Glinka, Mikhail (Ivanovich) (
b Novospasskoye, Smolensk, 1804;
d Berlin, 1857). Russ. composer, regarded as founder of nat. sch. and the first Russ. composer to be accepted outside Russia. Son of wealthy landowner. Interest in mus. aroused
c.1815 when he heard a Crusell cl. qt. During general education in St Petersburg from 1817 had 3 pf. lessons from John
Field. Also studied vn. and harmony. Worked in Ministry of Communications 1824–8 but gave recitals as amateur singer. In 1828 began serious study of comp. with Zamboni. Went to Milan 1830 where homesickness led him to contemplate writing a truly nat. opera, then to Vienna and Berlin 1833, studying comp. with Siegfried Dehn. Returned to St Petersburg to compose opera
A Life for the Tsar, successfully prod. 1836. Appointed Kapellmeister, Imperial Chapel 1837. His second opera Ruslan and Lyudmila was prod. 1842. In 1844 visited Paris, meeting Berlioz, travelling on to Sp. where the folk-dance rhythms fascinated him. Returned to Russ. 1847, but made several more foreign journeys. Works incl.:OPERAS:
A Life for the Tsar (
Ivan Susanin) (1834–6);
Ruslan and Lyudmila (1837–42).ORCH.: sym. in B♭ (
c.1824);
Valse fantaisie (1839–56);
Capriccio brillante (1845);
Kamarinskaya (1848);
Night in Madrid (1848).CHAMBER MUSIC: str. qt. No.1 (1824), No.2 (1830); sextet for pf. and strs. (1832);
Trio pathétique, pf., cl., bn. (1832). Also pf. and vocal works.
