Rimsky-Korsakov: from the campaign to America to the outstanding music

Celebrating the anniversary of the birth of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, the Presidential Library features the studies that reveal surprising facts of the biography of the great composer.

In December 1865, in the hall of the St. Petersburg City Council, during a Free Music School concert a 22-year-old naval officer Rimsky-Korsakov, then known to nobody, presented his work - a symphony. The next day, the composer Cui gave the novice colleague a great review: "The audience listened to the symphony with the growing interest and after andante and finale added to the loud applause the usual curtain-call of the author. And when the author appeared on the stage, all sympathizers of youth, talent, art and all who believe in his great future, all those, finally, who does not need a reputable name, sometimes a mediocre one, to admire the wonderful work - all rose as one person!" The article of an important musical and literary critic Vladimir Stasov from the "Musical articles and notes" digitized by the library, contains detailed and colorful memories of that day.

It is known that Rimsky-Korsakov did not prepare himself for a career in music. His family valued more "serious" professions. There was also an example for imitation - uncle Nikolai, a famous admiral, Director of the Marine Corps and a favorite of the Emperor Nicholas. The nephew headed in his footsteps. He entered the Naval Academy, after which midshipman Rimsky-Korsakov was appointed to a two-year foreign journey on the clipper "Almaz."

As a member of 1863-1864 expedition of the Russian fleet, the young midshipman went to the shores of North America. Campaign was to solve the important strategic task – ruin the plans of the armed coalition of European states against Russia. This was achieved without a single shot except for the fireworks in the harbors of New York and San Francisco. The so-called "American expedition" of the Russian fleet was one of the brightest and most interesting pages in the history of relations between the two countries. The presence of Russian officers provided significant support to the northern states of America and to their victory in the Civil War, the subsequent creation of the USA.

The Presidential Library has developed a digital collection "Russian naval expedition to the shores of North America." It includes more than a dozen books, various documents and periodicals. The library collections also include the film "Russian fleet off the coast of America" repeatedly shown at festivals and other events.

Cui also insisted on Rimsky-Korsakov’s participation in the campaign: the composer patronized the young man, who, though loving music, had little success in playing piano or in writing music.

Perhaps it was because of that long international voyage that in Russian music appeared a composer who managed to convey by sound the whole palette of the marine hues, expressing the essence of sea elements better than anyone else.

Thus, in the fate of the great Russian composer intertwined amazing events of history, down which he went as an officer, a musician and a citizen.