Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomyzhsky
Source: Wikinedia Commons
Born on 14 Feb 1813 (Gregorian) in Belyovsky District of Russia, Alexander Sergeyevich Dargomyzhsky wasn't a major composer, but he held Russia's place in classical music at Mikhail Glinka's heels until later Russian composers began to flood into the Romantic period. Dargomyzhsky's fame in Europe was fairly limited to Belgium in association with the Mighty Handful [see Mily Balakirev] which regarded him highly. Educated in St. Petersburg, Dargomyzhsky's earliest compositions appeared in 1830. it was 1833 when he met Glinka, nine years his senior.
In addition to works for piano, orchestra and songs, Dargomyzhsky composed a number of operas, three for which he is best known: 'Esmeralda', 'Rusalka' and 'The Stone Guest'. 'Esmerelda, composed in 1839 after Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, 'Hunchback of Notre Dame', eventually premiered 1847. 'Rusalka', after Alexander Pushkin's poem by the same name, premiered in St. Petersburg on 4 May 1856. Dargomyzhsky's 'The Stone Guest', after Pushkin's play by the same name, was left incomplete upon his death in 1869. Finished by César Cui toward orchestration by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, that premiered posthumously in 1872. Among other works by Pushkin which Alexander left incomplete was a setting to 'Poltava'. I complete this chronological presentation of Dargomyzhsky below with nine songs set on unidentified dates.
'Bolero' ('Болеро') Alexander Dargomyzhsky
Piano score published 1839
USSR State Symphony Orchestra / Evgeny Svetlanov
Scherzo' ('Скерцо') F minor Alexander Dargomyzhsky 1844
Piano: Mikhail Kollontay Nov 2014
'Esmerelda' Opera by Alexander Dargomyzhsky
Premiere 5 Dec 1847 at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow
Libretto by Dargomyzhsky
Based on Victor Hugo's 'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'
Directed by Yuri Alexandrov
Chorus directed by Igor Pototsky Orchestra directed by Maxim Valkov
Stage design: Vyacheslav Okunev Choreography: Nadezhda Kalinina
St. Petersburg Opera 14 Dec 2019
Fantasia on themes from Glinka's 'A Life for the Tsar'' Alexander Dargomyzhsky
C 1855
Piano: Mikhail Kollontay Nov 2014
'Rusalka' Opera by Alexander Dargomyzhsky
Premiere 4 May 1856 in St. Petersburg
Libretto from Alexander Pushkin's 'Rusalka'
Grand Chorus All-Russian Radio & Television
Moscow Radio Tchaikovsky SO
Vladimir Fedoseyev
IMSLP Libretto Musopus Wikipedia
'Baba-Yaga' Scherzo fantasy by Alexander Dargomyzhsky 1862
USSR State Symphony Orchestra / Evgeny Svetlanov
'Kazachok' ('Казачок') Alexander Dargomyzhsky 1864
Fantasy on a Cosaque (probably Ukrainian Cossack) theme
USSR State Symphony Orchestra / Evgeny Svetlanov
'Finnish Fantasy' Alexander Dargomyzhsky
Comp C 1863-67 Pub 1872 or 1873
Arranged for Piano Quartet
USSR State Symphony Orchestra / Evgeny Svetlanov
'The Stone Guest' Opera by Alexander Dargomyzhsky
Begun 1855 Left unfinished upon death in 1869
Completed by César Cui and Rimsky-Korsakov
Premiere 16 Feb 1872 at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg
Libretto from Alexander Pushkin's 'The Stone Guest'
C & O of the Bolshoy Theatre / Mark Ermler
Nine songs by Alexander Dargomyzhsky Dates unidentified
Piano: Mstislav Rostropovich Soprano: Galina Vishnevskaya
Dargomyzhsky died in St. Petersburg on 17 January 1869.
Sources & References for Alexander Dargomyzhsky:
New International Encyclopædia
VF History (notes)
Audio of Dargomyzhsky: Musica Russica Naxos Presto Talk Classical
Compositions: Corpora: BNF Data IMSLP
Iconography: Wikimedia Commons
Lyrics: Lieder Net Oxford Song
Recordings: Catalogs: Discogs Music Brainz RYM
Recordings: Select:
Highlights from Russian Operas (Volume 1 / Pentatone Classics / 2006)
Rusalka (Cologne West German Radio C & O w Michail Jurows / 2008)
Scores: IMSLP Musicalics (vendor) ScorSer
Authority Search: VIAF
Other Profiles: Classical Music Diary
Russian Art Song
Classical Main Menu Modern Recording
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