Life story. A mighty group of Russian composers: Mussorgsky Composer Mussorgsky, his biography and works

Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich - famous Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, member of the “Mighty Handful”.

Biography

Childhood

Mussorgsky was born into a landowner family. His father, Pyotr Grigorievich, belonged to an old noble family. His mother, Yulia Ivanovna (nee Chirikova), instilled in little Modest a love of music from childhood. He was the fourth most youngest child in the family, but two older brothers died in infancy, and Modest was raised with his brother Philaret.

Education

Until 1849 Modest received home education, and then together with his brother he entered the German school Petrishule in St. Petersburg. Without graduating from college, the future composer entered the St. Petersburg School of Guards Ensigns. During all this time, Mussorgsky did not give up his piano lessons with Anton Gorke.

Creative path

Mussorgsky and music were inextricably linked. Firstly, he had an excellent chamber baritone, and therefore at all evenings he was asked to perform something. Secondly, being an excellent pianist, he began to compose musical works early. The musical luminaries of that time - M. A. Balakirev, V. V. Stasov and Ts. A. Cui, who at that time had already organized the famous "Mighty Handful" - were able to appreciate it. Mussorgsky became one of the most consistent members of this creative circle.

Already in 1852, his first piano piece “Lieutenant Ensign” was published, inspired by his studies at the School of Guards Ensigns, after which Mussorgsky served for 2 years in the Preobrazhensky Regiment.

In 1860, his scherzo was performed under Rubinstein at the Russian concert musical society.

After this, Mussorgsky begins to work on larger forms. He started writing music for famous tragedy Sophocles "Oedipus", but never finished his creation. Operas based on Flaubert's "Salammbô" and Gogol's "Marriages" remained unfinished. The first major plan that Modest Petrovich brought to completion was the opera “Boris Godunov”.

Being poor, he cannot devote himself entirely to his favorite music. Due to financial difficulties, he has to constantly work in the public service: in the Engineering Department, the Forestry Department, and the Audit Commission of the State Audit Office. He also made money by performing.

Since 1872, Mussorgsky has been working on the folk musical drama “Khovanshchina” and “Sorochinsk Fair” based on Gogol.

From the mid-70s, a crisis began in Mussorgsky’s work, which was caused by the collapse of the “Mighty Handful”. Modest Petrovich largely accepted this collapse as betrayal and cowardice of its members - Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Cui and others. The consequence was depression, which ended in alcoholism. In 1879, singer D. M. Leonova tried to get him out of this terrible condition, organizing a tour for him in the south of Russia.

Personal life

Many musicologists are still trying to discover the secrets of Mussorgsky’s personal life, although everything is prosaically simple. Modest Petrovich was never married and had no children. Many biographers explain these facts gay composer, as evidenced by his personal letters. Mussorgsky's heartfelt affections were Victor Hartmann and Arseny Golenishchev-Kutuzov.

Hartmann was a famous architect, a talented stage designer, an artist and a very interesting person. Many explain the composer’s binge not with the collapse of the “Mighty Handful,” but with Hartmann’s death in 1873.

Count Golenishchev-Kutuzov was a poet, prose writer, and publicist. Their relationship with Modest Petrovich was unclear and vague, but many of the composer’s biographers call him the tragic passion of Mussorgsky’s entire life.

Next to his name is mentioned and female name- Nadezhda Petrovna Opochinina, who was his close friend, adviser and connoisseur of his works. She died the same year as Victor Hartmann, which intensified Mussorgsky's pain from the loss of those closest to him.

Death

Mussorgsky died in 1881 in a military hospital after an attack of delirium tremens. He was buried, like many great people of that time, at the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Mussorgsky's main achievements

• The musical language and dramaturgy of Mussorgsky's new genre, musical drama, marked a break with routine opera house of that time, its action has since been carried out specifically musical means. The first musical drama was the opera Boris Godunov.
• His “Khovanshchina” became the first folk musical drama in which layers of deep folk life, the theme of folk spiritual tragedy is revealed.
• Mussorgsky's musical works had a great influence on many generations of composers: on their basis, the styles of M. Ravel, C. Debussy were formed, as well as the musical and theatrical works of L. Janacek, D. D. Shostakovich, I. F. Stravinsky, A. Berg, O. Messiaen and others.
• Specific melody, harmony musical works Mussorgsky anticipated many features of musical harmony of the 20th century.

Important dates in Mussorgsky's biography

• 1839 - birth
• 1849 - admission to the German school Petrishule (St. Petersburg)
• 1852–1856 - training at the School of Guards Ensigns
• 1852 - the first publication of the piano piece “Ensign”
• 1856–1858 - service in the Preobrazhensky Regiment with the rank of ensign
• 1863–1867 - public service as an official of the Engineering Department
• 1867 - “Night on Bald Mountain”
• 1868–1880 - served as an official in the Audit Commission of the State Audit Office
• 1869 - opera “Boris Godunov”
• 1972 - work on “Khovanshchina”, “Children’s”
• 1874 - beginning of work on the “Sorochinskaya Fair”, a cycle of pieces for piano “Pictures at an Exhibition”
• 1877 - vocal cycle “Songs and Dances of Death”
• 1879 - tour in the south of Russia with singer M. Leonova
• 1881 - death

• Mussorgsky had an excellent musical memory and could immediately remember the most complex operas by Wagner. Once, having just become acquainted with Siegfried, he immediately played Wotan’s scene from memory.
• The composer began writing the letter “g” in his surname only in 1863, and before that time he signed all documents as “Musorsky.”
• The only one lifetime portrait Mussorgsky was made by I.E. Repin in a military hospital, after the composer’s delirium tremens, just before his death.
• In 1935–1937, the Necropolis of Art Masters was reconstructed. As a result, the area in front of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra was expanded and the line of the Tikhvin cemetery was moved. At the same time, many graves, including Modest Petrovich’s, were rolled up with asphalt. Now there is a bus stop at the burial site of the great composer.

Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky

One of the special members of the "Mighty Handful" was Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky. An ideological embodiment of reflection, he became the most brilliant composer of the entire company. And, in general, it is justified.

His father came from ancient noble family Mussorgsky, and until the age of ten Modest and his older brother Filaret received a very decent education. The Mussorgskys had their own story. They, in turn, came from the princes of Smolensk, the Monastyrev family. Just one of the Monastyrevs, Roman Vasilyevich Monastyrev, bore the nickname Musorga. It was he who became the ancestor of the Mussorgskys. In its turn, noble surname The Sapogovs are also an offshoot of the Mussorgskys.

But it was a long time ago. And Modest himself was born on the estate of a not-so-rich landowner. This happened on March 21, 1839, in the Pskov region.

So, let's return to his biography. Starting at the age of six, his mother took charge musical education son. And then, in 1849, he entered the Peter and Paul School, which is located in St. Petersburg. Three years later he transferred to the School of Guards Ensigns. At that time, Modest combined his studies at the School with studying with the pianist Gerke. Around the same time, Mussorgsky's first work was published. It was a piano polka called “Lieutenant Ensign.”

Around the years of his studies, that is, 1856-57. he met Stasov and with all the ensuing consequences for the Russian classical music including. It was under the leadership of Balakirev that Mussorgsky began serious studies in composition. Then he decided to devote himself to music.

For this reason, in 1858 he left with military service. At that time, Mussorgsky wrote many romances, as well as instrumental works, in which even then his individualism began to manifest itself. For example, his unfinished opera Salammbô, written under inspiration from Flaubert's novel of the same name, was replete with the drama of popular scenes.

For the time described, he was a brilliantly educated young officer. He had a beautiful baritone voice and played the piano beautifully.

True, in the mid-sixties he became more of a realist artist. In addition, some of his works became especially close to the spirit of the revolutionaries of those times. And in such works as “Kalistrat”, “Eryomushka’s Lullaby”, “Sleep, Sleep, peasant son", "Orphan", "Seminarist" he began to especially clearly show himself as a talented writer of everyday life. And what is it worth, staged based on folk tales, “Night on Bald Mountain”?!

Mussorgsky did not shy away from experimental genres. For example, in 1868 he completed work on an opera based on Gogol’s work “Marriage”. There he diligently translated lively conversational intonation into music.

During these years, Modest Petrovich seemed to be developing. The fact is that one of his greatest works became the opera "Boris Godunov". He wrote this opera based on the works of Pushkin, and after some revision it was presented at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. What changes have been made? It was simply reduced, and quite significantly.

Then the composer also worked on an impressive “folk musical drama”, in which he talked about the Streltsy riots of the late seventeenth century. His inspirers remain the same. For example, the idea of ​​“Khovanshchina” was suggested to him by Stasov.

At the same time, he writes the cycles “Without the Sun”, “Songs and Dances of Death” and other works, from which it becomes clear: the composer has no time for jokes these days. And indeed, last years Throughout his life, Mussorgsky suffered greatly from depression. However, this depression had its own, quite real reasons: his work remained unrecognized; he continued to experience difficulties in everyday life and material terms. And besides, he was lonely. In the end, he died a poor man in the Nikolaev Soldiers' Hospital, and his unfinished works were completed for him by other composers from "", such as, for example.

How did it happen that he wrote so slowly, unproductively, and in general, what the hell ruined his life?!

The answer is simple: alcohol. He used it to treat his nervous tension, eventually slipped into alcoholism, but somehow recognition never came. He thought too much, composed, and then erased everything and recorded the finished music with clean slate. He did not like all kinds of sketches, sketches and drafts. That's why it worked so slowly.

When he retired from the forestry department, he could only rely on financial assistance friends, and some very random income of my own. And he drank. And he ended up in the hospital after an attack of delirium tremens.

And time heals all wounds. Now a bus stop rises above the grave of one of the greatest Russian composers. And what we know as his burial place is in fact only a relocated monument. He lived alone and died alone. This is the lot of true talent in our country.

Famous works:

• Opera "Boris Godunov" (1869, 2nd edition 1874)
• Opera “Khovanshchina” (1872-1880, unfinished; editions: N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, 1883; D. D. Shostakovich, 1958)
• Opera “Marriage” (1868, unfinished; editions: M. M. Ippolitova-Ivanova, 1931; G. N. Rozhdestvensky, 1985)
• Opera “Sorochinskaya Fair” (1874-1880, unfinished; editions: Ts. A. Cui, 1917; V. Ya. Shebalina, 1931)
• Opera "Salammbo" (unfinished; revised by Zoltan Peško, 1979)
• "Pictures at an Exhibition", a cycle of pieces for piano (1874); orchestrations by various composers, including Maurice Ravel, Sergei Gorchakov (1955), Lawrence Leonard, Keith Emerson, etc.
• “Songs and Dances of Death,” vocal cycle (1877); orchestrations: E. V. Denisova, N. S. Korndorf
• “Night on Bald Mountain” (1867), symphonic painting
• "Children's", vocal cycle (1872)
• "Without Sun", vocal cycle (1874)
• Romances and songs, including “Where are you, little star?”, “Kalistrat”, “Eryomushka’s Lullaby”, “Orphan”, “Seminarist”, “Svetik Savishna”, Song of Mephistopheles in Auerbach’s cellar (“Flea”), “Rayok” »
• Intermezzo (originally for piano, later orchestrated by the author under the title "Intermezzo in modo classico").

The main figure of this article will be Modest Mussorgsky. The composer's biography begins on March 16, 1839 in one of the small villages of the Pskov region. From an early age, his parents, who belonged to an old family of nobles, introduced the boy to music. His mother taught him to play the piano, and at the age of seven he was already performing plays. A few years later, the future genius was already mastering entire concerts.

Biography of Mussorgsky in the early years of his life

Few of Modest's ancestors could have imagined that he would become a great musician and composer. All Mussorgsky's relatives were devoted to the state, and the men served in the Tsar's army. The exception was first the father - Peter Mussorgsky, who was distinguished by a great passion for music, and then his son, who inherited this gift. The first piano teacher was Modest's mother, Yulia Chirikova.

In 1849, Modest Mussorgsky went to St. Petersburg, and there he began his first professional music lessons with teacher A.A. Gehrke. Under his leadership, he performs at chamber concerts, family evenings and other events. And already in 1852 he wrote and published his own polka called “Sub-Ensign”.

The founding period of the “Mighty Handful”

Since 1856, Mussorgsky's biography unfolds in St. Petersburg, where he simultaneously meets the composer. They become very close friends, united not only by a common cause, but also by creativity - music. Some time later, he also met A. Dargomyzhsky, M. Balakirev, Ts. Cui, as well as the Stasov brothers. All these composers are familiar to us thanks to the group “ Mighty bunch", which they founded.

The main figure in their “galaxy” was Balakirev - he became a teacher and spiritual mentor for every composer. Together with him, Mussorgsky taught new concertos and works of large form such as Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss. Visiting the Philharmonic, opera performances and others musical events contributed to the fact that for Modest the goal of life became the knowledge of beauty and the creation of it.

Biography of Mussorgsky during the period of new creativity of the “Mighty Handful”

In the next decade, the composers of the “Mighty Handful” adopted the rule that they must follow all the musical canons of M. Glinka. During this period, Mussorgsky wrote music for Sophocles' story "Oedipus the King", and then began working on the opera "Salammbo". Unfortunately, it remained unfinished, but many of the works written for it were included in the composer's masterpiece - the opera Boris Godunov.

The period of travel and flourishing creativity

In the 60s, Mussorgsky's biography unfolded in new lands. He goes on a journey in which the main point is the city of Moscow. It was this place that inspired him to write his opera “Boris Godunov”, since, in his opinion, the “women and men” suitable for the production met him there.

In the future, the composer did not forget to give instrumental concerts and vocal performances. Among pianists he had no equal, and his own works praised by many connoisseurs of beauty. It was in this world that the composer Mussorgsky spent his youth.

His biography changed dramatically in the 80s. Then his health deteriorated and his financial situation was shaken. He no longer had much time for creativity, so he started drinking. He died on his birthday, in 1881, in a military hospital.

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Mussorgsky - genius composer, whose creativity was initially underestimated. An innovator, a seeker of new paths in music, he seemed to his contemporaries to be a dropout. Even his close friend Rimsky-Korsakov believed that Mussorgsky's works could only be performed by correcting the harmony, form and orchestration, and after Mussorgsky's untimely death he carried out this enormous work. It is in the versions of Rimsky-Korsakov for a long time Many of Mussorgsky’s works were known, including the operas “Boris Godunov” and “Khovanshchina”. Only much later was the true significance of Mussorgsky’s work revealed, whom Stasov was the first to correctly appreciate, saying: “Mussorgsky is one of the people to whom posterity erects monuments.” His music had a strong influence on composers of the 20th century, in particular French, not to mention Russian, among whom the largest were Prokofiev and Shostakovich. “To create a living person in living music”, “To create a life phenomenon or type in a form inherent to them, which has not been seen before by any of the artists” - this is how the composer himself defined his goal. The nature of his work determined Mussorgsky's primary appeal to vocal and stage genres. His highest achievements- operas “Boris Godunov” and “Khovanshchina”, vocal cycles “Children’s”, “Without the Sun” and “Songs and Dances of Death”.

Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky was born on March 9 (21), 1839 in the Karevo estate near the town of Toropets, Pskov province in the ancient noble family, leading its ancestry from the Rurikovichs - the descendants of the legendary Rurik, called to reign over Rus' from the Varangians. WITH early childhood he, like all noble children, studied French and German languages, as well as music, showing great success, especially in improvisation. At the age of 9, he was already playing a concerto by J. Field, but, of course, there was no talk of professional music studies. In 1849 he was sent to St. Petersburg, where after three years of training he entered the School of Guards Ensigns. These three years were not lost on music - the boy took piano lessons from one of the best teachers in the capital, A. Gerke, a student of the famous Field. In 1856, Mussorgsky graduated from school and was assigned to serve in the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment. During one of his duties in a military land hospital, he met Borodin, then a doctor at the same hospital. But this acquaintance did not yet lead to friendship: their ages, interests, and the environment surrounding each of them were too different.

Lively interested in music and eager to become more familiar with the works of Russian composers, Mussorgsky at the age of 18 ended up in Dargomyzhsky’s house. Under the influence of the prevailing situation there, he begins to compose. The first experiments were the romance “Where are you, little star”, the idea of ​​the opera “Gan the Icelander”. At Dargomyzhsky's he meets Cui and Balakirev. This last acquaintance has a decisive influence on his entire later life. It was with Balakirev, around whom a circle of musicians formed, which later became famous under the name of the Mighty Handful, that his composition studies began. During the first year, several romances and piano sonatas appeared. Creativity captivates the young man so much that in 1858 he resigns and selflessly engages in self-education - psychology, philosophy, literature - tries himself in various musical genres. And although he still composes in small forms, he is most drawn to opera, in particular, to the plot of Oedipus. On Balakirev's advice, in 1861-1862 he wrote a symphony, but left it unfinished. But the next year he was captivated by the plot of “Salammbô” based on Flaubert’s novel, which had just been published in Russian translation. He has been working on the opera “Salambo” for about three years and creates many interesting fragments, but gradually realizes that it is not the East, but Rus' that attracts him. And “Salambo” also remains unfinished.

In the mid-60s, Mussorgsky's works appeared, clearly showing which path he decided to follow. These are the songs “Kalistrat” based on Nekrasov’s poems about the difficult peasant lot (the composer called “Kalistrat” an etude in folk style), “Sleep, sleep, peasant son” in the spirit folk songs based on the text from A. Ostrovsky’s drama “The Voevoda”, the everyday picture “Svetik Savvishna” in his own words. After listening to the last one, famous composer and authoritative musical critic A. Serov said: “A terrible scene. This is Shakespeare in music." Somewhat later, “Seminarist” appears, also based on his own text. In 1863, the need arises to earn a living - family estate completely upset and no longer brings in any income. Mussorgsky enters the service: in December he becomes an official of the Engineering Directorate.

In 1867, the first major orchestral work was finally created - “ Midsummer Night on Bald Mountain”. At the same time, under the influence of Dargomyzhsky’s “The Stone Guest,” Mussorgsky began work on the opera “Marriage” based on the prose text of Gogol’s comedy. This bold idea fascinates him very much, but after a while it becomes clear that this is only an experiment: he does not consider it possible to create an opera based on one recitative, without arias, choirs, and ensembles.

The 60s were a time of fierce struggle between Balakirevsky circle and the so-called conservative party, to which belong the professors of the recently opened first Russian conservatory, supported Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna. Balakirev, who was for some time the director of the Russian Musical Society (RMS), was dismissed from his position in 1869. In opposition to this institution, he organizes a series of concerts of the Free music school, but the fight is obviously lost, since, unlike the RMO, the BMS is not subsidized by anyone. Mussorgsky gets excited about the idea of ​​embodying the opponents of the Mighty Handful in music. This is how “Rayok” appears - a unique satirical vocal composition, according to Stasov, a masterpiece of “talent, causticity, comedy, ridicule, brilliance, plasticity... Even those who were ridiculed laughed to tears, so talented and infectiously cheerful was this original novelty.”

The composer devoted the years 1868-1869 to working on “Boris Godunov”, and in 1870 he presented the score to the Mariinsky Theater. But the opera is rejected: it is too unconventional. One of the reasons for refusal is the lack of a large female role. The following years, 1871 and 1872, the composer reworks “Boris”: Polish scenes and the role of Marina Mniszech appear, the scene near Kromy. But even this option does not satisfy the committee in charge of accepting operas for production. Only the persistence of singer Y. Platonova, who chose Mussorgsky’s opera for her benefit performance, helps “Boris Godunov” to see the spotlight. While working on the second edition of the opera, Mussorgsky rented an apartment together with Rimsky-Korsakov. They share time at the piano in a friendly manner, both write operas based on a plot from Russian history (Rimsky-Korsakov creates “The Woman of Pskov”) and, very different in character and creative principles, perfectly complement each other.

In 1873, “Children’s”, designed by Repin, was published and received wide recognition from both the public and musicians, including Liszt, who highly appreciated the novelty and unusualness of this work. This is the only joy of a composer who is not spoiled by fate. He is depressed by the endless troubles associated with the production of “Boris Godunov”, and is tired of the need to serve, now in the Forestry Department. Loneliness is also depressing: Rimsky-Korsakov got married and moved out of their shared apartment, and Mussorgsky, partly by his own conviction, partly under the influence of Stasov, believes that marriage will interfere with creativity and sacrifices for it personal life. Stasov is traveling abroad for a long time. Soon, the composer's friend, artist Victor Hartmann, dies suddenly.

The next year brings both great creative success - the piano cycle "Pictures at an Exhibition", created under the direct impression of Hartmann's posthumous exhibition, and a new great sorrow. The composer's longtime friend Nadezhda Petrovna Opochinina, with whom he apparently was deeply but secretly in love, dies. At this time, a gloomy, melancholy cycle “Without the Sun” was created based on the poems of Golenishchev-Kutuzov. Work in progress and above new opera- “Khovanshchina” - again on a plot from Russian history. In the summer of 1874, work on the opera was interrupted for the sake of “Sorochinsk Fair” based on Gogol. The comic opera is progressing with difficulty: there are too few reasons for fun. But an inspired vocal ballad “Forgotten” appears based on a painting by Vereshchagin, which he saw at an exhibition in the same 1874.

The composer's life becomes more and more difficult and hopeless. The actual collapse of the Mighty Handful, which he repeatedly complains about in letters to Stasov, has a heavy impact on him, who has always strived for close friendly communication. People in his service are dissatisfied with him: he often skimps on his duties, both for the sake of creativity, and, unfortunately, because, under the influence of sad life circumstances, he increasingly resorts to the generally accepted Russian consolation - the bottle. Sometimes his need becomes so strong that he does not have the money to pay rent. In 1875 he was evicted for non-payment. For some time he finds refuge with A. Golenishchev-Kutuzov, then with an old friend, Naumov, a former naval officer, big fan his creativity. Based on the poems of Golenishchev-Kutuzov, he creates the vocal cycle “Songs and Dances of Death”.

In 1878, friends helped Mussorgsky find another position - junior auditor of the State Audit Office. It is good because the composer’s immediate boss, T. Filippov, a great lover of music and a collector of folk songs, turns a blind eye to Mussorgsky’s absenteeism. But the meager salary barely allows him to make ends meet. In 1879, in order to improve his financial situation, Mussorgsky, together with the singer D. Leonova, went on a large tour that covered everything big cities south of Russia. The program of performances includes arias from operas by Russian composers, romances by both Russian composers and Schubert, Schumann, Liszt. Mussorgsky accompanies the singer and also performs solo numbers - transcriptions from “Ruslan and Lyudmila” and his own operas. The trip has a beneficial effect on the musician. He is inspired by the beautiful southern nature, rave reviews from newspapers, which highly appreciate his gift as a composer and pianist. This causes uplift and new creative activity. Appear famous song“The Flea”, piano pieces, plans for a large suite for orchestra. Work continues on “Sorochinskaya Fair” and “Khovanshchina”.

In January next year Mussorgsky finally leaves public service. Friends - V. Zhemchuzhnikov, T. Filippov, V. Stasov and M. Ostrovsky (the playwright's brother) - contribute to a monthly stipend of 100 rubles so that he can finish Khovanshchina. Another group of friends pays 80 rubles a month under the obligation to complete the Sorochinsky Fair. Thanks to this help, in the summer of 1880, “Khovanshchina” was almost completed in the clavier. Since the fall, Mussorgsky, at the suggestion of Leonova, has become an accompanist at her private singing courses and, in addition to accompaniment, composes choirs in Russian for students folk texts. But his health is completely undermined, and at one of his home student concerts he loses consciousness. Stasov, Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin arrived and found him delirious. Urgent hospitalization is required. Through a friend of the doctor L. Bertenson, who worked at the Nikolaev military hospital, Mussorgsky managed to get hired there, signing him up as “a civilian orderly for resident Bertenson.” On February 14, 1881, the unconscious composer was taken to the hospital. For a while he gets better, he can even receive visitors, among them Repin, who painted the famous portrait of Mussorgsky. But soon there is a sharp deterioration in the condition.

Mussorgsky died on March 16, only 42 years old. The funeral took place on March 18 at the cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. In 1885, through the efforts of faithful friends, a monument was erected at the grave.

L. Mikheeva

Key dates of life and work:

1839. - 9 III. In the village of Karevo, a son, Modest, was born into the Mussorgsky family - landowner Pyotr Alekseevich and his wife Yulia Ivanovna (nee Chirikova).

1846. - First successes in learning to play the piano under the guidance of his mother.

1848. - Mussorgsky's performance of J. Field's concerto (at his parents' house for guests).

1849. - VIII. Admission to the Peter and Paul School in St. Petersburg. - Start of piano lessons with Ant. A. Gehrke.

1851. - Mussorgsky's performance of A. Hertz's "Rondo" at a home charity concert.

1852. - VIII. Admission to the school of guards ensigns. - Publication of the piano piece - polka "Ensign" ("Porte-enseigne Polka").

1856. - 17 VI. Graduation from the School of Guards Ensigns. - 8 X. Enrollment in the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment. - X. Meeting with A.P. Borodin on duty at the 2nd land hospital. - Winter 1856-1857. Meeting A. S. Dargomyzhsky.

1857. - Acquaintance with Ts. A. Cui and M. A. Balakirev in the house of Dargomyzhsky, with V. V. and D. V. Stasov in the house of M. A. Balakirev. - Start of composition classes under the guidance of Balakirev.

1858. - 11 VI. Retirement from military service.

1859. - 22 II. Performed by Mussorgsky leading role in the comic opera "The Son of a Mandarin" by Cui in the author's house. - VI. A trip to Moscow, getting to know its sights.

1860. - 11 I. Performance of a scherzo in B-dur in a concert of the RMO under the baton of A. G. Rubinstein.

1861. - I. A trip to Moscow, new acquaintances in the circles of advanced intelligentsia (youth). - 6 IV. Performance by the choir from the music to the tragedy "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles in a concert conducted by K. N. Lyadov (Mariinsky Theatre).

1863. - VI-VII. Stay in Toropets due to concerns about the estate. - XII. The concept of the opera "Salammbô" based on the novel by G. Flaubert. - 15 XII. Entering the service (as an official) in the Engineering Department.

1863-65. - Life in a “commune” with a group of young friends (under the influence of the novel “What is to be done?” by N. G. Chernyshevsky).

1864. - 22 V. Creation of the song "Kalistrat" ​​based on the words of N. A. Nekrasov - the first in a series of vocal scenes from folk life.

1866. - The beginning of friendship with N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov.

1867. - 6 III. Performance of the choir "The Defeat of Sennacherib" in a concert of the Free Music School under the direction of Balakirev. - 26 IV. Leaving service in the Engineering Department. - 24 IX. Complaints about the difficult financial situation in a letter to Balakirev.

1868. - Getting closer to the Purgold family, participating in their home musical gatherings. - 23 IX. Screening of "Marriage" at Cui's house. - Meeting the literary historian V.V. Nikolsky, starting work on “Boris Godunov” on his advice. - 21 XII. Enrollment in the Forestry Department of the Ministry of State Property.

1870. - 7 V. Display of "Boris Godunov" in the house of the artist K. E. Makovsky. - Prohibition of the song “Seminarist” by censorship.

1871. - 10 II. Opera Committee Mariinsky Theater rejected the opera "Boris Godunov".

1871-72. - Mussorgsky lives in the same apartment with Rimsky-Korsakov, working on the 2nd edition of Boris Godunov.

1872. - 8 II. Performance of the opera "Boris Godunov" in new edition in the house of V.F. Purgold. - 5 II. Performance of the finale of the 1st movement of "Boris Godunov" at the RMO concert under the direction of E. F. Napravnik. - II-IV. Teamwork(together with Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Cui) on the opera-ballet "Mlada" commissioned by the directorate imperial theaters. - 3 IV. Performance of a polonaise from "Boris Godunov" in a concert of the Free Music School conducted by Balakirev. - VI. Start of work on "Khovanshchina".

1873. - 5 II. Execution three paintings from "Boris Godunov" at the Mariinsky Theater. - V. Performance by F. Liszt in Weimar for a group of musicians of the "Children's" cycle by M.

1874. - 27 I. Premiere of "Boris Godunov" at the Mariinsky Theater. - 7-19 V. Creation of a ballad for voice and piano “Forgotten” to the words of Golenishchev-Kutuzov, dedicated to V.V. Vereshchagin. - VII. The origin of the concept of the opera "Sorochinskaya Fair".

1875. - 13 II. Mussorgsky's participation as an accompanist in a concert in favor of needy students of the Medical-Surgical Academy. - 9 III. Participation in the musical and literary evening of the St. Petersburg Society to benefit students of medical and pedagogical courses.

1876. - 11 III. Participation in musical evening St. Petersburg meeting of artists in favor of needy students of the Medical-Surgical Academy.

1877. - 17 II. Participation in the concert of Yu. F. Platonova. - Participation in a concert in favor of the Society of Cheap Apartments.

1878. - 2 IV. Performance with singer D. M. Leonova at the concert of the Society for Benefits for Students of Women's Medical and Pedagogical Courses. - 10 XII. Resumption of "Boris Godunov" (with large bills) at the Mariinsky Theater.

1879. - 16 I. Performing the scene in the cell from "Boris Godunov" in a concert of the Free Music School conducted by Rimsky-Korsakov (staged by the Mariinsky Theater and released). - 3 IV. Participation in the concert of the Society for Benefits for Students of Women's Medical and Pedagogical Courses. - VII-X. Concert trip with Leonova (Poltava, Elizavetgrad, Kherson, Odessa, Sevastopol, Yalta, Rostov-on-Don, Novocherkassk, Voronezh, Tambov, Tver). - 27 November Performing excerpts from “Khovanshchina” in a concert of the Free Music School conducted by Rimsky-Korsakov.

1880. - I. Leaving service. Deterioration of health. - 8 IV. Performing excerpts from “Khovanshchina” and “Song of the Flea” in Leonova’s concert with an orchestra conducted by Rimsky-Korsakov. - 27 and 30 IV. Two concerts by Leonova and Mussorgsky in Tver. - 5 VIII. Message in a letter to Stasov about the end of Khovanshchina (with the exception of small excerpts in the last act).

1881. - II. A sharp deterioration in health. - 2-5 III. I. E. Repin paints a portrait of Mussorgsky - 16 III. Death of Mussorgsky in the Nikolaev military hospital from erysipelas of the leg. - 18 III. Funeral of Mussorgsky at the cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg.