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Modest Petrovich '''Mussorgsky''' (or, variously, Musorgsky, Mussougsky, Moussougsky etc.) (1839-1881), [[Russia]]n [[composer]] and [[pianist]] is known for immensely colourful music inspired by the history and folk lore of his homeland. He was a child prodigy on the piano, but became an officer in the guards and, later, a bureaucrat. He tended to be lazy and he drank, and much of his music has been arranged, edited, orchestrated and generally tidied up by others, mainly [[Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov|Rimsky-Korsakov]].

Modest Petrovich '''Mussorgsky''' (or, variously, Musorgsky, Mussougsky, Moussougsky etc.) (1839-1881), [[Russia]]n [[composer]] and [[pianist]] is known for immensely colourful music inspired by the history and folk lore of his homeland. He was a child prodigy on the piano, but became an officer in the guards and, later, a bureaucrat. He tended to be lazy and he drank, and much of his music has been arranged, edited, orchestrated and generally tidied up by others, mainly [[Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov|Rimsky-Korsakov]].

He is admired for his operas, all on national themes, all written with dramatic flair and a sense of realism. The best known ''“Boris Godunov”'' is in the repertoire of most major opera companies with ''“Khovanshchina”'' also frequently performed. (The prelude to ''“Khovanshchina”'' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHpvRiC1lH4] is a favourite orchestral “filler” piece and appears in many CD anthologies of Russian music.)

He is admired for his operas, all on national themes, all written with dramatic flair and a sense of realism. The best known ''“Boris Godunov”'' is in the repertoire of most major opera companies with ''“Khovanshchina”'' also frequently performed. (The prelude to ''“Khovanshchina”'' [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHpvRiC1lH4] is a favourite orchestral “filler” piece and appears in many CD anthologies of Russian music.)

He wrote four operas, various songs, including [[song cycle]]s, the most popular of which is ''“Songs and Dances of Death”''. The most popular of his individual songs is the ''“Song of the Flea” ''to a humorous text by [[Goethe]]. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQfs7e2jHH8]

He wrote four operas, various songs, including [[song cycle]]s, the most popular of which is ''“Songs and Dances of Death”''. The most popular of his individual songs is the ''“Song of the Flea” ''to a humorous text by [[Goethe]]. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQfs7e2jHH8]

His most popular orchestral work is ''“St. John’s Night on the Bare Mountain”'', (which was included in [[Walt Disney]]’s ''“Fantasia”''.) The suite for piano, ''“Pictures at an Exhibition”'', is better known in the version for orchestra by [[Maurice Ravel]], and is a tribute to the genius of both Mussorgsky’s inspiration [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIA8hHXfbC8&feature=PlayList&p=B53F4B363382272F&index=0&playnext=1] and Ravel’s orchestration. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_98452AxFI]

His most popular orchestral work is ''“St. John’s Night on the Bare Mountain”'', (which was included in [[Walt Disney]]’s ''“Fantasia”''.) The suite for piano, ''“Pictures at an Exhibition”'', is better known in the version for orchestra by [[Maurice Ravel]], and is a tribute to the genius of both Mussorgsky’s inspiration [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIA8hHXfbC8&feature=PlayList&p=B53F4B363382272F&index=0&playnext=1] and Ravel’s orchestration. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_98452AxFI]

*A rough translation of ''“Song of the Flea”'' – an amalgam of several.

*A rough translation of ''“Song of the Flea”'' – an amalgam of several.