Waning influence and friendship with Tchaikovsky Mily Balakirev

when anton rubinstein relinquished directorship of rms concerts in 1867, balakirev suggested replace him. conservative patron rms, grand duchess elena pavlovna, agreed—provided nikolai zaremba, had taken on rubinstein @ saint petersburg conservatory appointed, along distinguished foreign composer. choice of berlioz foreign conductor lauded, balakirev s appointment seen less enthusiastically. balakirev s uncompromising nature caused tension @ rms, , preference modern repertoire earned him enmity of elena pavlovna. in 1869, informed him services no longer required.

pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky @ time wrote romeo , juliet balakirev s support

the week after balakirev s dismissal, impassioned article in defense appeared in contemporary chronicle. author pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky. balakirev had conducted tchaikovsky s symphonic poem fatum , characteristic dances opera voyevoda @ rms, , fatum had been dedicated balakirev. appearance of tchaikovsky s article may have been calculated, knew elena pavlovna due in moscow, lived, day article appear. sent 2 notes balakirev; first alerted him elena pavlovna s planned presence in moscow, , second thanked balakirev criticisms had made fatum after conducting it. balakirev s immediate response positive , enthusiastic.

this exchange of letters grew friendship , creative collaboration on next 2 years, balakirev helping tchaikovsky produce first masterpiece, fantasy-overture romeo , juliet. after romeo , juliet, 2 men drifted apart balakirev took sabbatical music world. in 1880, balakirev received copy of final version of score of romeo tchaikovsky, care of music publisher besel. delighted tchaikovsky had not forgotten him, replied invitation tchaikovsky visit him in saint petersburg. in same letter, forwarded programme symphony, based on lord byron s poem manfred, balakirev convinced tchaikovsky handle wonderfully well. programme had been penned stasov hector berlioz. tchaikovsky refused, 2 years later changed mind, partly due balakirev s continued prodding on project. manfred symphony, finished in 1885, became largest, complex work tchaikovsky had written point. romeo , juliet , fatum, tchaikovsky dedicated manfred symphony balakirev.

when lomakin resigned director of free music school in february 1868, balakirev took place there. once had left rms, concentrated on building attendance concerts of free music school. decided recruit popular soloists , found nikolai rubinstein ready help. elena pavlovna furious. decided raise social level of rms concerts attending them court. rivalry caused financial difficulties both concert societies rms membership declined , free music school continued suffer chronic money troubles. free music school not pay balakirev , had cut 1870–71 series short. rms scored coup de grâce of assigning programming mikhaíl azanchevsky, took on director of saint petersburg conservatory in 1871. azanchevsky more progressively-minded musically predecessors, staunch believer in contemporary music on whole , russian contemporary music in particular. opening concert of rms 1871–72 season, had conductor eduard nápravník present first public performances of tchaikovsky s romeo , juliet , polonaise mussorgsky s boris godunov. implicit recognition of balakirev s ideas made own concerts seem unnecessary , redundant. balakirev hoped solo recital in hometown of nizhny novgorod in september 1870 restore reputation , prove profitable. neither happened—he played empty house, , profits of recital amounted 11 rubles. added these professional troubles death of father in june 1869, , financial responsibility younger sisters resulting it.