[Footnote 318: For a delightful account of the friendship of these
two composers consult the volumeBorodin and Lisztby Alfred
Habets (translated by Rosa Newmarch).]
[Footnote 319: According to Liszt “a compendium of musical
science in the form of a jest.”]
The most widely known and in many respects the most gifted of
the Neo-Russian group is Rimsky-Korsakoff (1844-1908). He has
been aptly characterized as the Dégas or Whistler of music, and
for his marvellous powers of description, especially of the sea,
and for his command of orchestral tone-painting he is considered
the storyteller par excellence in modern music. As in the case of
Borodin we are filled with amazement at the power of work and
the versatility in Korsakoff’s nature. For many years he was an
officer in the Russian navy and throughout his life was involved
with official duties. Yet he found time for a number of composi-
tions of originality and finished workmanship. These comprise
the symphonic poemsAntar,SadkoandScheherazade;[320] a
Spanish Capricefor full orchestra; twelve operas of which the
best known in this country is the fascinatingLe Coq d’Or; a
concerto for pianoforte and orchestra; a large number of songs
and many choruses for men’s and women’s voices. His treatises
on harmony and orchestration are standard works, the latter
being the authority in modern treatment of the orchestra. His
Scheherazadeis undoubtedly the most brilliant descriptive work
in modern literature, for an account of which we quote the elo-
quent words of Philip Hale.
[Footnote 320: This work in structure is a Suite,i.e., there are
four distinct, separated movements.]
“Scheherazade (Op. 35) is a suite inspired by the Arabian
Nights. The Sultan, persuaded of the falseness and faithlessness
of woman, had sworn to put every one of his wives to death in
turn after the first night. But Scheherazade saved her life by in-
teresting him in the stories she told him for a thousand and one
nights. Many marvels were told by her in Rimsky-Korsakoff’s
fantastic poem,—marvels and tales of adventure: ‘The Sea and
Sinbad’s Ship’; ’The Story of the Three Kalandars’; ‘The Young
Prince and the Young Princess’; ’The Festival at Bagdad’; ’The
Ship that went to pieces against a rock surmounted by a bronze
warrior.’ As in Berlioz’sFantastic Symphony, so in this suite,
there is a theme which keeps appearing in all four movements.