Life
Probably the most influential composer within the Russian school was Michael Glinka. He was known as the father of the Russian national school. Glinka's profound influence on Russian music is often heard in the works of not only Tchaikovsky, but also Borodin, Balakirev, Mussorgsky and others.

Born in Novospasskoye (near Smolensk) on June 1, 1804, he grew up on his father's country estate. This was an environment in which he ultimately thrived. The sounds of folk music and the music played at performances by the small private orchestra engaged by his uncle were enough to inspire him to take piano lessons and develop his talents. It was in St. Petersburg that he studied the piano and took a few lessons from the Irish musician and composer, John Field.

The rich cultural life of St. Petersburg stimulated his creative intellect and the operas of the French school and the music of Haydn, Beethoven and Rossini influenced his early works.

After studying in Italy, Spain, and Berlin, he returned to Russia. On the 27th of September 1836, Life for the Tsar premiered. This was the first representation of his opera and was the turning-point in Glinka's life. The work was not only a great success, but in a manner, became the origin and basis of the Russian school of national music. The story is about the Polish invasion of Russia early in the 17th century, and the hero is a peasant who sacrifices his life for the tsar.

Glinka wedded patriotic themes to inspiring music. His melodies, moreover, show distinct affinity for the popular songs of the Russians, so that the term national may justly be applied to them.

His second opera Russlan and Lyudmila, founded on Pushkin's poem, did not appear until 1842 and made no impression upon the public.

In 1844 he went to Paris, and his Jota Arragonesa (1847), and the symphonic work on Spanish themes, Une Nuil a Madrid, reflects the musical results of two years in Spain. He also composed numerous songs and romances.

In 1857 he had become absorbed with passion for ecclesiastical music and he went abroad for the third time. He went to Berlin to study the ancient church modes. Here, he died suddenly on the 2nd of February 1857.