SKU: A0.549254

Flight of the Bumblebee

Flight of the Bumblebee is, to be sure, an orchestral interlude composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan. Of course, Korsakov intended to portray a bumblebee's chaotic flying pattern musically. Nowadays, this piece is one of the comparatively more famous classical works because it frequently appears occasionally in popular culture. The piece appears notably in the opera at the close of Act III, Tableau 1. This is when the magic Swan-Bird changes the Prince (the son of the Tsar) into a bee so he can fly away to visit his father. Interestingly, at this point in the drama, his father, in effect, does not know that he is alive.

Korsakov Background

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844 –1908) was a uniquely famous composer from Russia. He was likewise a member of an infamous assembly of composers called The Five. Korsakov was furthermore an expert in orchestration. His correspondingly most famous orchestral compositions- Capriccio Espagnol, the Russian Easter Festival Overture, and the Scheherazade suite- are essential monuments of the standard music repertoire.  Also comparatively very important are his suites and excerpts from his 15 operas. Korsakov used Russian folklore and fairy tales, such as Scheherazade, in his music. 

Nationalistic Style

Like fellow outspoken composer Balakirev, Korsakov believed in creating a nationalistic, Russia-centric style of classical music. The new style was called Orientalism. It similarly relied on native Russian materials, exotic scales, and experimental harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic procedures. This practice, conversely, ran counter to the developments in Western musical culture.

Musical Developments

Nevertheless, Korsakov developed an appreciation of Western musical techniques after he became a professor of musical composition, harmony, and orchestration at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in 1871. Moreover, he undertook a rigorous three-year program of self-education. He mastered Western methods, incorporating them with the influences of Mikhail Glinka and other members of The Five. His techniques of composition and orchestration were additionally enriched by his exposure to the works of Richard Wagner.

Naval Service

Korsakov combined his music career accordingly with a career in the Russian military. He was in the first place an officer in the Russian Navy. In due time, he was appointed a civilian Inspector of Naval Bands. As a result, Korsakov expanded his knowledge of woodwind and brass playing, which heightened his orchestration capabilities.

Legacy

In due time, Korsakov contributed a significant number of Russian nationalist works. He also prepared, occasionally, compositions by The Five for presentation. This brought their works straightaway into the active classical repertoire as well. He also shaped an entire generation of younger composers as a music educator. Therefore, music historians consider Korsakov the foremost engineer of what the public considers the Russian composition style. He served as a transitional figure between The Five and the classically trained composers who became the norm over time. In addition to the Russians, he influenced non-Russian composers such as Ravel, Debussy, Dukas, and Respighi.