ireless was he in these varied activities, it seems a miracle that he
could also become one of the best pianists of his time (he played well
also the violin and the flute) and according to Liszt,[318] one of the
most able orchestral masters of the nineteenth century. But as
evidence of this amazing fact are his works, comprising two symphonies
(the second in B minor often heard in this country) two string
quartets, the first strikingly original, thematically, harmonically
and in idiomatic use of the instruments; a small Suite for pianoforte,
of which the Serenade is cited in the Supplement; an opera, _Le Prince
Igor_--remarkable for its picturesque description and Oriental
coloring, of which the composer himself said "Prince Igor is
essentially a national opera, which can be of interest only to us
Russians who love to refresh our patriotism at the sources of our
history and to see the origins of our nationality live again upon the
stage;" a symphonic poem _Dans les Steppes de l'Asie centrale_
and--showing some of his most characteristic work--the _Paraphrases_
written in collaboration with Korsakoff, Liadoff and Cui as a kind of
musical joke. This composition,[319] a set of twenty-four variations
founded on the tune popularly known as "chop-sticks" is dedicated "to
little pianists capable of executing the theme with a finger of each
hand." For the paraphrases themselves a player of considerable
technique is required. In Borodin's style we always find a glowing
color-scheme of Slavic and Oriental elements. As a modern Russian
composer says, "It is individually descriptive and extremely
modern--so modern that the audience of to-day will not be able to
grasp all its intrinsic beauties."

[Footnote 318: For a delightful account of the friendship of these two
composers consult the volume _Borodin and Liszt_ by Alfred Habets
(translated by Rosa Newmarch).]

[Footnote 319: According to Liszt "a compendium of musical science in
the form of a jest."]

The most widely known and in many respects the most gifted of the
Neo-Russian group is Rimsky-Korsakoff (1844-1908). He has been aptly
characterized as the Degas or Whistler of music, and for his
marvellous powers of description, especially of the sea, and for his
command of orchestral tone-painting he is considered the storyteller
par excellence in modern music. As in the case of Borodin we are
filled with amazement at the power of work and the versatility in
Korsakoff's natur