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Tchaikovsky A-Z: Letter M

Letter M
Mighty Handful

The term 'Mighty Handful' (Moguchaya kuchka) was coined by the Russian music critic V. Stasov in an 1867 concert review, to describe five pre-eminent Russian composers: Balakirev, Musorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin and Cesar Cui whose music broadly followed a 'Russian Nationalist' agenda. As with all such epithets applied to composers (such as the 'Second Viennese School', the 'Minimalist School' or the 'Manchester' School), a coherent, homogeneity of approach is implied, but not necessarily borne out by reality!

© Graeme Kay/BBC

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