Balakirev, Mily Alexeyevich (1837–1910)

Russian composer. He wrote piano music, including the fantasy Islamey (1869), orchestral works, songs, and a symphonic poem Tamara (1867–82), all imbued with the Russian national character and spirit. He was the leader of the group known as ‘The Five’ and taught its members, Modest Mussorgsky, César Cui, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and Aleksandr Borodin.

Born in Nizhniy-Novgorod, he was taught music by his mother, but learnt most of what he knew as a youth in the house of Alexander Ulïbishev, on whose estate he was able to use the music library and gain experience with the private orchestra. At 18 he went to St Petersburg, full of enthusiasm for national music, and won the approval of Mikhail Glinka. In 1861 he became the leader of a group of nationalist musicians. Cui was his first disciple; Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Borodin followed later, and he even influenced Tchaikovsky to some extent at first. In 1862 he helped to establish the Free School of Music with the choral conductor Lomakin, and conducted some of its progressive symphonic concerts. In 1867 he became conductor of the Russian Musical Society.

In 1871 he had a serious nervous breakdown and withdrew from public life, feeling that he had been defeated by the ‘official’ musicians. He was forced to become a minor railway official to earn a modest living and turned to religious mysticism. Not until 1876 did he begin to take some interest in composition again, and only in 1883, when he was appointed director of the Imperial Chapel, did he fully return to music once more. He retired in 1895 with a pension and took up composition anew. He again lived in seclusion and was almost completed forgotten by his former friends. He died in St Petersburg.

As a composer, Balakirev is original, even though his music was influenced not only by Glinka, but also by Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann and, to a lesser degree, by Hector Berlioz.

Works Orchestral two symphonies, symphonic poems Russia and Tamara, overtures on a Spanish march, on three Russian themes, to King Lear, and on Czech themes; piano concerto (finished by Liapunov).

Chamber many piano works, including sonata in B♭ minor, Islamey fantasy (1869).

Vocal 43 songs; two books of folk songs; six anthems for unaccompanied chorus; cantata for the unveiling of the Glinka monument.

Other incidental music for Shakespeare's King Lear (1860); scherzos, mazurkas, nocturnes, waltzes, and other pieces.