Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857)

Mikhail is considered the founder of Russian nationalist music by virtue of his opera "Ivan Susanin" ("A Life for the Tsar") (1836). The composer, who also enjoyed successes with his second opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila" (1842), orchestral works, chamber works and songs, spent many years of his life abroad (in Italy, Spain, Germany and Poland). His first compositions, including these Mozart Variations, were written during the early 1820s. At that time his teachers included John Field, Charles Meyer and Johann L. Fuchs. Later on (1833-34 and 1856-57) Siegfried Dehn in Berlin provided important stimuli for his compositions. Glinka died in Berlin in February 1857..

(From Nocturne for Harp - Sikorski 1264)