ALEXANDER PORFYRIEVICH

See also:

• ALEXANDER PORFYRIEVICH BORODIN (1834–1889)

BORODIN (1834–1889)  , Russian musical composer, natural son of a Russian prince, was born in St Petersburg on the 12th of November 1834 . He was brought up to the medical profession, and in 1862 was appointed assistant professor of chemistry' at the St Petersburg academy of medicine . He wrote several works on chemistry, and took a leading part in advocating women's education, helping to found the school of medicine for women, and lecturing there from 1872 till his death . But he is best known as a musician . His interest in music was indeed stimulated from 1862 onwards by his friend-ship with Balakirev, and from 1863 by his marriage with a lady who was an accomplished pianist; but in his earlier years he had been proficient both in playing the piano, violin, 'cello and other instruments, and also in composing; and during life he did his best to pursue his studies in both music and chemistry with equal enthusiasm . Like other Russian composers he owed much to the influence of Liszt at Weimar . His first symphony was written in 1862–1867; his opera Prince Igor, begun in 1869, was left unfinished at his death, and was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazounov (1889); his symphonic sketch, " In the Steppes " (1880) is, however, his best-known work . Borodin also wrote a second symphony (1871–1877), part of a third (orchestrated after his death by Glazounov), and a few string quartets and some fine songs . His music is characteristically Russian, and of an advanced modern type . He died suddenly at St Petersburg, on the 28th of February 1887 .