March 18 - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous postings for March 18th may be found here: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (2019), John Kirkpatrick (2020), Adam Levine (2021), John Kander (2022), John IV of Portugal (2023), and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (2024)

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Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (18 March [O.S. 6 March] 1844 – 21 June [O.S. 8 June] 1908) wrote a huge catalogue of distinguished and colorful music. much of which remains quite rarely played outside of Russia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien

Despite the piece being a rather incidental part of the opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, it is today one of the more familiar classical works because of its frequent use in popular culture. – adapted from Wikipedia, s.v. "Flight of the Bumblebee"

Did Rimsky-Korsakov regret that he

Had conjured up that restless bumble bee?

Or struggle through the endless Russian night

In penance for that apiary flight?

And did he rue conceiving of the notion

Of unremitting fast chromatic motion?

Did he lament the way it was dissected

From four full acts with which it was connected?

Did he resent its use as encore kitsch,

Or was he glad that it had found a niche?

Envoi

Of course we'll never know, and yet "The Flight"

Endures for those who want their Rimsky-lite.

 

 

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