"He was described by Tchaikovsky as a "saintly prig" - hugely influential, obstinate, and argumentative, Mily Balakirev saw himself as the 'Father of Russian Music', inheriting the mantle direct from his idol Glinka, whilst also being the pivotal figure at the centre of The Mighty Handful.
He was the first significant Russian musician to engage in collecting folksongs, as he was keen to develop an authentic kind of Russian music. These traditional musical forms would filter into his own works such as Tamara, creating exotic and oriental sounds that would be emulated by other composers. His overtures based on folk song would also become a blueprint for future generations. Although Balakirev would later quarrel with all members of The Mighty Handful, not least of all due to his overbearing personality, if he hadn't encouraged Mussorgsky, Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov to pursue composition, they all might have followed very different careers."
Episode 1, 12 noon.
He was the first significant Russian musician to engage in collecting folksongs, as he was keen to develop an authentic kind of Russian music. These traditional musical forms would filter into his own works such as Tamara, creating exotic and oriental sounds that would be emulated by other composers. His overtures based on folk song would also become a blueprint for future generations. Although Balakirev would later quarrel with all members of The Mighty Handful, not least of all due to his overbearing personality, if he hadn't encouraged Mussorgsky, Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov to pursue composition, they all might have followed very different careers."
Episode 1, 12 noon.