MOUSSORGSKY
Modest Petrovitch Moussorgsky was born March 16th, 1839, in the village
of Karevo in the government of Pskow, Russia. His parents were members
of the lesser nobility. His mother gave him his first piano lessons. At
the age of ten he was sent to the School of St. Peter and St. Paul in
Petrograd. His piano-studies were continued with a certain Professor
Herke. At the age of twelve he played in public a _Rondo de concert_ by
Herz. In 1852 he matriculated at the school for ensigns, and the same
year had his first composition, a polka, published. In 1856, while
serving as an officer in the Preobrajensky Guards, he made the
acquaintance of Borodin. Soon after, he met Dargomyjski. It was with
him that, in his own words, "he for the first time lived the musical
life." Later, he became acquainted also with Cui, Balakirew and
Rimsky-Korsakoff. He took lessons in composition of Balakirew, and
finally realized what his direction really was. A nervous malady
prevented him from working in 1859. But directly after his
convalescence, he resigned from the guards, and set to work in earnest.
In order to support himself, he accepted a position in the government
service. He lived in Petrograd with five friends. In 1865 he was once
more attacked by his malady, and had to retire to the country for three
years.
Pages:
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302