he same
year had his first composition, a polka, published. In 1856, while
serving as an officer in the Preobrajensky Guards, he made the
acquaintance of Borodin. Soon after, he met Dargomyjski. It was with
him that, in his own words, "he for the first time lived the musical
life." Later, he became acquainted also with Cui, Balakirew and
Rimsky-Korsakoff. He took lessons in composition of Balakirew, and
finally realized what his direction really was. A nervous malady
prevented him from working in 1859. But directly after his
convalescence, he resigned from the guards, and set to work in earnest.
In order to support himself, he accepted a position in the government
service. He lived in Petrograd with five friends. In 1865 he was once
more attacked by his malady, and had to retire to the country for three
years. In 1869 he returned to Petrograd, living with his friends the
Opotchinines. His moment of success came in 1874, with the performance
of "Boris." Directly after, his health commenced to fail. In 1879 he
resigned his office, and sought to support himself by playing
accompaniments. He died in 1881 in a military hospital.

The dates of composition of his principal works are:

"Boris Godounow," 1868-71; "Khovanchtchina," 1872-81; "The Marriage"
(one act), 1868; "The Fair at Sorotchinsk" (fragment), 1877-81; "The
Defeat of Sennacherib," 1867-74; "Jesus Navine," 1877; "Sans Soleil,"
1874; "La Chambre d'Enfants," 1874; "Chants et Danses de la Mort," 1875;
"Marcia all Turka," 1880; "La Nuit sur le Mont-Chauve," 1867-75;
"Tableaux d'une Exposition," 1874; "Hopak," 1877.

LISZT

Franz Liszt was born near Odenburg, Hungary, October 22nd, 1811. He died
in Bayreuth, July 31st, 1886. He played in public for the first time at
the age of nine, in Odenburg. In 1829 he came to Vienna, remaining there
eighteen months studying piano under Czerny, and composition with
Salieri. He then was taken to Paris, where he studied under Reicha till
1825. In 1831 he heard Paganini play. It is supposed that he was so
impressed that he decided to become the Paganini of the piano. He was
very much in demand in Paris as an artist. In 1835 he carried the
Comtesse d'Agoult off from a ball, and went with her to Geneva. He
remained in Geneva until 1839, when his triumphal progresses through
Europe commenced. In 1848 he became Kapellmeister in Weimar. Here, he
caused "Lohengrin" to be produced, and had "Der Fliegende Hollaender" and
"Tannhaeuser,"