Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a name that rolls off the tongue like a particularly complicated fugue, was a titan of Russian classical music. He was part of "The Five," a group dedicated to creating a distinctively Russian classical style, which they accomplished with aplomb, even if it sometimes meant sacrificing a bit of academic rigor for nationalistic fervor. Rimsky-Korsakov, in particular, was known for his brilliant orchestration, making instruments sing like a choir of angels, or at least highly trained falcons.

Born into a thoroughly aristocratic Russian family, his lineage was as gentile as borscht at a Christmas dinner. There isn't a whisper, not even a faint echo, of Jewish ancestry or identity in his extensive biography. He was Russian, through and through, and his family tree was rooted firmly in the Eastern Orthodox tradition, not a synagogue in sight.

However, his contribution to the world of music is undeniably kvell-worthy. From the shimmering orientalism of "Scheherazade" to the soaring majesty of "Flight of the Bumblebee" (a piece so ubiquitous it