Borodin, << BAWR uh deen, >> Alexander (1833-1887), was a Russian composer. His music is distinguished by lyric melody, vigorous rhythm, and imaginative orchestration. Some works have a colorful Oriental sound.
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Borodin’s largest and most important work is the opera Prince Igor, first performed in 1890. It was unfinished when Borodin died, and was completed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov. Its ballet music, the “Polovtsian Dances,” is an outstanding example of Borodin’s Oriental style. In his skillfully orchestrated tone poem In the Steppes of Central Asia (1880), Borodin alternated and combined Russian and Oriental themes. Of his three symphonies, the second (1877) is viewed as one of the most original symphonies ever written by a Russian composer. Borodin also composed much chamber music, one of the best-known works being his String Quartet No. 2 in D (1874-1875).
Borodin was born on Nov. 12, 1833, in St. Petersburg. He studied chemistry and other sciences there and received a doctorate in chemistry in 1858. Borodin wrote music while he taught chemistry and conducted scientific research. He died on Feb. 27, 1887.
