Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) was a Russian composer, conductor and teacher. Born in Saint Petersburg, he showed remarkable gifts as a teenager and became one of the leading figures in Russian musical life.

His works include eight completed symphonies, concertos, ballets, chamber music and orchestral pieces. The Violin Concerto, The Seasons and the ballet Raymonda remain among his best-known scores.

Glazunov’s music is polished, richly orchestrated and formally secure, combining Russian colour with a strong classical sense of construction. He was less radical than some younger contemporaries, but his craft was formidable.

As a conservatory director and senior musical figure, he influenced later generations. Glazunov’s music stands like a broad stone bridge between Romantic Russia and the twentieth century.