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Photo of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Photo: Karl Fischer / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Composer from Russia

March 6, 1844 – June 20, 1908 · Tikhvin, Leningrad Oblast, Russia

  • Leningrad Oblast
  • composer
  • conductor
  • musicologist

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was a composer, conductor and musicologist. Born on March 6, 1844, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was from Tikhvin, Leningrad Oblast, Russia. Death is recorded on June 20, 1908, at the age of 64. Credited works include Scheherazade, Symphony No. 1 and The Golden Cockerel.

My Take

Rimsky-Korsakov is, to my ear, the great colorist of Russian music. Scheherazade alone is a masterclass in turning an orchestra into a painter's palette, and the sea-soaked shimmer of his scoring surely owes something to his years in the navy. Yet the achievement I admire most is generosity: a member of The Five who could have hoarded his gifts instead became the teacher who shaped a whole generation, Stravinsky among them. To leave behind The Golden Cockerel and a textbook on orchestration is to win twice. That dual legacy, creator and cultivator, is what makes him quietly monumental.

1. Profile

Name (English)
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Name (Japanese)
ニコライ・リムスキー=コルサコフ
Reading
にこらい・りむすきー=こるさこふ
Born
March 6, 1844 – June 20, 1908
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
Pisces / Dragon
Origin
Tikhvin, Leningrad Oblast, Russia
Occupation
composer / conductor / musicologist / autobiographer / music educator

2. Works & records

CategoryTitleRoleYear
Notable workScheherazade
Notable workSymphony No. 1
Notable workThe Golden Cockerel

4. About this entry

Tags

  • Leningrad Oblast
  • composer
  • conductor
  • musicologist
Last updated
2026-06-20

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.

Frequently asked questions

When was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov born?

Born March 6, 1844.

When did Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov die?

Died June 20, 1908, aged 64.

Where was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov from?

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was from Tikhvin, Leningrad Oblast, Russia.

What did Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov do?

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov worked as composer, conductor, musicologist, autobiographer, music educator.

What was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov known for?

Notable works include Scheherazade, Symphony No. 1, The Golden Cockerel.

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