the opera grew out of Alexander Dargomyzhsky’s musical soirees, coming to completely obsess Mussorgsky. It was in some ways the epitome of the Mighty Handful ‘project’, being a story about the plight of the Russian people and rejecting many European opera tenets such as a linear plot.

Cui was scathing in his poisonous review. Meanwhile, Mussorgsky’s drinking was becoming a big problem.

We look at how The Five's relationships developed away from Balakirev's direct influence: Mussorgsky builds a close relationship with Rimsky Korsakov – they move in together and begin a fruitful creative period, Rimsky Korsakov composing his opera The Maid of Pskov while Mussorgsky produces Boris Godunov, both sharing the one piano.

The Five are moving in different directions, with Borodin still flitting between science and music whilst starting an opera of his own: Prince Igor.

Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov: Coronation Scene
Prologue: Long live Tsar Boris Fyodorovich!
Kenneth Riegel, tenor (Prince Shuiski)
Chevy Chase Elementary School Chorus; Washington Choral Arts Society; Washington Oratorio Society;
National Symphony Orchestra
Mstislav Rostropovich, conductor

Mussorgsky: Mlada: Festival March
Berliner Phiharmoniker
Claudio Abbado, conductor

Rimsky Korsakov: The Maid of Pskov
Overture and Opening of Act I: Lovi! Lovi
Olga Korzhenskaya, Mezzo-soprano (Styosha)
Ludmilla Filatova, Mezzo-soprano (Vlas’yevna)
Evgenia Perlasova, Mezzo-soprano (Perfil'yevna)
Galina Gorchakova, soprano (Princess Olga)
Kirov Orchestra
Valery Gergiev, conductor

Borodin: Prince Igor
Act II: Polovtsian Dances - Ulyetay na kril’yahk vyetra (Fly away on the wings of the wind)
Kiev Chamber Choir
Ukraine National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Theodore Kuchar, conductor

Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov - extracts from final scene
Act IV: Domine, Domine, salvum fac
Act IV: What the deuce brings them here?
Jacques Trigeau, baritone (Lavitsky)
Michel Pastor, tenor (Czernikowski)
Chevy Chase Elementary School Chorus; Washington Choral Arts Society; Washington Oratorio Society; National Symphony Orchestra
Mstislav Rostropovich, conductor