Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV, Nikolai Andreyevich (b. 1844, Tikhvin; d. 1908, Lubensk Estate, near Luga, Pskov District)—A member of the "Mighty Five," a group of Russian nationalist composers headed by Miliy Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov was already a well-known composer and professor of composition and orchestration at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, when, in 1883, he was appointed together with Balakirev to head the Imperial Court Chapel in St. Petersburg. Prior to that, in his work with the Free Musical School (1874-81), he had been involved in composing secular choral works and transcribing and arranging Russian folk songs. In his new position with the Imperial Chapel, Rimsky-Korsakov turned his attention to sacred choral composition and to new ways of arranging liturgical chants. Altogether he wrote forty choral works for the Russian Orthodox Church: fourteen titles were published in two series in 1884 and 1886, respectively; a setting of Tebe Boga hvalim [Te Deum laudamus] appeared in 1893; and a collection of 25 more works was published posthumously in 1913 by Evstafy Azeyev. In addition, he played a leading role (together with Kopylov, Azeyev, Liapunov, and others) in the harmonization of the Chants of the All-Night Vigil according to ancient melodies arranged for four-part chorus, published in 1888.

In his sacred choral works Rimsky-Korsakov made extensive use of authentic chant melodies as well as melodies he himself composed in the style of chant. The polyphonic treatment of the melodies is quite varied and innovative. Some melodies serve as motives for imitative counterpoint, while others are harmonized homorhythmically, using a thick choral texture replete with doublings. The harmony is often modal, preserving the archaic flavor of the chant. The choral sonorities range from a few solo voices to rich double choral writing.

Although seemingly a relatively minor part of Rimsky-Korsakov's legacy of primarily symphonic and operatic works, his choral music has been recognized as an important transitional influence that gave direction to the "new Russian choral school" of the early 20th century. It is not a coincidence that among his students one finds a number of important composers of sacred music: Anatoly Liadov, Alexander Gretchaninoff, Nikolai Tcherepnin, Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov, Alexander Chesnokov (brother of Pavel), and Maximilian Steinberg. There are also clear links between his style and that of Alexander Kastalsky, the leading composer of the "Moscow School."

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Title: Chertog Tvoi

Title (translated): Thy bridal chamber

Opus no.: Op. 22-bis, No. 5

Arrangement of: [Kievan Chant]

Liturgical designation: Exaposteilarion for Holy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

Voicing: SATB(div) and Tenor Solo

Publication data: PPK #121 1885

Description of source: First printed edition

Remarks: Defective original

No. of pages: 3

Cat. no.: Ri013

MR Ri013

Title: Da molchit vsiakaia plot’

Title (translated): Let all mortal flesh keep silent

Opus no.: Op. 22-bis, No. 2

Arrangement of: [Melody from the Triod' notnago peniia]

Liturgical designation: Cherubic Hymn for Holy Saturday

Voicing: SATB and SATB Soli

Publication data: PPK #118 1885

Description of source: First printed edition

No. of pages: 8

Cat. no.: Ri010

MR Ri010

Title: Dostoino est’

Title (translated): It is truly meet

Opus no.: Op. 22, No. 6

Liturgical designation: Hymn to the Mother of God

Voicing: SAT(div)B

Publication data: PPK #113 1884

Description of source: First printed edition

No. of pages: 4

Cat. no.: Ri006

MR Ri006

Title: Kheruvimskaia pesn’ No. 1

Title (translated): Cherubic Hymn

Opus no.: Op. 22, No. 1

Text incipit (translated): Izhe kheruvimy

Voicing: SATB

Publication data: PPK#108 1884

Description of source: First printed edition

No. of pages: 7

Cat. no.: Ri001

MR Ri001

Title: Kheruvimskaia pesn’ [No. 2]

Title (translated): Cherubic Hymn

Opus no.: Op. 22, No. 2

Text incipit (translated): Izhe kheruvimy

Voicing: SATB

Publication data: PPK #109 1884

Description of source: First printed edition

No. of pages: 5

Cat. no.: Ri002

MR Ri002

Title: Kheruvimskaia pesn’ [No. 3]

Title (translated): Cherubic Hymn

Opus no.: Op. 22-bis, No. 1

Arrangement of: Common Chant [Melody: Raduisia]

Text incipit (translated): Izhe kheruvimy

Voicing: SATB

Publication data: PPK #117 1886

Description of source: First printed edition

Remarks: Defective original

No. of pages: 6

Cat. no.: Ri009

MR Ri009

Title: Khvalite Gospoda s nebes

Title (translated): Praise the Lord from the heavens

Opus no.: Op. 22, No. 8

Liturgical designation: Communion Hymn for Sundays

Text source: (Ps. 148:1)

Voicing: SATB

Publication data: PPK #115 1884

Description of source: First printed edition

No. of pages: 2

Cat. no.: Ri008

MR Ri008

Title: Milost’ mira

Title (translated): A mercy of peace

Opus no.: Op. 22, No. 4

Liturgical designation: Anaphora (Eucharistic Canon)

Voicing: SSATTB

Publication data: PPK #111 1884

Description of source: First printed edition

No. of pages: 3

Cat. no.: Ri004

MR Ri004

Title: Na rekakh Vavilonskikh

Title (translated): By the waters of Babylon

Opus no.: Op. 22-bis, No. 6

Arrangement of: Znamenny Chant

Liturgical designation: Pre-Lenten psalm at Matins

Text source: (Ps. 136[137])

Voicing: SATB(div)

Publication data: PPK #122 1886

Description of source: First printed edition

Remarks: Defective original

No. of pages: 6

Cat. no.: Ri014

MR Ri014

Title: Otche nash

Title (translated): Our Father

Opus no.: Op. 22, No. 7

Liturgical designation: The Lord’s Prayer

Text incipit (translated): Otche nash

Voicing: S(div)AT(div)B(div)

Publication data: PPK #114 1884

Description of source: First printed edition

No. of pages: 3

Cat. no.: Ri007

MR Ri007

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Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai

41 results found