Begun when he was a seventeen-year-old naval cadet, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Symphony No. 1 was hailed by the nationalist group ‘The Five’ as the first truly Russian symphony, in contrast with the German-influenced music of Anton Rubinstein. With its use of Russian folk-songs, this is a work of remarkable natural talent, justifying the early enthusiasm of Balakirev. Symphony No. 3, cast in a thoroughly Russian musical language, is notable not only for its significantly enhanced technical competence but for its great rhythmic vitality and subtle orchestration.