In 1856 Moussorgsky joined the Russian army where he met the piano
player and composer 'Balakirev' who taught him composition. As he could
not finish his studies in music, Moussorgsky did not know all stylistic
means of composition perfectly and thus had to follow his instinct in
his works becoming the pathmaker of the musical impressionism as well
as expressionism: He was the first to compose realistic pictures, e.g.
"Pictures at an Exhibition". Having no success during his lifetime
Moussorgsky spent all of his fortune ending up a poor man addicted to
alcohol.
