Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky

The book tells about the genius Russian composer of the second half of the 19th century. Its main biographical source is the literary heritage of Mussorgsky — letters, documents, and original texts of vocal works. These invaluable autobiographical materials are supplemented by excerpts from articles, memoirs, and correspondence of contemporaries, whose friendly connections the composer highly valued and always sought.

The book discusses the formation of the artist's creative personality, his aesthetic views, radical innovative aspirations dictated by life, «which does not tolerate biased forms», and the ambiguity of the perception of his art even by very close associates. The works, including unfinished ones, are examined in detail in an accessible form. The book contains many illustrations and cited materials. The personality of the composer is presented in the broad social, public, and artistic space of Russian life in the 1860s and 1870s. The book is addressed to a wide audience of music lovers.