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A mighty bunch of composition. Mighty bunch

The Mighty Handful" remained virtually unchanged throughout its existence: the main members were M.A. Balakirev, M.P. Mussorgsky, A.P. Borodin, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov and Ts.A. Cui.

The founder of the commonwealth is Mily Alekseevich Balakirev (1837 – 1910)

He spent his childhood near the Volga and heard a lot folk songs. After his first performances, the nineteen-year-old boy was predicted to have a brilliant future and fame; they began to invite him to their musical evenings all the noble people of the capital.

However, despite his young age, Balakirev was a convinced democrat; he saw his musical duty in bringing the truth to the people, in being musician-educator. There is a lot of new things in his works, especially in harmonization - this was inevitable due to the attempt to include folk tunes in musical works. The folk polyphony was reflected in the texture of the accompaniment. He also created the oriental fantasy "Islamia", a unique work in world musical culture - a piano song in which a truly orchestral polyphony is recreated. In 1856, he met a man who completely shared his views on the world and would later become one of his closest friends - Stasov. Around them a circle of people will form that will become the “Group of Five.”

The most radical of all the composers of the “Mighty Handful” was Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1839 – 1881)

M.P. Mussorgsky

In almost all of his operas the main thing is character- people. Among the most famous works- “Boris Godunov”, “Khovanshchina”. They show the diversity of Russian society, various classes, the whole palette of images; It is also important that he was the first to use a special language - with colloquial vocabulary, with Russian songwriting. This was especially evident in vocal music, and he was the first to introduce speech intonations into romances and songs.

All his works have a pronounced social-critical orientation. He was also a bold innovator. Some of his most innovative works are plays from piano cycle"Pictures from an Exhibition." This suite is built very in an unusual way: individual plays, each of which is dedicated to a particular painting, are interconnected by one theme, to which the composer constantly returns. Thus, the scattered pictures were combined into one large-form work. In melody, the composer tried to convey colloquial speech, speech intonation. In addition, the special value of “Pictures at an Exhibition” is that in each play the author reveals some kind of character, image. Each work of Mussorgsky is characterized by a special, deep psychologism. So, any of his characters is not just a person, but also a person who is surrounded by a certain society (which leaves its own mark), who has his own manner of behavior, his own speech, and so on.

The opera “Boris Godunov” is considered his especially outstanding work.

  • Firstly, no special libretto was written for this work - it was based on the original text
  • Secondly, the opera contains various dramas (both personal and folk), multifaceted.

In addition, the composer managed to combine comic and dramatic lines in one piece of music.

Alexander Porfirievich Borodin (1833-1887) was also a member of the Group of Five.

At the same time, both a composer and a talented chemist made a huge contribution to musical culture 19th century - he is considered one of the creators of the classical, national-epic symphony in Russia. His most famous innovative symphony, the Second, which laid the foundation for the heroic-epic and heroic direction in Russian music , the composer wanted to call it “Slavic heroic”, but Stasov protested - this is not just “Slavic”, but Russian; it seems to create the image of a Russian hero. As a result, the symphony received the name “Bogatyrskaya”. For many years Borodin worked on the opera “Prince Igor”, but never managed to finish it - Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov did it for him. In addition, this composer is considered brilliant master vocal music(for example, the romance “For the Shores of the Distant Fatherland”). He was the first to implement chamber vocal music liberation ideas that were exciting the country at that time (the novels “The Sleeping Princess”, “Song of the Dark Forest”). The romance “The Sleeping Princess” is especially interesting from a rhythmic point of view: Borodin was the first to use dissonance. One of the main laws of any classical piece of music was that any dramatic chord, any dissonance must be “resolved” into a “sustained” chord. Borodin left them “unresolved.” Now this may seem like an insignificant feature, but in the 19th century many of Borodin’s contemporaries considered it illiteracy and could not forgive him for such an “orgy of dissonances” (including, by the way, members of the “Mighty Handful” - Rimsky-Korsakov and Cui).

Composer Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844 – 1908) was also one of the “Kuchkists”

He met Balakirev at the age of 18 and immediately became an active participant in the Balakirev circle. Almost all of his operas are imbued with the Russian spirit and national origin; he conveyed this through a powerful orchestral color. The composer also chose the plots for the operas not by chance: most of them were written based on Russian folk tales(“The Tale of Tsar Saltan”). Just like Mussorgsky in “Boris Godunov,” the composer was concerned with the problem of power and people in power; this problem is to some extent raised and resolved in the opera based on the fairy tale by A.S. Pushkin “The Golden Cockerel.” The composer's innovation lay in the fact that he moved away from traditional musical time signatures. He simply could not fit into symmetrical sizes - in particular, in the opera “Sadko”, the poems for which were written in the epic style, 11 quarter sizes were used. Neither the singers nor the conductor managed to achieve what the composer demanded of them, and Rimsky-Korsakov came up with a solution:

use for training the phrase “Rimsky-Korsakov has gone completely crazy,” which perfectly breaks down into 11 quarters.

Caesar Antonovich Cui(1835-1918), perhaps the least famous of the star five

as a composer, but the most active promoter of the ideas of creative community. His best operas are rightfully considered “William Ratcliffe” and “Angelo”. In both works, he embodied the romantic ideals, rebellion and impulses of medieval characters. In addition, he made a great contribution to children's music, writing operas for children for the first time (Little Red Riding Hood, The Snow Hero). However, he did not always approve of the bold innovations of his friends: for example, he wrote a rather harsh critical article on Mussorgsky’s opera “Boris Godunov,” which was already mentioned earlier.

Stasov wrote about him like this:

"The main features Cui's creativity- poetry and passion, combined with extraordinary cordiality and sincerity, reaching to the deepest recesses of the heart..."

After the collapse of the “Mighty Handful”, he will speak out categorically against the new generation of musicians, in particular against music club Belyaev, who will be headed by Rimsky-Korsakov.

The meaning of this creative organization Russian composers “kuchkists” - truly invaluable for the entire musical culture

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In the mid-nineteenth century, a new Russian music school emerged. The work of its representatives is still studied all over the world and is revered as the best examples of the school of Russian romanticism. And the best representatives of the era were united in a creative union, which was called quite sweetly and at the same time succinctly: “”.

Ideological inspirer Vladimir Vladimirovich Stasov became this interesting organization. By the way, it was in his article that the term “ Mighty bunch»:

“How much poetry, feeling, talent and skill there is in a small but already mighty group of Russian musicians”

In this series of articles we will look, where possible, at the lives of the main composers of the Mighty Handful. Here they are:

  • , Mily Alekseevich
  • , Modest Petrovich
  • , Alexander Porfirievich
  • , Nikolai Andreevich
  • , Tsezar Antonovich

These composers put forward an alternative name for their circle: “New Russian Music School.” The Russian intelligentsia already felt sufficiently fermented by revolutionary thoughts to try to make a revolution, if not political, then at least cultural. The revolution was planned to be peaceful, without bloodshed and attempts on the life of the Tsar. Therefore, it passed not only unhindered, but also with all sorts of approval.

So, why did artists turn their minds towards folk art? It is worth recognizing that it is simply because the people began to intensively attract public attention to themselves. One riot after another, various uprisings, complaints, rebellion. It may sound cynical, but it was simple curiosity. And nothing more.

Most consistent in implementation aesthetic principles, generally accepted among the “Mighty Handful,” became Mussorgsky. The most inconsistent is Cui. The essence of their activity was this: they systematically and scrupulously recorded samples of Russian musical folklore And church singing. And the results of these studies were embodied in various large musical works. This was especially evident in operas.

What kind of operas were these? Among them are “The Tsar’s Bride”, “The Snow Maiden”, “Khovanshchina”, “Prince Igor” and “Boris Godunov”. To get a rough idea of ​​what spirit these composers were trying to convey, read the following brief retelling operas by Rimsky-Korsakov The Tsar's Bride", which is a tale of unhappy love.

As mentioned above, this opera was composed by Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov. The presentation took place on October 22, 1899. In the introduction, which is called “Feast,” boyar Gryaznoy indulges in sad and difficult thoughts: he fell in love with Marfa, but she has already been wooed to Ivan Lykov.

Rimsky-Korsakov's opera “The Tsar's Bride”

He has nothing left to do but try to forget. And he gathers guests for a feast. After the fun, he tells his friend that he has fallen in love with the beautiful maiden. Bomelius secretly tells his poor friend that he knows the recipe for a secret potion, after drinking which the girl will fall in love, but their conversation was overheard by Lyubasha.

In the course of further intrigues and manipulations, confusion arose: Lyubasha ordered a poisonous potion, and Gryaznoy ordered a love spell. Ivan the Terrible called two hundred girls, because he decided to choose a bride for himself. The participants in the action all hoped that he would like Dunyasha more. But the king chose Martha.

Only during the feast she had already drunk a love potion, which Gryaznoy had poured on her in desperation. And since there was confusion because of Lyubasha, Marfa actually drinks not a love potion, but a poisonous potion. And he becomes deathly ill.

As a result of the investigation, it was decided that the killer was Lykov. He himself admitted that he wanted to poison Marfa. But Gryaznoy realizes that he unwittingly poisoned the girl himself, instead of bewitching her. And he confesses everything: that he slandered Lykov, and that it was he who added the love spell potion, but it turned out to be poison.

He himself asks the boyars to take him away, but first asks to be allowed to deal with Bomelius. And just then Lyubasha appears, who admits that it was not Bomelius, but that she herself changed the potion, since she overheard the conversation. Gryaznoy, in a rage, kills Lyubasha and says goodbye to Marfa. But she does not recognize him, recognizing him as Lykov.

As you can judge for yourself, Rimsky-Korsakov composed not just an opera, but an opera with elements of a Russian folk detective story, set it to music and seasoned it all with a magnificent historical flavor. One could say that this is a majestic poem that came like an alarm call from antiquity.

The above description is dry and meager; it gives only a small fraction of what can be learned about the essence of the creativity of this circle.

Formation of the Mighty Handful

But we continue our story about the “Mighty Handful”. So how did it form?

It all started with Balakirev and Stasov. They were extremely keen on reading Belinsky, Dobrolyubov and Herzen with Chernyshevsky. Later they were able to inspire Cui. And after some time Mussorgsky joined them. For the sake of studying music, he left his rank as an officer in the Preobrazhensky Regiment, and therefore devoted himself wholeheartedly to his new passion.

The year 1862 became a significant date. Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin joined the “Mighty Handful”. Borodin was already a mature man, a chemist. And Rimsky-Korsakov was still very young.

The “Mighty Handful”, as a group united by a common ideology, existed until the seventies, becoming major milestone in the development of music.

Belyaevskaya “Mighty Handful”

But the word “existed” does not quite accurately characterize the time at which the group’s activities ended. In fact, after the 70s, its members simply stopped getting together as often. The five Russian composers who formed the stronghold of the “Mighty Handful” did not even think of stopping their creative activity. And the ideology received its development in pedagogical activity Rimsky-Korsakov. This is how the St. Petersburg school was formed. And in the mid-eighties of the nineteenth century, the Belyaev circle arose.

We can say that this circle became a logical continuation of the “Mighty Handful”, since its leader was Rimsky-Korsakov himself. He also emphasized that the only, and also the main, difference between the Balakirevsky and Belyaevsky circles was that the first was full of revolutionary spirit, and the second - progressive. That is, the ideas were still the same, but of a peaceful nature.

These circles also had other connecting links. They were indicated by Rimsky-Korsakov himself: it was himself and Borodin, as well as Lyadov. The new circle continued to be replenished with students and graduates of the Rimsky-Korsakov school. And, as one would expect, the new composition became the reason that such influences and trends appeared in this environment that were simply unacceptable in the classic composition of the “Mighty Handful”.

But they were no longer so much followers as successors, which should be taken into account. The new composition did not have a single program, like the classic “Mighty Handful,” nor a clear ideology. In the end, all that united the participants of this circle was a nationally oriented Russian music school.

As a result, from progressive and partly even revolutionary figures, they gradually turned into conservative, even somewhat old-fashioned and anachronistic.

The history of the creation of the “Mighty Handful”

General concept of the “Mighty Handful”

The expression “mighty handful”, accidentally used by Stasov in 1867, firmly entered into life and began to serve as the generally accepted name for a group of composers, which included: Mily Alekseevich Balakirev (1837-1910), Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1839-1881), Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin (1833-1881). 1887), Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) and Caesar Antonovich Cui (1835-1918). Often the “Mighty Handful” is called the “New Russian Music School”, as well as the “Balakirev Circle”, named after its leader M.A. Balakirev. Abroad, this group of musicians was called “The Five” based on the number of main representatives. The composers of the “Mighty Handful” entered the creative arena during a period of enormous social upsurge in the 60s of the 19th century.

The history of the creation of the Balakirev circle is as follows: in 1855, M.A. Balakirev came to St. Petersburg from Kazan. The eighteen-year-old boy was extremely gifted in musically. At the beginning of 1856, he performed with great success at concert stage as a pianist and attracts the attention of the public. Especially great value For Balakirev, his acquaintance with V.V. Stasov gains.

Vladimir Vasilyevich Stasov is the most interesting figure in the history of Russian art. A critic, art critic, historian and archaeologist, Stasov, speaking as a music critic, was a close friend of all Russian composers. He was connected by the closest friendship with literally all the major Russian artists, and appeared in the press promoting their best paintings and was also their best adviser and assistant.

Son outstanding architect V.P. Stasov Vladimir Vasilievich was born in St. Petersburg, received his education at the School of Law. Stasov's service throughout his life was associated with such a wonderful institution as public library. He happened to personally know Herzen, Chernyshevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Repin, Antokolsky, Vereshchagin, Glinka.

Stasov heard Glinka’s review of Balakirev: “In...Balakirev I found views that were so close to mine.” And, although Stasov was older young musician for almost twelve years, became close friends with him for life. They constantly spend time reading books by Belinsky, Dobrolyubov, Herzen, Chernyshevsky, and Stasov is undoubtedly more mature, developed and educated, brilliantly knowledgeable in classical and contemporary art, ideologically guides and guides Balakirev.

In 1856, at one of the university concerts, Balakirev met with Cesar Antonovich Cui, who was studying at the Military Engineering Academy at that time and specialized in the construction of military fortifications. Cui loved music very much. IN early youth he even studied with the Polish composer Moniuszko.

With his new and bold views on music, Balakirev captivates Cui and awakens in him a serious interest in art. Under the direction of Balakirev, Cui wrote in 1857 a scherzo for piano four hands, the opera " Caucasian prisoner”, and in 1859 - the one-act comic opera “The Son of a Mandarin”.

The next composer to join the Balakirev - Stasov - Cui group was Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky. By the time he joined the Balakirev circle, he was a guards officer. He began composing very early and very soon realized that he had to devote his life to music. Without thinking twice, he, already an officer in the Preobrazhensky Regiment, decided to retire. Despite his youth (18 years old), Mussorgsky showed great versatility of interests: he studied music, history, literature, philosophy. His acquaintance with Balakirev occurred in 1857 with A.S. Dargomyzhsky. Everything about Balakirev struck Mussorgsky: his appearance, his bright, unique acting, and his bold thoughts. From now on, Mussorgsky becomes a frequent visitor to Balakirev. As Mussorgsky himself said, “a new world, hitherto unknown to him, opened up before him.”

In 1862, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov and A.P. Borodin joined the Balakirev circle. If Rimsky-Korsakov was a very young member of the circle, the views and musical talent which were just beginning to be determined, Borodin by this time was already a mature man, an outstanding chemist, friendly with such giants of Russian science as Mendeleev, Sechenov, Kovalevsky, Botkin.

Borodin was self-taught in music. He owed his relatively great knowledge of music theory mainly to his serious acquaintance with literature chamber music. Even during his student years at the Borodin Medical-Surgical Academy, playing the cello, he often participated in ensembles of music lovers. According to his testimony, he played through the entire literature of string quartets, quintets, as well as duets and trios. Before meeting Balakirev, Borodin himself wrote several chamber works. Balakirev quickly appreciated not only Borodin’s brilliant musical talent, but also his versatile erudition.

Thus, by the beginning of 1863 we can talk about a circle formed by Balakirev.

Musical culture XIX century turned out to be unusually rich in creative schools And artistic directions. Among them, the so-called “Mighty Handful” - a brilliant collaboration of five composers - stands apart. All these musical geniuses They were united not only by close friendship, love of music and creativity - their minds were captivated by common views on art. This group talented musicians not only left a deep mark on national history, but also radically changed its further development.

How it all started

Circle famous musicians did not develop immediately, because various reasons For several years they could not meet in full force.

The first step towards the emergence of the “Mighty Handful” was the arrival from Nizhny Novgorod to St. Petersburg M.A. Balakireva. Then he was only 18 years old, but he had already gained fame as a gifted musician. All contemporaries unanimously noted his brilliant virtuoso technique, depth of performing thought and excellent sense of form. With his performances, he attracted the attention of not only music lovers and regulars of St. Petersburg concert halls, but also music critic and art historian V.V. Stasov, who later became the main ideological inspirer of the Kuchkists. Wealthy nobles vied with each other to invite the talented pianist to their concerts, but Balakirev quickly realized that such social entertainment he is not interested, and chose a different path for himself. Mily Alekseevich saw his duty in another service national culture– he decided to become a musician-educator. By the end of the 50s - beginning of the 60s, he was one of the leading figures in Russian musical art, whom aspiring musicians looked up to and dreamed of meeting in person. And often, such acquaintances took place at musical evenings, which were organized at home by lovers of high art.

In 1856, a passionate fan of chamber music, inspector of St. Petersburg University A.I. Fitztum von Ekstedt regularly held quartet meetings in his house, at one of which Balakirev’s significant meeting with Ts.A. took place. Cui. True, for Cui then music was just a hobby - he studied at the Military Engineering Academy and was not long ago promoted to officer, but this meeting literally turned his life upside down. It would seem that he was the complete opposite of Milius - very reasonable, calculating, witty, but with his liveliness he was able to attract his attention and win him over. Then Balakirev told him about Glinka, and Cui shared with him his impressions of the music of his teacher Moniuszko. This seemingly simple conversation marked the beginning great friendship. Moreover, from that very moment they were not only friends who attended many musical evenings together: Balakirev became a teacher for Cui, under whose guidance he created his first compositional opuses.

  • After meeting Balakirev, Mussorsky began taking paid lessons from him. However, as soon as they became friends, their activities grew into friendly, and at the same time free, creative meetings.
  • Borodin and Mussorgsky first met back in 1856, however, then they did not pay any attention to each other. It happened in a military hospital. At that time Borodin was the doctor on duty, and Mussorgsky was the officer on duty.
  • Some historians consider the critic Stasov to be the unofficial sixth Kuchkist, and this despite the fact that he was not involved in composing activities.
  • The great achievement of the Balakirev composers was the revival of folklore. They sought to create a national style in art, and therefore returned to its roots - they organized expeditions during which they collected folklore, researched and systematized it, and then included it in their works. The Kuchkists also published several large collections of Russian folk songs, which are very popular today.
  • There are several composer associations in the world, organized according to the “Mighty Handful” type. For example, in the 20th century the “Armenian Mighty Handful” appeared - this is an association of five Armenian composers, which arose in 1920-1921. It included A. Harutyunyan, A. Babajanyan, A. Khudoyan, L. Saryan and E. Mirzoyan. During these same years, the so-called “Six” was formed in France under the leadership of E. Satie and J. Cocteau. This creative union included L. Durey, D. Milhaud, A. Honegger, J. Auric,

creative community of Russian composers

Mighty bunch

« Mighty bunch"(Balakirevsky Circle, New Russian Music School) is a creative community of Russian composers that formed in St. Petersburg in the late 1850s and early 1860s. It included: Mily Alekseevich Balakirev (1837-1910), Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1839-1881), Alexander Porfirievich Borodin (1833-1887), Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) and Caesar Antonovich Cui (1835-1918) . The ideological inspirer and main non-musical consultant of the circle was art critic, writer and archivist Vladimir Vasilyevich Stasov (1824-1906).

Name " Mighty bunch" first found in Stasov's article " Slavic concert Mr. Balakirev” (1867): “How much poetry, feeling, talent and skill a small but already mighty group of Russian musicians have.” The name “New Russian Music School” was put forward by the members of the circle themselves, who considered themselves heirs of M. I. Glinka and saw their goal in the embodiment of Russian national idea in music.

Group " Mighty bunch" arose against the background of revolutionary ferment that by that time had gripped the minds of the Russian intelligentsia. Riots and uprisings of peasants became the main social events of that time, returning artists to folk theme. In implementing the national aesthetic principles proclaimed by the ideologists of the commonwealth Stasov and Balakirev, M. P. Mussorgsky was the most consistent, and Ts. A. Cui was the least consistent. Participants " Mighty bunch"We systematically recorded and studied samples of Russian musical folklore and Russian church singing. They embodied the results of their research in one form or another in works of chamber and large-scale genres, especially in operas, including “The Tsar’s Bride”, “Snow Maiden”, “Khovanshchina”, “Boris Godunov”, “Prince Igor”. Intensive search for national identity in " Mighty bunch"were not limited to arrangements of folklore and liturgical singing, but also extended to dramaturgy, genre (and form), up to individual categories musical language(harmony, rhythm, texture, etc.).

Initially, the circle included Balakirev and Stasov, who were keen on reading Belinsky, Dobrolyubov, Herzen, and Chernyshevsky. With their ideas they inspired the young composer Cui, and later Mussorgsky joined them, leaving the rank of officer in the Preobrazhensky Regiment to study music. In 1862, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov and A.P. Borodin joined the Balakirev circle. If Rimsky-Korsakov was a very young member of a circle whose views and musical talent were just beginning to be determined, then Borodin by this time was already a mature man, an outstanding chemist, friendly with such giants of Russian science as Mendeleev, Sechenov, Kovalevsky , Botkin.

Meetings of the Balakirev circle always took place in a very lively creative atmosphere. Members of this circle often met with writers A.V. Grigorovich, A.F. Pisemsky, I.S. Turgenev, artist I.E. Repin, sculptor M.A. Antokolsky. There were close, although not always smooth, ties with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

In the 70s " Mighty bunch"how the cohesive group ceased to exist. Activity " Mighty bunch"became an era in the development of Russian and world musical art.

Sequel to "The Mighty Handful"

With the cessation of regular meetings of five Russian composers, the increment, development and living history « Mighty bunch"are by no means completed. The center of Kuchkist activity and ideology, mainly thanks to the pedagogical activities of Rimsky-Korsakov, moved to the classes of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and also, starting in the mid-1880s, to the “Belyaev circle”, where Rimsky-Korsakov was the recognized head and leader for almost 20 years. leader, and then, with the beginning of the 20th century, he shared his leadership as part of the “triumvirate” with A.K. Lyadov, A.K. Glazunov and a little later (from May 1907) N.V. Artsybushev. Thus, minus Balakirev’s radicalism, the “Belyaev circle” became a natural continuation of “ Mighty bunch" Rimsky-Korsakov himself recalled this in a very definite way:
“Can the Belyaev circle be considered a continuation of Balakirev’s? Was there a certain amount of similarity between both, and what was the difference, besides the change in its personnel over time? The similarity, which indicated that Belyaev’s circle is a continuation of Balakirev’s, except for the connecting links in the person of me and Lyadov, lay in the common advancedness and progressiveness of both; but Balakirev’s circle corresponded to the period of storm and stress in the development of Russian music, and Belyaev’s circle corresponded to the period of calm march forward; Balakirevsky was revolutionary, Belyaevsky was progressive...”

- (N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, “Chronicle of my musical life»)
Among the members of the Belyaev circle, Rimsky-Korsakov separately names himself (as the new head of the circle instead of Balakirev), Borodin (in the short time that remained before his death) and Lyadov as “connecting links”. Since the second half of the 80s, Belyaev’s “Mighty Handful” has included musicians of such different talents and specialties as Glazunov, brothers F. M. Blumenfeld and S. M. Blumenfeld, conductor O. I. Dyutsh and pianist N. S. Lavrov. A little later, as they graduated from the conservatory, Belyaev’s students included such composers as N. A. Sokolov, K. A. Antipov, Y. Vitol and so on, including large number later graduates of Rimsky-Korsakov in composition class. In addition, the “venerable Stasov” always maintained good and close relations with the Belyaev circle, although his influence was “no longer the same” as in Balakirev’s circle. New line-up The circle (and its more moderate head) also determined the new face of the “post-Kuchkists”: much more oriented towards academicism and open to the multitude influences that were previously considered unacceptable within the framework of the “Mighty Handful”. The Belyaevites experienced a lot of “alien” influences and had broad sympathies, starting from Wagner and Tchaikovsky, and ending “even” with Ravel and Debussy. In addition, it should be especially noted that, being the successor of the “Mighty Handful” and generally continuing its direction, the Belyaev circle did not represent a single aesthetic whole, guided by a single ideology or program.

In turn, Balakirev did not lose his activity and continued to spread his influence, releasing more and more new students during his time as head of the court Chapel. The most famous of his late students (who later also graduated from Rimsky-Korsakov’s class) is considered to be the composer V. A. Zolotarev.

It wasn't just limited to direct teaching and classes free composition. Increasingly frequent performances on stages imperial theaters new operas by Rimsky-Korsakov and his orchestral works, the production of Borodin's "Prince Igor" and the second edition of Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov", many critical articles and the growing personal influence of Stasov - all this gradually multiplied the ranks of the nationally oriented Russian music school. Many students of Rimsky-Korsakov and Balakirev, in the style of their writings, fit well into the continuation of the general line of the “Mighty Handful” and could be called, if not its belated members, then, in any case, faithful followers. And sometimes it even happened that followers turned out to be much more “faithful” (and more orthodox) than their teachers. Despite some anachronism and old-fashionedness, even in the times of Scriabin, Stravinsky and Prokofiev, until the middle of the 20th century, the aesthetics and predilections of many of these composers remained completely “Kuchka” and, more often than not, not subject to fundamental style changes. However, over time, more and more often in their work, Rimsky-Korsakov’s followers and students discovered a certain “fusion” of the Moscow and St. Petersburg schools, to one degree or another combining the influence of Tchaikovsky with “Kuchkist” principles. Perhaps the most extreme and distant figure in this series is A. S. Arensky, who, until the end of his days, maintaining an emphatic personal (student) loyalty to his teacher (Rimsky-Korsakov), nevertheless, in his work was much closer to traditions Tchaikovsky. In addition, he led an extremely riotous and even “immoral” lifestyle. This is what primarily explains the very critical and unsympathetic attitude towards him in Belyaev's circle. No less indicative is the example of Alexander Grechaninov, also a faithful student of Rimsky-Korsakov, most of time living in Moscow. However, the teacher speaks much more sympathetically about his work and, as a form of praise, calls him “partly a St. Petersburger.” After 1890 and Tchaikovsky’s frequent visits to St. Petersburg, the eclecticism of tastes and an increasingly cool attitude towards the orthodox traditions of the “Mighty Handful” grew in Belyaev’s circle. Gradually, Glazunov, Lyadov and Rimsky-Korsakov also became personally close to Tchaikovsky, thereby putting an end to the previously irreconcilable (Balakirev) tradition of “enmity of schools.” By the beginning of the 20th century, most of the new Russian music was all to a greater extent reveals a synthesis of two directions and schools: mainly through academism and erosion " pure traditions" Rimsky-Korsakov himself personally played a significant role in this process. According to L.L. Sabaneev, musical tastes Rimsky-Korsakov, his “openness to influences” were much more flexible and broader than that of all his contemporary composers.

Many Russian composers late XIX- the first half of the 20th centuries are considered by music historians as direct successors of traditions Mighty bunch; among them:

  • Fedor Akimenko
  • Nikolay Amani
  • Konstantin Antipov
  • Anton Arensky
  • Nikolay Artsybushev
  • Jazep Vitol
  • Alexander Glazunov
  • Alexander Grechaninov
  • Vasily Zolotarev
  • Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov
  • Vasily Kalafati
  • Georgy Kazachenko

The fact that the famous French “Six”, assembled under the leadership of Erik Satie (as if “in the role of Miliy Balakirev”) and Jean Cocteau (as if “in the role of Vladimir Stasov”), deserves special mention. " - as the composers of the “Mighty Handful” were called in Paris. Article famous critic Henri Collet, who announced the birth to the world new group composers, it was called: “Russian Five, French Six and Mr. Satie.”