Alexander Porfir'yevich Borodin
Created | Updated Mar 18, 2003
Alexander Borodin was an incredible man. Not only was he a world-class scientist (indeed, this is what he is remembered as in parts of Russia) but also a composer with a great feel for the orchestra, and the tones of all the different sections and instruments. This is used to great effect in his work. He is remembered in the West as a composer.
Borodin's OriginsBorodin was the illegitimate son of a prince, Ghedeanov. As was the custom in the 19th Century, he was registered as the child of a serf in the prince's employment, Porfiry Borodin. He was born and brought up in St. Petersberg, and he graduated with honours from the Academy of Medicine in St. Petersberg in 1856, and by 1864, he was a professor of organic chemistry at the same establishment. Later on in his life, he also founded a school of medicine for women. Throughout his youth, he was interested in music, and he played piano. How Borodin was inspiredHad events not turned out as they did, he might not have turned into the composer that he did, but in his late 20s he met the great Russian composer Belakirov. It was this charismatic man that inspired Borodin. Later on, he was to be remembered as a member of "The Five", the most important member of which was Belakirov himself.The Five'The Five' ( also known as the 'Inspired dilettantes' or the 'Mighty Handful') were so named by a Russian music critic, Vladimir Stasov. They were:
Balkirev,
Borodin,
Cui,
Mussorgsky,
Rimsky Korsakov.
Their style was principally nationalist, and it was for this reason that a lot of folk songs and traditional music featured in their work. The forerunner of the five, Glinka, was the main influence to all 5.
Science and MusicSince Borodin was principally a scientist (This is summed up best by a quote from himself… "Music.. is a relaxation from more serious occupations." It is for this reason that he only had time for composing at evenings and weekends, and thus he only wrote a few works. (The total is 21). His scores were also left very chaotic and incomplete, and several were re-written and completed by friends of his, Rimsky-Korsakov principally, but others as well.
In accordance with his training, his first published work was a paper "On the action of Ethyl Iodide on Hydrobenzamide and Amarine" and his first tour of Europe was as a scientist for the purposes of scientific study.
