Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – Sheet Music & Scores

The most prominent member of the so-called “Group of Five” was the Russian composer Nikolai Rimski-Korsakov (1844-1908). He drew not only from the wealth of Russian folk songs, sophisticated instrumentation and progressive western compositional models, but also from oriental elements and new, modern tonal brilliance. Browse our sheet music and scores, take a look at Scheherazade and many other brilliant compositions by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov today!

Fame

At the age of 27, Rimsky-Korsakov was already so famous and technically revered, that he became professor of composition and instrumentation at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire. His students included Alexander Glazunov and Igor Stravinsky. It was not only his musical ideas which were way ahead of their time, but also his social and political views, especially his support of the 1905 revolution, and his public criticism of the Russian tsarist system. Rimsky-Korsakov’s greatest attribute was his truthful portrayal of Russian folk life, past and present, using well-developed instrumental, harmonic and dramatic methods.

Music

The genre which most intrigued Rimsky-Korsakov was Opera. He composed a total of fifteen operas, mostly on historical and fairy tale themes. His symphonic works were also very successful, significant highlights however, are not his three symphonies, but his programme music (especially “Scheherazade” and “Capriccio Espagnol”). His Chamber Music and Art Song did not enjoy quite the same reception as his operatic or orchestral works, nor did his rather underrated Piano Concerto in C# Minor. The most popular composition by Rimsky-Korsakow is widely considered the infamous Flight of the Bumblebee, which is available in numerous instrumental arrangements.

More links for Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

• Orchestral Music by Rimski-Korsakov
• Operas by Rimski-Korsakov
• Piano Works by Rimski-Korsakov
• Chamber Music by Rimski-Korsakov
• Art Song by Rimski-Korsakov
• Sheet Music Downloads by Rimski-Korsakov