You are right about the Russian composers. They then bug out to France and Western Europe to achieve real fame. Back in the day, of course. 70-100 years ago.
The long winters and deep snows.... What else is there to do in Rural Russia in the winter but produce great labyrinthal literature and music? When you have a money support system. What was Tolstoy’s? Income from agricultural lands as far I have delved.
(the great rabbis did this too in the icy cold of Russia and Latvia and Lithuania) (zero central heating)
Artistic creativity is stimulated by hardship and suffering.