Jane Pierce wrote:

>What do you consider the cornerstones of Glinka'a works?

Although Glinka used melodies clearly Russian in origin, artistically he
looked to the West, using a musical language similar to Italian standards
of his day.  What set him apart was his orchestral coloration, the use of
individual instruments and their harmonies, which led eventually to what
came to be called the French-Russian treatment, as opposed to Liszt and the
German, Wagner-Richard Strauss treatment.  Read Constant Lambert on Glinka,
if you want a good discussion; Lambert places him second only to Liszt in
historical importance in the 19th century.  Russlan and Ludmila is
generally considered his most influential work.

John Dalmas
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