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4.

What other names did the “Mighty Handful” go by?

The Mighty Handful term originated after an article was written by Russian critic Vladimir Stasov in 1867 reviewing a concert with music by Glinka, Dargomyzhsky, Balakirev, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Stasov wrote:

       God grant that our Slav guests may never forget today’s

    concert; God grant that they may forever preserve the

              memory of how much poetry, feeling, talent, and intelligence

          are possessed by the small handful of Russian musicians.

The expression “Mighty Handful” was intended by enemies of Balakirev and Stasov to mock the group of Balakirev, Cui, Borodin, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov. The group is also called “The Five”, although the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians states that "they never called themselves, nor were they ever called in Russia, 'The Five.’” They also are often referred to as “Balakirev’s Circle”, “The New Russian School”, “The Mighty Heap”, and “The Mighty Five”. For a detailed analysis of their ideas, principles, and music, please see The Mighty Handful: An Audio/Visual Guide section of this presentation.