Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (Russian: Модест Петрович Мусоргский; IPA: [mɐˈdʲɛst pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ ˈmusərkskʲɪj]; 21 March [O.S. 9 March] 1839 – 28 March [O.S. 16 March] 1881) was a Russian composer, one of the group known as "The Five". He was an innovator of Russian music in the romantic period. He strove to achieve a uniquely Russian musical identity, often in deliberate defiance of the established conventions of Western music.
Many of his works were inspired by Russian history, Russian folklore, and other nationalist themes. Such works include the opera Boris Godunov, the orchestral tone poem Night on Bald Mountain, and the piano suite Pictures at an Exhibition.
For many years Mussorgsky's works were mainly known in versions revised or completed by other composers. Many of his most important compositions have latterly come into their own in their original forms, and some of the original scores are now also available.
The spelling and pronunciation of the composer's name has occasioned some confusion.
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Note: The publication date is the first known date of publication, regardless of edition or fidelity to the composer's original score.
Youthful Years: A Collection of Romances and Songs (Russian: Юные годы: сборник романсов и песен, Yunïуе godï: sbornik romansov i pesen) is a bound series of 18 manuscripts of songs by Mussorgsky, the existence of which was announced by Charles Malherbe in 1909.