Georgy Mikhailovich Rimsky-Korsakov. Born 1901 St Petersburg: died 1965 same. Acoustician, teacher and composer. Grandson of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Graduated 1926 from the Leningrad Conservatoire, where his teachers included Lyapunov, Nikolayev, Sokolov and Steinberg. In 1929 he completed post-graduate study with Asaf’yev. Held research and teaching positions including at the conservatoire from 1927-62. Was the founder of the Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov museum at Tikhvin. He is most noted as one of the founders of quarter-tone music – he conducted research into music theory, modal rhythm and quarter-tone music and was co-inventor of the emiriton in 1930 – an electronic keyboard instrument which was a precursor of the synthesizer. He composed original works for this instrument. He also established a society of composers which discussed, composed and performed quarter-tone music, and maintained correspondence with Vyshnegradsky in Paris. His innovation and experimentation into quarter-tone music was heavily frown upon by the Soviet authorities and the majority of his music, especially those scores linked to his quarter-tone experiments - were destroyed with the exception of one piece of music later re-discovered amidst papers held by Vyshnegradsky. A chapter on Rimsky-Korsakov can be found in Sitsky's "Music of the Repressed Russian Avant-Garde 1900-1929".
Unfortunately only a handful of works by the composer now exist to my knowledge - and these are probably amongst my rarest scores – three piece by the composer [not utilising quarter tone] – a Pastorale, the Etude in G major and a Perpetum Mobile. These were never published and remain in a legible handwritten manuscript format [this posting by me is dedicated to Daniel, Davide and Oren....all who seem to crave the unusual
and to Matthew who awoke my interest in this composer].Malcolm
Perpetum Mobile Pastorale Etude in G major