Alexander Borodin
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Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin(Russian:Александр Порфирьевич Бородин,romanized:Aleksandr Porfiryevich Borodin[a],IPA:[ɐlʲɪkˈsandrpɐrˈfʲi rʲjɪvʲɪtɕbərɐˈdʲin] ;[2]12 November 1833 – 27 February 1887)[3]was aRomanticcomposer andchemistofGeorgian-Russianextraction. He was one of the prominent 19th-century composers known as "The Five",a group dedicated to producing a" uniquely Russian "kind ofclassical music.[4][5][6]Borodin is known best for hissymphonies,his twostring quartets,thesymphonic poemIn the Steppes of Central Asiaand his operaPrince Igor.
Adoctorand chemist by profession and training, Borodin made important early contributions toorganic chemistry.Although he is presently known better as a composer, he regarded medicine and science as his primary occupations, only practising music and composition in his spare time or when he was ill.[7]As a chemist, Borodin is known best for his work concerningorganic synthesis,including being among the first chemists to demonstratenucleophilic substitution,as well as being the co-discoverer of thealdol reaction.Borodin was a promoter of education in Russia and founded theSchool of Medicine for Womenin Saint Petersburg, where he taught until 1885.
Life and profession
[edit]Family and personal life
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Borodin was born inSaint Petersburgas an illegitimate son of a 62-year-oldGeorgiannobleman, Luka Stepanovich Gedevanishvili, and a married 25-year-old Russian woman, Evdokia Konstantinovna Antonova. Due to the circumstances of Alexander's birth, the nobleman had him registered as the son of one of his Russianserfs,Porfiry Borodin, hence the composer's Russian last name. As a result of this registration, both Alexander and his nominal Russian father Porfiry were officially serfs of Alexander's biological father Luka. The Georgian father emancipated Alexander from serfdom when he was 7 years old and provided housing and money for him and his mother. Despite this, Alexander was never publicly recognized by his mother, who was referred to by young Borodin as his "aunt".[8][9]
Despite his status as a commoner, Borodin was well provided for by his Georgian father and grew up in a large four-storey house, which was gifted to Alexander and his "aunt" by the nobleman.[10]Although his registration prevented enrollment in a propergymnasium,Borodin received good education in all of the subjects through private tutors at home. During 1850 he enrolled in the Medical–Surgical Academy in Saint Petersburg, which was later the workplace ofIvan Pavlov,and pursued a career in chemistry. On graduation he spent a year as surgeon in a military hospital, followed by three years of advanced scientific study in western Europe.[citation needed]
During 1862, Borodin returned to Saint Petersburg to begin a professorship of chemistry at the Imperial Medical-Surgical Academy[8]and spent the remainder of his scientific career in research, lecturing and overseeing the education of others. Eventually, he established medical courses for women in 1872.[6]
He began taking lessons in composition fromMily Balakirevduring 1862. He married Ekaterina Protopopova, a pianist, during 1863, with whom he adopted several daughters.[11]Music remained a secondary vocation for Borodin besides his main career as a chemist and physician. He suffered poor health, having overcomecholeraand several minorheart failures.He died suddenly during a ball[12][13]at the academy, and was interred inTikhvin Cemeteryat theAlexander Nevsky Monasteryin Saint Petersburg.[14]
Career as a chemist
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In his profession Borodin gained great respect, being particularly noted for his work onaldehydes.[15]Between 1859 and 1862 Borodin had a postdoctoral position atHeidelberg University.He worked in the laboratory ofEmil Erlenmeyerworking on benzene derivatives. He also spent time inPisa,working onhalocarbons.One experiment published during 1862 described the firstnucleophilic displacementofchlorinebyfluorineinbenzoyl chloride.[16]The radical halodecarboxylation of aliphatic carboxylic acids was first demonstrated by Borodin during 1861 by his synthesis ofmethyl bromidefromsilver acetate.[17][18]It wasHeinz Hunsdieckerand his wifeCläre,however, who developed Borodin's work into a general method, for which they were granted aUS patentduring 1939,[19]and which they published in the journalChemische Berichteduring 1942.[20]The method is generally known as either theHunsdiecker reactionor the Hunsdiecker–Borodin reaction.[18]
During 1862, Borodin returned to the Medical–Surgical Academy (now known as theS. M. Kirov Military Medical Academy), and accepted a professorship of chemistry. He worked on self-condensationof small aldehydes in a process now known as thealdol reaction,the discovery of which is jointly credited to Borodin andCharles Adolphe Wurtz.[21][22]Borodin investigated the condensation ofvalerian aldehydeandoenanth aldehyde,which was reported by von Richter during 1869.[23][24]During 1873, he described his work to the Russian Chemical Society[25]and noted similarities with compounds recently reported by Wurtz.[26][27][28]
He published his last full article during 1875 on reactions ofamidesand his last publication concerned a method for the identification ofureain animal urine.
His successor as chemistry professor of the Medical-Surgical academy was his son-in-law and fellow chemist,Aleksandr Dianin.
Musical avocation
[edit]Opera and orchestral works
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Borodin metMily Balakirevduring 1862. While under Balakirev's tutelage in composition he began his Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major; it was first performed during 1869, with Balakirev conducting. During that same year Borodin started on hisSymphony No. 2in B minor, which was not particularly successful at its premiere during 1877 underEduard Nápravník,but with some minor re-orchestration received a successful performance during 1879 by the Free Music School underNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's direction. During 1880 he composed the popularsymphonic poemIn the Steppes of Central Asia.Two years later he began composing a third symphony, but left it unfinished at his death; two movements of it were later completed and orchestrated byAlexander Glazunov.[29]
During 1868, Borodin became distracted from initial work on the second symphony by preoccupation with theoperaPrince Igor,which is considered by some to be his most significant work and one of the most important historical Russian operas. It contains thePolovtsian Dances,often performed as a stand-alone concert work forming what is probably Borodin's best-known composition. Borodin left the opera (and a few other works) incomplete at his death.[30]
Prince Igorwas completed posthumously by Rimsky-Korsakov andAlexander Glazunov.It is set in the 12th century, when the Russians, commanded by Prince Igor of Seversk, determined to conquer the barbarousPolovtsiansby travelling eastward across the Steppes. The Polovtsians were apparently a nomadic tribe originally of Turkic origin who habitually attacked southern Russia. A fullsolar eclipseearly during the first act foreshadows an ominous outcome to the invasion. Prince Igor's troops are defeated. The story tells of the capture of Prince Igor, and his son, Vladimir, of Russia by Polovtsian chief Khan Konchak, who entertains his prisoners lavishly and orders his slaves to perform the famous 'Polovtsian Dances', which provide a thrilling climax to the second act. The second half of the opera finds Prince Igor returning to his homeland, but rather than finding himself in disgrace, he is welcomed home by the townspeople and by his wife, Yaroslavna. Although for a while rarely performed in its entirety outside of Russia, this opera has received two notable new productions recently, one at the Bolshoi State Opera and Ballet Company in Russia during 2013, and one at the Metropolitan Opera Company of New York City during 2014.[31][4]
Chamber music
[edit]No other member of the Balakirev circle identified himself so much withabsolute musicas did Borodin in his two string quartets, in addition to his many earlier chamber compositions. As a cellist, he was an enthusiastic chamber music player, an interest that increased during his chemical studies in Heidelberg between 1859 and 1861. This early period yielded, among other chamber works, a string sextet and a piano quintet. Borodin based the thematic structure and instrumental texture of his pieces on those ofFelix Mendelssohn.[32]
During 1875 Borodin started his First String Quartet, much to the displeasure ofMussorgskyandVladimir Stasov;the other members ofThe Fivewere known to be hostile to chamber music. The First Quartet demonstrates mastery of the string quartet form. Borodin'sSecond Quartet,written in 1881, displays strong lyricism, as in the third movement's popular "Nocturne."While the First Quartet is richer in changes of mood, the Second Quartet has a more uniform atmosphere and expression.[32]
Musical legacy
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Borodin's fame outside theRussian Empirewas made possible during his lifetime byFranz Liszt,who arranged a performance of the Symphony No. 1 in Germany during 1880, and by theComtesse de Mercy-Argenteauin 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 Five, his music is also characteristic of theRussian style.His passionate music and unusual harmonies proved to have a lasting influence on the younger French composersDebussyandRavel(in homage, the latter composed during 1913 a piano piece entitled "À la manière de Borodine" ).
The evocative characteristics of Borodin's music—specificallyIn the Steppes of Central Asia,hisSymphony No. 2,Prince Igor– made possible the adaptation of his compositions in the 1953musicalKismet,byRobert WrightandGeorge Forrest,notably in the songs "Stranger in Paradise","And This Is My Beloved"and"Baubles, Bangles, & Beads".In 1954, Borodin was posthumously awarded aTony Awardfor this show.
Subsequent references
[edit]- TheBorodin Quartetwas named in his honour.
- The chemistAlexander Shulginuses the name "Alexander Borodin" as a fictional persona in the booksPiHKALandTiHKAL.
- In his bookBurning in Water, Drowning in Flame(1974)Charles Bukowskiwrote a poem about the composer entitled "The Life of Borodin".
- The asteroid previously known by its provisional designation 1990 ES3 was assigned the permanent name (6780) Borodin, in honor of Alexander Borodin. (6780) Borodin is a main-belt asteroid with an estimated diameter of 4 km and an orbital period of 3.37 years.[33]
- The score of the 1953 musicalKismetand the subsequentfilm versionwas based extensively on compositions by Borodin, such as the second string quartet, second symphony and piano works.[34]
- On 12 November 2018,Googlerecognized him with adoodle.[35]
Notes
[edit]- ^The BGN/PCGNtransliteration of Russianis used for his name here. ALA-LC system: Aleksandr Porfirʹevich Borodin, ISO 9 system: Aleksandr Porfirʹevič Borodin.[1]Latin:Alexander Porphirii filius Borodin
References
[edit]- ^"Russian – BGN/PCGN transliteration system".transliteration.Retrieved2 December2020.
- ^English approximation of the surname:UK:/ˈbɒrədɪn/,US:/-diːn/(Wells, John C. (2008),Longman Pronunciation Dictionary(3rd ed.), Longman,ISBN978-1-4058-8118-0).
- ^Old Style dates31 October 1833 – 15 February 1887.
- ^abAbraham, Gerald.Borodin: the Composer and his Music.London, 1927.[page needed]
- ^Dianin 1963,pp. 13, 329.
- ^abOldani, Robert William (20 January 2001). "Borodin, Aleksandr Porfir′yevich".Grove Music Online(8th ed.).Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.40687.ISBN978-1-56159-263-0.(subscription required)
- ^Podlech, Joachim (16 August 2010).""Try and Fall Sick..." – The Composer, Chemist, and Surgeon Aleksandr Borodin ".Angewandte Chemie International Edition.49(37): 6490–6495.doi:10.1002/anie.201002023.ISSN1433-7851.PMID20715236.
- ^abLewis, David E.Early Russian Organic Chemists and Their Legacy.Springer Science & Business Media,3 April 2012, p. 61
- ^Cooper, David K. C.Doctors of Another Calling: Physicians Who Are Known Best in Fields Other than Medicine.Rowman & Littlefield,26 November 2013, p. 163
- ^Dianin 1963,p. 9.
- ^Dianin 1963,pp. 42, 104.
- ^"Aleksandr Borodin | Russian Composer, Chemist & Romantic Nationalist | Britannica".britannica.Retrieved20 June2024.
- ^"Borodin: Polovtsian Dances – musical thrills from the chemist who composed too little".Classic FM.Retrieved20 June2024.
- ^"Alexander Nevsky Monastery cemeteries and tombs in St. Petersburg, Russia".saint-petersburg.Retrieved20 June2024.
- ^Gordin, M. D. (1996). "Facing the Music: How Original Was Borodin's Chemistry?".Journal of Chemical Education.83(4): 561–566.doi:10.1021/ed083p561.
- ^Behrman, E. J. (2006)."Borodin".Journal of Chemical Education.83(8): 1138.Bibcode:2006JChEd..83.1138B.doi:10.1021/ed083p1138.1.
- ^Borodine, A. (1861)."Über Bromvaleriansäure und Brombuttersäure"[About bromovaleric acid and bromobutyric acid].Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie(in German).119:121–123.doi:10.1002/jlac.18611190113.
- ^abLi, J. J. (30 January 2014)."Hunsdiecker–Borodin Reaction".Name Reactions: A Collection of Detailed Mechanisms and Synthetic Applications(5th ed.).Springer Science & Business Media.pp. 327–328.ISBN978-3-319-03979-4.
- ^US patent 2176181,Hunsdiecker, C.;Vogt, E. &Hunsdiecker, H.,"Method of manufacturing organic chlorine and bromine derivatives", published 1939-10-17, assigned to Hunsdiecker, C.; Vogt, E.; Hunsdiecker, H.
- ^Hunsdiecker, H.;Hunsdiecker, C.(1942). "Über den Abbau der Salze aliphatischer Säuren durch Brom" [About the degradation of salts of aliphatic acids by bromine].Chemische Berichte(in German).75(3): 291–297.doi:10.1002/cber.19420750309.
- ^Heathcock, C. H.(1991). "The Aldol Reaction: Acid and General Base Catalysis". InTrost, B. M.;Fleming, I.(eds.).Comprehensive Organic Synthesis.Vol. 2.Elsevier Science.pp. 133–179.doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-052349-1.00027-5.ISBN978-0-08-052349-1.
- ^Mukaiyama, T.(1982). "The Directed Aldol Reaction".Organic Reactions.Vol. 28. pp. 203–331.doi:10.1002/0471264180.or028.03.ISBN978-0-471-26418-7.
- ^von Richter, V. (1869)."Aus St. Petersburg am 17. October 1869"[From St. Petersburg on 17 October 1869].Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft(in German).2:552–554.doi:10.1002/cber.186900201222.
- ^"Chemical notices from foreign sources: Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin, no. 16, 1869".Chemical News.20:285–286. 1869.
- ^Borodin, A. (July–December 1873)."Ueber einen neuen Abkömmling des Valerals"[On a new derivative of valerian aldehyde].Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft(in German).6(2): 982–985.doi:10.1002/cber.18730060232.
- ^Wurtz, C. A.(1872)."Sur un aldéhyde-alcool"[On an aldehyde alcohol].Bulletin de la Société Chimique de Paris.2nd series (in French).17:436–442.
- ^Wurtz, C. A.(1872)."Ueber einen Aldehyd-Alkohol"[About an aldehyde alcohol].Journal für Praktische Chemie(in German).5(1): 457–464.doi:10.1002/prac.18720050148.
- ^Wurtz, C. A.(1872)."Sur un aldéhyde-alcool"[On an aldehyde alcohol].Comptes rendus de l'Académie des sciences(in French).74:1361–1367.
- ^"BORODIN, A.P.: Symphonies Nos. 1-3 (Seattle Sympho.. - 8.572786 | Discover more releases from Naxos".naxos.Retrieved20 June2024.
- ^"Alexander Borodin: Prince Igor".Classic FM.Retrieved20 June2024.
- ^New Penguin Opera Guide,Amanda Holden,1993; Penguin Books Ltd.
- ^abMaes 2002,p. 72.
- ^"6780 Borodin (1990 ES3)",Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- ^Worldcat entry for film soundtrack ofKismet,1955;accessed 21 March 2020.
- ^"Alexander Borodin's 185th Birthday".Retrieved12 November2018.
Sources
- Dianin, Sergei (1963).Borodin.Translated by Robert Lord. London: Oxford University Press.ISBN9780313225291.
- Maes, Francis (2002).A History of Russian Music: FromKamarinskayatoBabi Yar.Translated byPomerans, Arnold J.;Erica Pomerans. Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press.ISBN978-0-520-21815-4.
Further reading
[edit]- A. J. B. Hutchings (1936). "A Study of Borodin: I. The Man".The Musical Times.77(1124): 881–883.doi:10.2307/920565.JSTOR920565.
- George B. Kauffman, Kathryn Bumpass (1988). "An Apparent Conflict between Art and Science: The Case of Aleksandr Porfir'evich Borodin (1833–1887)".Leonardo.21(4): 429–436.doi:10.2307/1578707.JSTOR1578707.S2CID191376702.
- George Sarton (1939). "Borodin (1833–87)".Osiris.7:224–260.doi:10.1086/368505.JSTOR301543.S2CID144423605.
- Willem G. Vijvers,Alexander Borodin; Composer, Scientist, Educator(Amsterdam: The American Book Center, 2013).ISBN978-90-812269-0-5.
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- Free scores by Alexander Borodinat theInternational Music Score Library Project(IMSLP)
- Alexander Borodinat theMusopenproject
- Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911). .Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 266.
- In the Steppes of Central AsiaonYouTube,in the filmMoscow Clad in Snow
- Borodin's tomb
- Alexander Borodin
- 1833 births
- 1887 deaths
- Burials at Tikhvin Cemetery
- Composers for piano
- 19th-century chemists
- 19th-century classical composers
- 19th-century male musicians
- Chemists from the Russian Empire
- Composers from the Russian Empire
- Male opera composers
- Scientists from Saint Petersburg
- People from Sankt-Peterburgsky Uyezd
- Russian male classical composers
- Russian opera composers
- Russian Romantic composers
- Composers from Saint Petersburg
- Ballets Russes composers
- Russian scientists
- String quartet composers