Alexander Glazunov

Alexander Glazunov was born on 10 August 1865 in Saint Petersburg into a prosperous family, and his musical gifts became evident at an early age through an exceptional ear and remarkable memory. Encouraged by Mily Balakirev, he began private studies around 1880 with Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov, who provided him with rigorous training in composition and orchestration and recognized his extraordinary talent.

The premiere of his Symphony No. 1 in 1882 brought the sixteen year old composer immediate recognition. In the years that followed, Glazunov developed a distinctive voice that combined Russian nationalist elements with classical formal clarity. His catalogue includes eight symphonies, the Violin Concerto, numerous chamber works, and the ballet Raymonda, which remains one of the cornerstones of the late Romantic ballet repertoire.

In 1899 he was appointed professor at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, and in 1905 he became its director. He led the institution through politically turbulent decades and was deeply committed to nurturing young musicians, among them Dmitri Shostakovich. His administrative responsibilities gradually reduced his compositional output, yet his influence on Russian musical life remained considerable.

After extensive travels in Europe and the United States during the 1920s, Glazunov left the Soviet Union in 1928 and eventually settled near Paris. He spent his final years in France and died on 21 March 1936 in Neuilly sur Seine. Today he is regarded as one of the central figures of Russian late Romanticism, admired for his masterful orchestration, lyrical expressiveness, and structural balance.