The full name of the composer's Borodin. The Mighty Bunch of Russian Composers: Borodin (end)

Borodin's music ... excites a feeling of strength, vivacity, light; it has a mighty breath, scope, breadth, space; it has a harmonious healthy feeling of life, joy from the consciousness that you live.
B. Asafiev

A. Borodin is one of the remarkable representatives of Russian culture of the second half of the 19th century: a brilliant composer, an outstanding chemist, an active public figure, teacher, conductor, musical critic He also showed an extraordinary literary talent. However, Borodin entered the history of world culture primarily as a composer. He created not so many works, but they are distinguished by the depth and richness of content, variety of genres, classical harmony of forms. Most of them are connected with the Russian epic, with a story about heroic deeds people. Borodin also has pages of heartfelt, sincere lyrics, jokes and gentle humor are not alien to him. For musical style the composer is characterized by a wide scope of narration, melodiousness (Borodin had the ability to compose in a folk song style), colorful harmonies, and an active dynamic aspiration. Continuing the traditions of M Glinka, in particular his opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila", Borodin created the Russian epic symphony, and also approved the type of Russian epic opera.

Borodin was born from the unofficial marriage of Prince L. Gedianov and the Russian bourgeois A. Antonova. He received his surname and patronymic from the courtyard man Gedianov - Porfiry Ivanovich Borodin, whose son he was recorded.

Thanks to the mind and energy of the mother, the boy received a wonderful home education and already in childhood he discovered versatile abilities. His music was especially attractive. He learned to play the flute, piano, cello, listened with interest to symphonic works, independently studied classical musical literature, having replayed all the symphonies of L. Beethoven, I. Haydn, F. Mendelssohn with his friend Misha Shchiglev. He also showed a talent for composing early. His first experiments were the polka "Helene" for piano, the Flute Concerto, the Trio for two violins and cello on themes from the opera "Robert the Devil" by J. Meyerbeer (1847). In the same years, Borodin developed a passion for chemistry. Telling V. Stasov about his friendship with Sasha Borodin, M. Shchiglev recalled that “not only his own room, but almost the whole apartment was filled with jars, retorts and all kinds of chemical drugs. Everywhere on the windows stood jars with a variety of crystalline solutions. Relatives noted that since childhood, Sasha was always busy with something.

In 1850, Borodin successfully passed the exam for the Medico-Surgical (since 1881 Military Medical) Academy in St. Petersburg and enthusiastically devoted himself to medicine, natural science, and especially chemistry. Communication with the outstanding advanced Russian scientist N. Zinin, who brilliantly taught a course in chemistry at the academy, conducted individual practical classes in the laboratory and saw his successor in the talented young man, had a great influence on the formation of Borodin's personality. Sasha was also fond of literature, he especially loved the works of A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov, N. Gogol, the works of V. Belinsky, read philosophical articles in magazines. Free time from the academy was devoted to music. Borodin often attended musical meetings, where romances by A. Gurilev, A. Varlamov, K. Vilboa, Russian folk songs, arias from then fashionable Italian operas were performed; he constantly visited the quartet evenings with the amateur musician I. Gavrushkevich, often participating as a cellist in the performance of chamber instrumental music. In the same years, he became acquainted with the works of Glinka. Brilliant, deeply national music captured and captivated the young man, and since then he has become a loyal admirer and follower of the great composer. All this encourages him to be creative. Borodin works a lot on his own to master the composer’s technique, writes vocal compositions in the spirit of urban everyday romance (“What are you early, dawn”; “Listen, girlfriends, to my song”; “The beautiful maiden fell out of love”), as well as several trios for two violins and cello (including on the theme of the Russian folk song “How did I upset you”), string Quintet, etc. In his instrumental works of this time, the influence of samples of Western European music, in particular Mendelssohn, is still noticeable. In 1856, Borodin passed his final exams with flying colours, and in order to pass the compulsory medical practice he was seconded as an intern to the Second Military Land Hospital; in 1858 he successfully defended his dissertation for the degree of doctor of medicine, and a year later he was sent abroad by the academy for scientific improvement.

Borodin settled in Heidelberg, where by that time many young Russian scientists of various specialties had gathered, among whom were D. Mendeleev, I. Sechenov, E. Junge, A. Maikov, S. Eshevsky and others, who became Borodin's friends and made up the so-called " Heidelberg Circle. Gathering together, they discussed not only scientific problems, but also issues of socio-political life, news of literature and art; Kolokol and Sovremennik were read here, the ideas of A. Herzen, N. Chernyshevsky, V. Belinsky, N. Dobrolyubov were heard here.

Borodin is intensively engaged in science. During the 3 years of his stay abroad, he completed 8 original chemical work which brought him great fame. He uses every opportunity to travel around Europe. The young scientist got acquainted with the life and culture of the peoples of Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland. But music has always accompanied him. He still enthusiastically played music in home circles and did not miss the opportunity to attend symphony concerts, opera houses, thus becoming acquainted with many works by contemporary Western European composers - K. M. Weber, R. Wagner, F. Liszt, G. Berlioz . In 1861, in Heidelberg, Borodin met with his future wife- a talented pianist and connoisseur of Russian folk songs E. Protopopova, who passionately promoted the music of F. Chopin, R. Schumann. New musical impressions stimulate Borodin's creativity, help him realize himself as a Russian composer. He persistently searches for his own ways, his images and musical expressive means in music, composing chamber-instrumental ensembles. In the best of them - the piano Quintet in C minor (1862) - one can already feel both epic power and melodiousness, and a bright national color. This essay, as it were, sums up the previous one. artistic development Borodin.

In the autumn of 1862 he returned to Russia, was elected a professor at the Medico-Surgical Academy, where he lectured and conducted practical classes with students until the end of his life; from 1863 he also taught for some time at the Forest Academy. He also began new chemical research.

Shortly after returning to his homeland, in the house of the academy professor S. Botkin, Borodin met M. Balakirev, who, with his characteristic insight, immediately appreciated Borodin's composing talent and told the young scientist that music was his true vocation. Borodin is a member of the circle, which, in addition to Balakirev, included C. Cui, M. Mussorgsky, N. Rimsky-Korsakov and art critic V. Stasov. Thus, the formation of the creative community of Russian composers, known in the history of music under the name "The Mighty Handful", was completed. Under the direction of Balakirev, Borodin proceeds to create the First Symphony. Completed in 1867, it was successfully performed on January 4, 1869 at the RMS concert in St. Petersburg conducted by Balakirev. In this work, the creative image of Borodin was finally determined - a heroic scope, energy, classical harmony of form, brightness, freshness of melodies, richness of colors, originality of images. The appearance of this symphony marked the onset creative maturity composer and the birth of a new trend in Russian symphonic music.

In the second half of the 60s. Borodin creates a number of romances very different in theme and character. musical embodiment- "Sleeping Princess", "Song of the Dark Forest", "Sea Princess", " false note”, “My songs are full of poison”, “Sea”. Most of them are written in their own text.

At the end of the 60s. Borodin began composing the Second Symphony and the opera Prince Igor. As the plot of the opera, Stasov offered Borodin a wonderful monument ancient Russian literature"The Tale of Igor's Campaign". “I absolutely love this story. Will it be only within our power? .. "I'll try," Borodin answered Stasov. The patriotic idea of ​​the Lay, his folk spirit were especially close to Borodin. The plot of the opera perfectly corresponded to the peculiarities of his talent, his penchant for broad generalizations, epic images and his interest in the East. The opera was created on genuine historical material, and it was very important for Borodin to achieve the creation of true, truthful characters. He studies many sources related to the "Word" and that era. These are chronicles, and historical stories, studies about the "Word", Russian epic songs, oriental tunes. Borodin wrote the libretto for the opera himself.

However, writing progressed slowly. The main reason is the employment of scientific, pedagogical and social activities. He was among the initiators and founders of the Russian Chemical Society, worked in the Society of Russian Doctors, in the Society for the Protection of Public Health, took part in the publication of the magazine "Knowledge", was a member of the directors of the RMO, participated in the work of the St. Medical-Surgical Academy student choir and orchestra.

In 1872, the Higher Women's Medical Courses were opened in St. Petersburg. Borodin was one of the organizers and teachers of this first higher educational institution for women, gave him a lot of time and effort. The composition of the Second Symphony was completed only in 1876. The symphony was created in parallel with the opera "Prince Igor" and is very close to it in ideological content, character musical images. In the music of the symphony, Borodin achieves bright colorfulness, concreteness of musical images. According to Stasov, he wanted to draw a collection of Russian heroes at 1 o'clock, in Andante (3 o'clock) - the figure of Bayan, in the finale - the scene of the heroic feast. The name "Bogatyrskaya", given symphony Stasov, firmly entrenched in her. The symphony was first performed at the RMS concert in St. Petersburg on February 26, 1877, conducted by E. Napravnik.

In the late 70s - early 80s. Borodin creates 2 string quartets, becoming, along with P. Tchaikovsky, the founder of Russian classical chamber instrumental music. Particularly popular was the Second Quartet, whose music with great force and passion conveys the rich world of emotional experiences, exposing the bright lyrical side of Borodin's talent.

However, the main concern was the opera. Despite being very busy with all sorts of duties and implementing the ideas of other compositions, Prince Igor was at the center of the composer's creative interests. During the 70s. a number of fundamental scenes were created, some of which were performed in concerts of the Free Music School conducted by Rimsky-Korsakov and found a warm response from the audience. Great impression performed the music Polovtsian dances with the choir, choirs (“Glory”, etc.), as well as solo numbers(song of Vladimir Galitsky, Vladimir Igorevich's cavatina, Konchak's aria, Lament of Yaroslavna). Especially a lot was done in the late 70s - the first half of the 80s. Friends were looking forward to the completion of work on the opera and did their best to contribute to this.

In the early 80s. Borodin wrote a symphonic score "In Central Asia", several new numbers for the opera and a number of romances, among which the elegy on Art. A. Pushkin "For the shores of the distant homeland." In the last years of his life, he worked on the Third Symphony (unfortunately, unfinished), wrote the Petite Suite and Scherzo for piano, and also continued to work on the opera.

Changes in the socio-political situation in Russia in the 80s. - the onset of the most severe reaction, persecution of advanced culture, revelry of gross bureaucratic arbitrariness, the closure of women's medical courses - had an overwhelming effect on the composer. It became more and more difficult to fight the reactionaries in the academy, employment increased, and health began to fail. Borodin and the death of people close to him - Zinin, Mussorgsky - were having a hard time. At the same time, communication with young people - students and colleagues - brought him great joy; the range has expanded significantly musical dating: he willingly attends "Belyaev Fridays", gets to know A. Glazunov, A. Lyadov and other young musicians closely. He was greatly impressed by his meetings with F. Liszt (1877, 1881, 1885), who highly appreciated Borodin's work and promoted his works.

From the beginning of the 80s. the fame of Borodin the composer is growing. His works are performed more and more often and are recognized not only in Russia, but also abroad: in Germany, Austria, France, Norway, and America. His works had a triumphant success in Belgium (1885, 1886). He became one of the most famous and popular Russian composers in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Right after sudden death Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov decided to prepare his unfinished works for publication. They completed work on the opera: Glazunov recreated the overture from memory (as planned by Borodin) and composed music based on the author's sketches III act, Rimsky-Korsakov instrumental most opera numbers. October 23, 1890 Prince Igor was staged at the Mariinsky Theater. The performance received a warm welcome from the audience. “Opera Igor is, in many ways, directly the sister of Glinka’s great opera Ruslan,” wrote Stasov. - "it has the same power epic poetry, the same grandiosity of folk scenes and paintings, the same amazing painting of characters and personalities, the same colossality of the whole appearance, and, finally, such folk comedy (Skula and Eroshka) that surpasses even Farlaf's comedy.

The work of Borodin had a huge impact on many generations of Russians and foreign composers(including Glazunov, Lyadov, S. Prokofiev, Yu. Shaporin, K. Debussy, M. Ravel and others). It is the pride of Russian classical music.

The boy was introduced as the nephew of Avdotya Konstantinovna.

Due to his origin, which did not allow him to enter the gymnasium, Borodin passed home schooling in all subjects of the gymnasium course, studied German and French and received an excellent education.

Already in childhood, he discovered musical talent, at the age of 9 he wrote his first work - the polka "Helen". Studied (at the behest of his mother mostly at home) playing the musical instruments- first on the flute and piano, and from the age of 13 - on the cello. At the same time he created the first serious piece of music - a concerto for flute and piano.

At the age of 10, he became interested in chemistry, which over the years turned from a hobby into his life's work.

However, science and higher education were hindered by the same “illegal” origin young man, which, in the absence of a legal possibility of changing social status, forced Borodin's mother and her husband to use the office of officials of the Tver Treasury Chamber to enroll his son in the Novotorzhskoye third guild of merchants. He received the right to finish the gymnasium and continue his education in a higher educational institution.

In the summer of 1850, Borodin passed the matriculation exams at the First St. Petersburg Gymnasium, and in September of the same year, the seventeen-year-old "merchant" Alexander Borodin entered the St. Petersburg Medical-Surgical Academy as a volunteer, from which he graduated in December 1856. While studying medicine, Borodin continued to study chemistry under the guidance of N. N. Zinin.

In 1858, Borodin received a doctorate in medicine, having carried out chemical research and defended a dissertation on the topic "On the analogy of phosphoric and arsenic acid in chemical and toxicological relations."

In the same year, the Military Medical Scientist Council sent Borodin to Soligalich to study the composition of mineral waters founded in 1841 by the merchant V. A. Kokorev hydropathic. The report on the work, published in the Moskovskie Vedomosti newspaper in 1859, became a real scientific work in balneology, which brought the author wide fame.

Foreign business trip (1859-1862)

From October 1859, Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin improved his knowledge in the field of chemistry abroad - initially in Germany (Heidelberg University). In September 1860, Borodin, along with Zinin and Mendeleev (the first was his teacher, the second was his friend), participated in the famous international congress of chemists in Karlsruhe. Here, clear definitions were given to the concepts of "atom" and "molecule" ("particle", "corpuscle"), which meant the final triumph of the atomic-molecular theory of the structure of matter, and the so-called. "new" atomic weights established by the works of the brilliant French chemist Gerard (d. 1856) and his students. In the autumn of 1860, Borodin and Mendeleev visited Genoa and Rome, pursuing purely tourist purposes, after which Mendeleev returned to Heidelberg, and Borodin left for Paris, where he spent the winter. In Paris, Borodin was engaged in serious scientific work, visited the library, listened to lectures by famous scientists.

In the spring of 1861, Borodin returned to Heidelberg. Here in May 1861 he met Ekaterina Sergeevna Protopopova - a young unmarried woman, who suffered from a serious chronic broncho-pulmonary disease and came to Germany for treatment. Ekaterina Sergeevna turned out to be a wonderful pianist and the owner of an absolute ear for music. According to her memoirs, Borodin "at that time almost did not know Schumann at all, and Chopin was perhaps a little more." Meeting with new musical impressions awakened Borodin's interest in composition, which began to fade somewhat, and Ekaterina Sergeevna soon became his bride. In September, her health deteriorated significantly, and the Heidelberg professor made a recommendation to urgently change the climate - to go south, to Italy, to Pisa. Borodin accompanied her. After a visit to De Luca, professor of chemistry at the University of Pisa, who met a Russian colleague "in the highest degree kindly", Borodin got the opportunity to study at the university laboratory, where he "undertook serious work with fluorine compounds." He returned to Heidelberg only in the summer of 1862.

Professor of Chemistry

Upon returning to Russia, Borodin had to temporarily part with his fiancee, who remained with her mother in Moscow, while he himself went to St. Petersburg, where he submitted a report on a business trip abroad and soon received the position of adjunct professor at the Medical and Surgical Academy. The new position did not improve financial situation young scientist: the salary was only 700 rubles a year, while before, being listed as a hospital intern, he received 900 rubles a year. In addition, for a long time Borodin could not get the state-owned apartment promised to him in the new building of the Faculty of Natural History, where they were far from complete. Finishing work. The material and domestic disorder prompted Borodin to postpone the wedding, which took place only in April 1863. Financial problems haunted the family for the rest of his life, forcing Borodin to work hard - to teach at the Forestry Academy and to translate.

Since 1864, Borodin has been an ordinary professor, since 1874 - the head of a chemical laboratory, and since 1877 - an academician of the Medico-Surgical Academy. Since 1883 - an honorary member of the Society of Russian Doctors. A.P. Borodin is a student and closest collaborator of the outstanding chemist N.N. Zinin, together with whom in 1868 he became a founding member of the Russian Chemical Society.

Musical creativity

Even while studying at the Medical and Surgical Academy, Borodin began to write romances, piano pieces, chamber instrumental ensembles, which caused dissatisfaction with his supervisor Zinin, who believed that playing music interfered with serious scientific work. For this reason, during his internship abroad, Borodin, who did not abandon musical creativity, was forced to hide him from his colleagues.

A.P. Borodin, upon his return to Russia, met the composer Mily Balakirev and entered his circle (which in later tradition received the name “Mighty Bunch”). Under the influence of M. A. Balakirev, V. V. Stasov and other participants in this creative association the musical and aesthetic orientation of Borodin's views was determined, as an adherent of the Russian national school in music and a follower of M. I. Glinka. A. P. Borodin was an active member of the Belyaevsky circle.

In the musical work of Borodin, the theme of the greatness of the Russian people, patriotism and freedom is clearly heard, combining epic breadth and masculinity with deep lyricism.

The creative heritage of Borodin, who combined scientific and teaching activities with the service of art, is relatively small in scope, but it has made a valuable contribution to the treasury of Russian musical classics.

The most significant work of Borodin is rightfully recognized as the opera Prince Igor, which is an example of a national heroic epic in music. The author worked on the main work of his life for 18 years, but the opera was never finished: after the death of Borodin, the composers N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov and A. K. Glazunov completed the opera and orchestrated based on Borodin’s materials. Staged in 1890 at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater, the opera, distinguished by its monumental integrity of images, the power and scope of folk choral scenes, and the brightness of national color in the tradition of Glinka's epic opera Ruslan and Lyudmila, had big success and to this day remains one of the masterpieces of Russian opera art.

A.P. Borodin is also considered one of the founders of the classical genres of symphony and quartet in Russia.

Borodin's first symphony, written in 1867 and published simultaneously with the first symphonic works by Rimsky-Korsakov and P. I. Tchaikovsky, laid the foundation for the heroic-epic direction of Russian symphonism. The symphony was first performed in 1869 under the direction of M. A. Balakirev, its score was published by V. V. Bessel in 1882. The composer's Second ("Bogatyr") Symphony written in 1876 is recognized as the pinnacle of Russian and world epic symphonism. The first performance took place in 1877 under the direction of E. F. Napravnik. The score was published in 1887, posthumously, as revised by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov and A. K. Glazunov, who made significant changes to its music. Both symphonies already during the life of Borodin received recognition abroad, the First was much more popular at that time.

Among the best chamber instrumental works belong to the First and Second Quartets, presented to connoisseurs of music in 1879 and in 1881. In the last years of his life, Borodin worked on the Third Quartet.

The music of the second part of Borodin's String Quintet was used in the 20th century to create the most popular song "I See a Wonderful Liberty" (to lyrics by F. P. Savinov).

Borodin is not only a master of instrumental music, but also fine artist chamber vocal lyrics, a striking example of which is the elegy "For the shores of the distant homeland" to the words of A. S. Pushkin. The composer was the first to introduce into the romance the images of the Russian heroic epic, and with them the liberating ideas of the 1860s (for example, in the works The Sleeping Princess, The Song of the Dark Forest), also being the author of satirical and humorous songs (Arrogance, etc. .).

The original work of A.P. Borodin was distinguished by a deep penetration into the system of both Russian folk songs and the music of the peoples of the East (in the opera "Prince Igor", the symphonic picture "In Central Asia» and others symphonic works) and had a noticeable impact on Russian and foreign composers. The traditions of his music continued Soviet composers(S. S. Prokofiev, Yu. A. Shaporin, G. V. Sviridov, A. I. Khachaturyan, etc.)

Public figure

Borodin's merit to society is his active participation in the creation and development of opportunities for women to receive higher education in Russia: he was one of the organizers and teachers of the Women's Medical Courses, where he taught from 1872 until they were liquidated in 1885.

Borodin devoted considerable time to working with students and, using his authority, defended them from political persecution by the authorities in the period after the assassination of Emperor Alexander II.

of great importance for international recognition Russian culture had the musical works of Borodin, thanks to which he himself received world fame precisely as a composer, and not as a scientist, to which he devoted most of his life.

Addresses

Family life

Ekaterina Sergeevna Borodina suffered from asthma and did not tolerate the unhealthy climate of St. Petersburg, and in the fall she usually left for Moscow, where she lived with relatives for a long time, returning to her husband only in winter, when dry frosty weather set in. However, this still did not guarantee her the absence of asthmatic attacks, during which her husband was both a doctor and a nurse for her. Despite serious illness, Ekaterina Sergeevna smoked a lot; at the same time, she suffered from insomnia and fell asleep only in the morning. With all this, Alexander Porfiryevich, who dearly loved his wife, was forced to put up with it.

The great-granddaughter of the composer Zinaida Timofeevna Borodina was married to the famous trainer Yuri Vladimirovich Durov, their daughter - Natalya Yurievna Durova (04/13/1934-11/27/2007) [ ]

untimely death

During the last year of his life, Borodin repeatedly complained of pain in the region of the heart. Detailed description his circumstances sudden death contained in the memoirs of M. V. Dobroslavina. Borodin died on the evening of February 15 (27) in his own state-owned "academic" apartment, in the midst of general fun at a costume party organized by him on the occasion of Maslenitsa. During a conversation with Dobroslavina, Borodin suddenly lost consciousness and fell. “Everyone rushed to him and immediately on the floor, without lifting him, began to bring him to his senses. Little by little, all the doctors and professors who lived at the academy came together. For almost an hour, every effort was made to bring him back to life. Every means has been tried, and nothing has worked."

The cause of Borodin's death was recognized as a heart rupture.

Major works

operas

• Bogatyrs (1868)
• Mlada (together with other composers, 1872)
• Prince Igor (1869-1887)
• The Tsar's Bride (1867-1868, sketches, lost)

Works for orchestra

• Symphony No. 1 Es-dur (1866)
• Symphony No. 2 in b-moll "Bogatyrskaya" (1875)
• Symphony No. 3 a-moll (1887, completed and orchestrated by Glazunov)
• Symphonic picture "In Central Asia" (1880)

Chamber instrumental ensembles

• string trio on the theme of the song “How did I upset you” (g-moll, 1854-55)
• string trio (Big, G-dur, before 1862)
• piano trio (D-dur, before 1862)
• string quintet (f-moll, before 1862)
• string sextet (d-moll, 1860-61)
• piano quintet (c-moll, 1862)
• 2 string quartets (A-dur, 1879; D-dur, 1881)
• Serenade in Spanish Genus from B-la-f Quartet (collective composition, 1886)

Works for piano

In two hands

• Pathetic adagio (As-dur, 1849)
• Little Suite (1885)
• Scherzo (As-dur, 1885)

Three hands

• Polka, Mazurka, Funeral March and Requiem from Paraphrase on an Unchangeable Theme (collective composition by Borodin, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, Ts. A. Cui, A. K. Lyadov, 1878)

four hands

• Scherzo (E-dur, 1861)
• Tarantella (D-dur, 1862)

Works for voice and piano

• The red girl fell out of love (50s)
• Listen, girlfriends, to my song (50s)
• What are you early, dawner (50s)
• (words by G. Heine, 1854-55) (for voice, cello and piano)
• (words by G. Heine, translated by L. A. May, 1868)
• (words by G. Heine, translation by L. A. May, 1871)
• People have something in the house (words by N. A. Nekrasov, 1881)
• (words by A. S. Pushkin, 1881)
• (words by A. K. Tolstoy, 1884-85)
• Wonderful Garden (Septain G., 1885)

To the words of Borodin

• Sea Princess (1868)
• (1867)
• . Romance (1868)
• Song of the Dark Forest (1868)
• Sea. Ballad (1870)
• Arabic Melody (1881)

vocal ensemble

• Unaccompanied male vocal quartet Serenade of four gentlemen to one lady (words by Borodin, 1868-72)

Notes

1. ID BNF : Open Data Platform - 2011.
2. N. Grushka // Russian biographical dictionary - SPb. : 1908. - T. 3. - S. 266–272.
3. E. // Music dictionary: Translation from the 5th German edition/ ed. Yu. D. Engel - M .: Musical Publishing House P. I. Yurgenson, 1901. - T. 1. - S. 145–146.

Borodin Alexander Porfiryevich

(31.10 (12.11.) 1833, Petersburg, - 15 (27.2.1887, ibid.)

Russian composer, chemist. The illegitimate son of Prince L. S. Gedianov, at birth, was recorded as the son of a serf servant of the prince - Porfiry Borodin. In 1856 he graduated from the Medico-Surgical Academy. Since 1858 doctor of medicine. In the 1860s Petersburg was engaged in scientific, pedagogical and social activities. From 1862 an associate professor, from 1864 an ordinary professor, from 1877 an academician; since 1874 head of the chemical laboratory of the Medico-Surgical Academy. He was one of the organizers and teachers (1872-87) of a higher educational institution for women - Women's Medical Courses.

In the 50s. 19th century began to write romances, piano pieces, chamber-instrumental ensembles. In 1862 he met M. A. Balakirev, entered the Balakirev circle (“The Mighty Handful”). Under the influence of Balakirev, V.V. Stasov and other “Kuchkists”, the musical and aesthetic views of Borodin finally took shape as a follower of M.I. Glinka, an adherent of the Russian national school in music, an independent mature style of the composer was determined.

Borodin's creative legacy is relatively small in scope, but is a valuable contribution to the treasury of Russian musical classics. In the work of Borodin, a representative of the progressive intelligentsia of the 1860s, the theme of the greatness of the Russian people, love for the motherland, love of freedom is clearly visible. His music is distinguished by epic breadth, masculinity, and at the same time deep lyricism.

Borodin's most significant work is the opera "Prince Igor", which is an example of a national heroic epic in music. Due to the heavy workload of scientific and pedagogical work, Borodin wrote slowly. The opera was created for 18 years, was not completed (after the death of Borodin, the opera was completed and additionally orchestrated based on the materials of the author N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov and A. K. Glazunov; post. 1890, Mariinskii Opera House, Petersburg). The opera is distinguished by the monumental integrity of images, the power and scope of folk choral scenes, and the brightness of national color. "Prince Igor" develops the traditions of Glinka's epic opera "Ruslan and Lyudmila". Borodin is one of the creators of Russian classical symphonies and quartets. His 1st symphony (1867), which appeared simultaneously with the first examples of this genre by Rimsky-Korsakov and P.I. Tchaikovsky, laid the foundation for the heroic-epic direction of Russian symphonism. The pinnacle of Russian and world epic symphonism is his 2nd (Bogatyr) symphony (1876). To the number best creatures Borodin's quartets (1st - 1879, 2nd - 1881) belong to the chamber-instrumental genre.

The composer is a subtle artist of chamber vocal music. An example of his vocal lyrics is the elegy "For the shores of the distant homeland" to the words of Pushkin. Borodin was the first to introduce into the romance the images of the Russian heroic epic, and with them the liberation ideas of the 1860s. (“Sleeping Princess”, “Song of the Dark Forest”, etc.). He also wrote satirical, humorous songs ("Haughtiness", etc.). Borodin's work is characterized by a deep penetration into the structure of Russian folk songs, as well as the music of the peoples of the East (in "Prince Igor", symphonies, the symphonic picture "In Central Asia"). Creativity Borodin, bright, original, had an impact on Russian and foreign composers. The traditions of Borodin were continued by Soviet composers (S. S. Prokofiev, Yu. A. Shaporin, G. V. Sviridov, A. I. Khachaturian and others). The significance of these traditions for the development of national musical cultures peoples of Transcaucasia and Central Asia.

Borodin is the author of more than 40 works in chemistry. Student of N. N. Zinin. He wrote his doctoral dissertation on the topic: "On the analogy of phosphoric and arsenic acids in chemical and toxicological relations." Developed original way obtaining bromine-substituted fatty acids by the action of bromine on silver salts of acids; received the first organofluorine compound - benzoyl fluoride (1862); investigated acetaldehyde, described the aldol and the reaction of aldol condensation.

Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin, an extraordinary person who did a lot for Russian culture and science, was born on October 31 (November 12), 1833 in St. Petersburg.

The illegitimate son of a Georgian aristocrat, he did not have the opportunity to study at the gymnasium and, only by the trick of his mother and stepfather, who achieved the title of a merchant for him, a capable child got the opportunity to change home schooling to gymnasium.

Since childhood, Borodin was fond of music. The flute, piano and cello easily obeyed the boy, he began to compose early small works. And by the age of 10, chemistry took over the mind of the child.

In 1850, having brilliantly studied at the gymnasium, Borodin entered the Medico-Surgical Academy, where he studied medicine in conjunction with chemistry. N.N. becomes his mentor. Zinin, a famous chemist. In 1859 he went abroad. There, first in Germany, later in France, he continues to hone his knowledge of science. In the same place in Germany, he meets his future wife, a capable pianist with perfect pitch. It was she who prompted him to return to his slightly forgotten music lessons.

Returning to Russia, Borodin worked hard and in 1864 received the title of professor, later became the head of the laboratory, then an academician of the Medico-Surgical Academy. His works on organic chemistry are studied by students in many countries.

It is impossible to overestimate the talent of Borodin as a musician.

In 1862, the composer Balakirev introduced him to the "Mighty Handful" circle. Here he manifested himself as a supporter of the development of the Russian trend in music. Best qualities Russian people, its strength, love of freedom, greatness become main theme his works.

The largest and most recognizable musical creation of Borodin is the opera "Prince Igor".

The author began to work on it in 1869 at the suggestion of V.V. Stasov. The work dragged on for a long time, because it was impossible to leave scientific work. The opera was not completed due to the composer's sudden death in February 1887 from a heart attack. The opera was finished by Borodin's friends Glazunov and Rimsky-Korsakov, and the premiere took place at the Mariinsky Theater at the end of October 1890.

Borodin did not live a very long life, and his scientific activity did not allow him to fully engage in composing, but his contribution to the development of Russian musical classics is great and will be appreciated by many generations of music lovers.

Biography 2

Russian music is as great as our Russian language, our speech is important. Many names of Russian composers and musicians are known to people. Glinka, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky - they are all considered great people and have made an invaluable contribution to their native classical music. Borodin can also be attributed to this number of people. What is he famous for? And was Alexander only affected by music?

Alexander Borodin was born on October 31, 1833. It was in the city of St. Petersburg. His father was the prince of one of the plots of Georgian lands. By the way, it so happened that Alexander became an illegitimate child. That is why the boy had to be given to the prince's servant, Porfiry Borodin and his wife, hence Alexander's patronymic. For 8 years, the boy had to serve in the prince's house until he died, having previously left his child and Avdotya at home. Alexander had to get a lot of problems due to the fact that relationships outside of marriage were not yet the norm. That's why real name I had to hide from everyone. Moreover, thanks to a similar origin, gymnasiums were banned for Alexander, because of which he had to study science at home. But the boy was well trained.

Already at the age of 9, Borodin showed interest in music. Then he got his first musical creation- Polka, called "Helen". At first he played the flute and piano, but from the age of 13 he also took up the cello. And at the same age, Borodin managed to hold his first concert, the main instruments of which were the flute and piano. In his first decade, Alexander began to enjoy chemistry. But still the same problem hindered the study different sciences- This is an illegitimate origin. I had to ask for help from officials in order to enroll in the Novotorzhskaya third merchant guild. So Alexander had the opportunity to complete his studies.

What areas in science did Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin touch on?

Chemistry and medicine.

In 1858, Alexander became a doctor of medicine after he successfully defended his scientific work and conducted a series of experiments. At the same time, Borodin was sent to the city of Soligalich in order for him to conduct research with mineral water found by the merchant Kokorev. Then Alexander began to improve his chemical skills, wandering around other countries. In 1864 Borodin became a professor of chemistry.

Music.

One of the main members of the "Mighty Handful". He was the first to introduce epic symphonism to Russia. On account of Borodin such operas and works as "Prince Igor", "Bogatyrs" and "The Tsar's Bride".