Michael Ivanovich Glinka's first experiences with music making were the kind expected of an aristocrat of his time. He learned pieces on the piano and violin for his own enjoyment and for performances at informal social occasions. After his education was completed, he began working as a public official but he also became increasingly preoccupied by music. Glinka travelled widely, was aquainted with other major European composers, and immersed himself in the music of his time.

 

Upon returning to Russia, Glinka was determined to create a distinctly Russian classical music, and had great success with his first opera, "A Life for the Tzar" (1836). Glinka's work established him as the father of modern Russian music, and he served as a gathering point for generations of Russian composers. His polka in D minor (1849) is typical of  Glinka's national romantic music, using the form of a peasant dance in the same way that Grieg and Bartok would later on. Difficulty grade 3.