Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin (1833 – 1887)

Russian composer of Georgian parentage who made his living as a notable chemist. He was a member of the group of composers called The Five (the mighty handful), who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music.

As regards the significant factors of his avocational life in music, Borodin met Mily Balakirev in 1862, when under his tutelage in composition he began his first symphony (in E-flat Major), which was first performed in 1869, under Balakirev's conductorship. In that same year Borodin started on his second symphony (in B Minor), which was not particularly successful at its premiere in 1877 under Eduard Nápravník), but with some minor re-orchestration received a successful performance in 1879 by the Free Music School under Rimsky-Korsakov's direction.

In 1869, Borodin became distracted from initial work on the second symphony by preoccupation with the opera Prince Igor, which is seen by some to be his most significant work and one of the most important historical Russian operas. It contains the Polovetsian Dances, which are often performed as a stand-alone concert work as probably Borodin's best known composition. Unfortunately Borodin left the opera (and a few other works) incomplete at his death. Prince Igor was completed posthumously by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov.

Other well-known compositions by Borodin include the popular symphonic poem In the Steppes of Central Asia and the second of two string quartets (in D Major), in which the composer's strong lyricism is represented in the popular "Nocturne" movement.

In 1882, Borodin began composing a third symphony, but left it unfinished at his death; two movements of it were later completed and orchestrated by Glazunov. Among Borodin's other works there are several art songs, piano pieces (notably the Petite Suite), and other chamber music (notably a cello sonata based on a theme from Bach's Sonata No.1 in G minor, BWV 1001).

Borodin's fame outside the Russian Empire was made possible during his lifetime by Franz Liszt, who arranged a performance of the first symphony in Germany in 1880, and by Comtesse de Mercy-Argenteau in Belgium and France. His music is noted for its strong lyricism and rich harmonies. Along with some influences from Western composers, as a member of the The Five his music exudes also an undeniably Russian flavor. His passionate music and unusual harmonies proved to have a lasting influence on the younger French composers Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel (in homage, the latter composed in 1913 a piano piece entitled "À la manière de Borodine").