Probably the most influential composer within the Russian school was Mikhail Glinka. Father of the Russian national school, his profound influence on Russian music is often heard in the works of not only Tchaikovsky, but also Borodin, Balakirev, Mussorgsky and others.

Born in Novospasskoye (near Smolensk) on June 1 1804, he grew up on his father’s country estate. This was an environment in which he ultimately thrived. The sounds of folk music and the music played at performances by the small private orchestra engaged by his uncle were enough to inspire him to take piano lessons and develop his talents. His schooling was in St. Petersburg where he excelled at languages and the sciences. It was in St. Petersburg that he studied the piano and took a few lessons from the Irish musician and composer, John Field. The rich cultural life of St. Petersburg stimulated his creative intellect and the operas of the French school and the music of Haydn, Beethoven and Rossini influenced his early works. He spent time in Italy and made the acquaintance of Bellini and also Donizetti. Two years spent in Spain accounts for his compositions that are based on Spanish folk tunes.

After studying in Berlin he returned to Russia where in 1836 he began the scoring of his first Opera, “A Life for the Czar” (this was later renamed “Ivan Susanin” after the main character in the opera).

Mikhail Glinka died in Berlin on February 15 1857. His body was returned to St. Petersburg where he lies buried in the Alexander Nevsky Cemetery.

Mike Shakinovsky <usonic@yahoo.com>