Dargomyzhsky, Alexander

(Sergeievich), outstanding Russian composer; b. Troitskoye, Tula district, Feb. 14, 1813; d. St. Petersburg, Jan. 17, 1869. From 1817 Dargomyzhsky lived in St. Petersburg, where he studied piano and violin. From 1827 to 1843 he held a government position, then devoted himself exclusively to music, studying for a further eight years. As part of these studies, he visited Germany, Brussels, and Paris in 1845.

Dargomyzhsky then returned to Russia, producing in Moscow an OPERA, Esmeralda (after Victor Hugo's Notre-Dame de Paris, 1847), with great success. From 1845 to 1855 he published over 100 minor works. He had many works produced in St. Petersburg, including his best opera, Rusalka (1856) and an opera-ballet, The Triumph of Bacchus (1867). A posthumous opera was also produced there in 1872, The Stone Guest (Kamennyi gost, after Pushkin's eponymous poem), scored by NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV. He also sketched a few scenes of a fantasy-opera, Rogdana.

At first a follower of Italian and French opera composers, Dargomyzhsky became interested in Russia's own musical traditions. He also felt that earlier opera composers had not been realistic enough in their approach to the music and text. He applied this realistic method in treating the RECITATIVE in his opera The Stone Guest and in his songs (several to satirical words).

Dargomyzhsky's orchestral works, also reflecting Russian theme (Finnish Fantasia, Cossack Dance, Baba-Yaga, etc.), enjoyed wide popularity. In 1867 he was elected president of the Russian Music Society.