The message about Borodin is brief. Main dates of life and activity

Borodin Alexander Porfirievich (1833–1887), Russian composer.

Born October 31 (November 12), 1833 in St. Petersburg. He was illegitimate son the middle-aged Georgian prince Luka Gedianov and the St. Petersburg bourgeois Avdotya Antonova.

Days, weeks, months, winters pass under conditions that do not allow even thinking about serious study of music. There is no time to come to your senses, to rebuild yourself in a musical way, without which creativity in a big thing like opera is unthinkable. For such a mood I have only part of the summer at my disposal. In the winter I can write music only when I am so sick that I don’t give lectures or go to the laboratory, but I can still do something. On this basis, my musical comrades, contrary to generally accepted customs, constantly wish me not health, but illness.

Borodin Alexander Porfirievich

According to the custom of that time, the child received the surname of one of his father's serfs. The boy studied languages at home - German, French, English (later he also mastered Italian). He showed an early interest in music: at the age of eight he began taking lessons on the flute, and then on the piano and cello, at nine he composed a polka for piano four hands, and already at the age of fourteen he tried his hand at composing for a chamber ensemble.

However, what attracted Borodin most of all was not music, but chemistry, which became his profession. From 1850 to 1856 he was a volunteer student at the St. Petersburg Medical-Surgical Academy, upon graduation he remained there as a teacher and in 1858 received the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Then Borodin was sent on a scientific trip to Western Europe(1859–1862). Abroad, he met a young Moscow amateur pianist Ekaterina Sergeevna Protopopova, while playing music with whom he discovered the world of romantic music of Chopin, Liszt, and Schumann. Soon they got married.

Upon returning to Russia, he was elected associate professor in the department of chemistry of the Medical-Surgical Academy, and in 1864 - an ordinary professor (later head) of the same department.

Despite his intensive studies in science, Borodin never abandoned music: during this period he created string and piano quintets, a string sextet and other chamber works.

Decisive in his musical biography was 1862, when Borodin met and became friends with the composer Miliy Balakirev and his circle (later known as the New Russian School or the “Mighty Handful”), consisting of Cesar Cui, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Modest Mussorgsky; under their influence, Borodin began work on a symphony in E-flat major.

Its completion was delayed due to the composer’s workload with scientific, teaching and publishing activities (Borodin taught at Women’s medical courses, edited the scientific journal “Knowledge”, etc.), but in 1867 the symphony was nevertheless completed, and in 1869 it was performed under the direction of Balakireva. Borodin’s work on the farce opera Bogatyri dates back to 1867–1868 (a parody of the then widespread genre of romantic opera in Russian historical topic, using melodies by J. Offenbach, J. Meyerbeer, A. Serov, Russian songs, etc.); at the same time, he wrote several romances, which are masterpieces of Russian vocal lyrics.

The success of the First Symphony encouraged Borodin to continue working in this genre: in 1869 the idea of a symphony in B-flat minor appeared, but the composer soon abandoned it, attracted by the idea of an opera based on the plot of the ancient Russian epic The Lay of Igor's Campaign. Soon the opera was also abandoned; Some of the music composed for her was included in the Second Symphony, the completion of which dates back to 1875. From about 1874, Borodin returned to his operatic concept and continued to work from time to time on individual scenes of Prince Igor. However, by the time of the composer's death, the opera remained unfinished.

During this period, Borodin also wrote two string quartets (1879 and 1885), two movements of the Third Symphony in A minor, musical picture for orchestra B Central Asia(1880), a series of romances and piano pieces. His music begins to be performed in Germany, Belgium and France, largely thanks to the assistance of Franz Liszt, with whom Borodin maintained a personal acquaintance. By his own admission in a letter to his wife, he had to be “at the same time a scientist, entrepreneur, artist, government official, philanthropist, doctor and patient.” Borodin died in St. Petersburg on February 15 (27), 1887.

The opera Prince Igor is undoubtedly the largest creative achievement Borodin. It was completed and instrumented after the death of the composer by his friends - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov and was first staged in St. Petersburg in 1890. The Second and unfinished Third Symphonies, as well as the painting In Central Asia, are close in imagery to opera: here is the same world of the heroic past Russia, which brought to life music of remarkable power, extraordinary originality and bright color, sometimes marked by a rare sense of humor.

Borodin Alexander Porfirievich (1833-1887), Russian composer.

Born October 31 (November 12), 1833 in St. Petersburg. He was the illegitimate son of the middle-aged Georgian prince Luka Gedianov and the St. Petersburg bourgeois Avdotya Antonova.

According to the custom of that time, the child received the surname of one of his father's serfs. The boy studied languages at home - German, French, English (later he also mastered Italian). He showed an early interest in music: at the age of eight he began taking lessons on the flute, and then on the piano and cello, at nine he composed a polka for piano for 4 hands and already at the age of fourteen he tried his hand at composing for a chamber ensemble.

However, what attracted Borodin most of all was not music, but chemistry, which became his profession. From 1850 to 1856 he was a volunteer student at the St. Petersburg Medical-Surgical Academy, upon graduation he remained there as a teacher and in 1858 received the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Then Borodin was sent on a scientific trip to Western Europe (1859-1862). Abroad, he met a young Moscow amateur pianist Ekaterina Sergeevna Protopopova, while playing music with whom he discovered the world of romantic music of Chopin, Liszt, and Schumann. Soon they got married.

Upon returning to Russia, he was elected associate professor in the department of chemistry of the Medical-Surgical Academy, and in 1864 - an ordinary professor (later head) of the same department.

Despite his intensive studies in science, Borodin never abandoned music: during this period he created string and piano quintets, a string sextet and other chamber works.

The decisive year in his musical biography was 1862, when Borodin met and became friends with the composer Mily Balakirev and his circle (later known as the New Russian School or “ Mighty bunch"), consisting of Cesar Cui, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Modest Mussorgsky; under their influence, Borodin began work on a symphony in E-flat major.

Its completion was delayed due to the composer’s workload with scientific, teaching and publishing activities (Borodin taught at Women’s medical courses, edited the scientific journal “Knowledge”, etc.), but in 1867 the symphony was nevertheless completed, and in 1869 it was performed under the direction of Balakireva. Borodin’s work on the farce opera Bogatyri dates back to 1867-1868 (a parody of the then widespread genre of romantic opera on a Russian historical theme, using melodies by J. Offenbach, J. Meyerbeer, A. Serov, Russian songs, etc. ); at the same time, he wrote several romances, which are masterpieces of Russian vocal lyrics.

The success of the First Symphony encouraged Borodin to continue working in this genre: in 1869 the idea of a symphony in B-flat minor appeared, but the composer soon abandoned it, attracted by the idea of an opera based on the plot ancient Russian epic A word about Igor's regiment. Soon the opera was also abandoned; Some of the music composed for her was included in the Second Symphony, the completion of which dates back to 1875. From about 1874, Borodin returned to his operatic concept and continued to work from time to time on individual scenes of Prince Igor. However, by the time of the composer's death, the opera remained unfinished.

During this period, Borodin also wrote two string quartets (1879 and 1885), two movements of the Third Symphony in A minor, a musical picture for orchestra in Central Asia (1880), a number of romances and piano pieces. His music begins to be performed in Germany, Belgium and France, largely thanks to the assistance of Franz Liszt, with whom Borodin maintained a personal acquaintance. By his own admission in a letter to his wife, he had to be “at the same time a scientist, entrepreneur, artist, government official, philanthropist, doctor and patient.” Borodin died in St. Petersburg on February 15 (27), 1887.

The opera Prince Igor is undoubtedly Borodin's greatest creative achievement. It was completed and instrumented after the death of the composer by his friends Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov and first staged in St. Petersburg in 1890. The Second and unfinished Third Symphonies, as well as the painting In Central Asia, are close in imagery to opera: here is the same world of the heroic past Russia, which brought to life music of remarkable power, extraordinary originality and bright color, sometimes marked by a rare sense of humor.

Borodin did not stand out for his skill as a playwright, but his opera, thanks to its high musical merits, won stages all over the world.

Youth

Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin was born in St. Petersburg on October 31, 1833 from an extramarital affair of the 62-year-old Georgian prince Luka Stepanovich Gedianov (1772-1840) and 25-year-old Avdotya Konstantinovna Antonova and at birth was recorded as the son of the prince’s serf servant - Porfiry Ionovich Borodin and his wife of Tatyana Grigorievna.

Until the age of 8, the boy was a serf of his father, who, before his death in 1840, gave his son his freedom and bought a four-story house for him and Avdotya Konstantinovna, who was married to the military doctor Kleineke. In the first half of the 19th century, extramarital affairs were not advertised, so the names of the parents were hidden and the illegitimate boy was presented as Avdotya Konstantinovna’s nephew.

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

Already in childhood he discovered his musical talent, at the age of 9 he wrote his first piece - the polka “Helen”. Learned to play musical instruments- first on the flute and piano, and from the age of 13 - on the cello. At the same time, he created his first serious musical work - 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, doing science and receiving higher education prevented 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 department of officials of the Tver Treasury Chamber to enroll their son in the Novotorzhskoe third guild of merchants. He received the right to graduate from high school and continue his education at a higher educational institution.

In the summer of 1850, Borodin excellently passed the matriculation exams at the First St. Petersburg Gymnasium, and in September of the same year, 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.

Medicine and chemistry

In March 1857, the young physician was appointed as a resident at the Second Military Land Hospital, where he met the officer Modest Mussorgsky, who was being treated.

In 1868, Borodin received his doctorate in medicine, having conducted chemical research and defended a dissertation on the topic “On the analogy of phosphoric and arsenic acid in chemical and toxicological relations.”

In 1858, the Military Medical Scientific Council sent Borodin to Soligalich to study the composition of the mineral waters of the hydropathic clinic founded in 1841 by the merchant V. A. Kokorev. The report on the work, published in the newspaper Moskovskie Vedomosti in 1859, became a real scientific work on balneology, which brought the author wide fame.

Foreign business trip

Since 1859, 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 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 fall of 1860, Borodin and Mendeleev visited Genoa and Rome, pursuing purely tourist purposes, after which Mendeleev returned to Heidelberg, and Borodin went to Paris, where he spent the winter. In Paris, Borodin was engaged in serious scientific work, visited the library, and 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 bronchopulmonary disease and came to Germany for treatment. Ekaterina Sergeevna turned out to be a wonderful pianist and the owner of an absolute musical ear. According to her memoirs, Borodin “at that time still knew almost no Schumann at all, and Chopin perhaps a little more.” The 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 gave 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 his Russian colleague “in highest degree kindly,” Borodin got the opportunity to study in a university laboratory, where he “undertook serious work with fluoride compounds." He returned to Heidelberg only in the summer of 1862.

Chemistry Professor

Upon returning to Russia, Borodin had to temporarily part with his fiancée, who remained with his mother in Moscow, but he himself went to St. Petersburg, where he presented a report on a business trip abroad and soon received the position of associate professor at the Medical-Surgical Academy. New position didn't improve at all financial situation young scientist: the salary was only 700 rubles a year, whereas before, as a hospital resident, he received 900 rubles a year. In addition, Borodin for a long time could not get the government apartment promised to him in the new building of the Faculty of Natural History, where the finishing work was far from complete. Material and everyday problems prompted Borodin to postpone the wedding, which took place only in April 1863. Financial problems haunted the family for the rest of their lives, forcing Borodin to work hard - teaching at the Forestry Academy and translating.

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

Author of more than 40 works on chemistry. It was A.P. Borodin who discovered a method for producing bromine-substituted hydrocarbons by the action of bromine on silver salts of acids, known as the Borodin-Hunsdiecker reaction, was the first in the world (in 1862) to obtain an organofluorine compound - benzoyl fluoride, conducted a study of acetaldehyde, described aldol and chemical reaction aldol condensation.

Musical creativity

While still studying at the Medical-Surgical Academy, Borodin began to write romances, piano pieces, chamber instrumental ensembles, which aroused the displeasure of his scientific supervisor Zinin, who believed that playing music interfered with serious scientific work. For this reason, during his internship abroad, Borodin, who did not give up musical creativity, was forced to hide it from his colleagues.

Upon returning to Russia in 1862, he met the composer Mily Balakirev and entered his circle (received in later tradition the name “The Mighty Handful”). 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 Russian national school in music and a follower of Mikhail Glinka. A.P. Borodin was an active member of the Belyaev circle.

IN musical creativity Borodin clearly sounds the theme of the greatness of the Russian people, patriotism and love of freedom, combining epic breadth and masculinity with deep lyricism.

Creative heritage Borodin, who combined scientific and teaching activities with service to art, is relatively small in volume, but has made a most 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 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 Borodin’s death, the opera was completed and orchestrated based on Borodin’s materials by composers Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov. Staged in 1890 at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater, the opera was distinguished by the monumental integrity of its images, the power and scope of its folk choral scenes, and its brightness 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 released simultaneously with the first symphonic works of Rimsky-Korsakov and P.I. Tchaikovsky, marked the beginning of the heroic-epic direction of Russian symphonism. The composer’s Second (“Bogatyrskaya”) Symphony, written in 1876, is recognized as the pinnacle of Russian and world epic symphonism.

Among the best chamber instrumental works are the First and Second Quartets, presented to music lovers in 1879 and 1881.

Borodin is not only a master instrumental music, but also subtle artist chamber vocal lyrics, a striking example of which is the elegy “For the Shores of the Distant Fatherland” to the words of A. S. Pushkin. The composer was the first to introduce images of the Russian heroic epic into the romance, and with them the liberation ideas of the 1860s (for example, in the works “The Sleeping Princess”, “Song dark forest"), also being the author of satirical and humorous songs ("Arrogance", etc.).

The original creativity of A.P. Borodin was distinguished by its deep penetration into the system of both Russian folk song, and the music of the peoples of the East (in the opera “Prince Igor”, the symphonic film “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(Sergei Prokofiev, Yuri Shaporin, Georgy Sviridov, Aram Khachaturyan and others).

Public figure

Borodin's service to society is 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 Women's Medical Courses, where he taught from 1872 to 1887.

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.

Great value for international recognition Russian culture had musical works Borodin, thanks to which he himself gained world fame precisely as a composer, and not as a scientist, to whom he devoted most of his life.

Addresses in St. Petersburg

1850-1856 - apartment building, Bocharnaya street, 49;

Family life

Ekaterina Sergeevna Borodina suffered from asthma, did not tolerate the unhealthy climate of St. Petersburg and usually went to Moscow in the fall, where she lived for a long time with relatives, returning to her husband only in the winter, when dry, frosty weather set in. However, this still did not guarantee her from 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. Alexander Porfiryevich, who dearly loved his wife, was forced to put up with all this. There were no children in the family.

Untimely death

For last year Throughout his life, Borodin repeatedly complained of pain in the heart area. On the evening of February 15 (27), 1887, during Maslenitsa, he went to visit his friends, where he suddenly felt ill, fell and lost consciousness. Attempts to help him were unsuccessful.

Borodin died suddenly of a broken heart at the age of 53.

Memory

In memory of the outstanding scientist and composer the following were named:

State Quartet named after A.P. Borodin
The streets of Borodin in many populated areas Russia and other countries
Sanatorium named after A.P. Borodin in Soligalich Kostroma region
Assembly hall named after A.P. Borodin at the Russian Chemical Technology University named after. D. I. Mendeleev
Children's music school named after A.P. Borodin in St. Petersburg.
Children's music school named after A.P. Borodin No. 89 in Moscow.
Children's music school named after A.P. Borodin No. 17 in Smolensk
Airbus A319 (number VP-BDM) of Aeroflot airline

Major works

Operas

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

Works for orchestra

Symphony No. 1 Es major (1866)
Symphony No. 2 in b-moll “Bogatyrskaya” (1876)
Symphony No. 3 in a minor (1887, completed and orchestrated by Glazunov)
Symphonic painting “In Central Asia” (1880)

Chamber instrumental ensembles

string trio on the theme of the song “How have I upset you” (g-moll, 1854-55)
string trio (Bolshoi, G major, until 1862)
piano trio (D major, before 1862)
string quintet (f minor, until 1862)
string sextet (d minor, 1860-61)
piano quintet (C minor, 1862)
2 string quartets (A major, 1879; D major, 1881)
Serenade in the Spanish style from the quartet B-la-f (collective composition, 1886)

Works for piano

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

Polka, Mazurka, Funeral March and Requiem from Paraphrase on an Unchangeable Theme (collective composition by Borodin, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, T. A. Cui, A. K. Lyadov, 1878) and all this with the help of Borodin

Scherzo (E major, 1861)
Tarantella (D major, 1862)

Works for voice and piano

The beautiful girl fell out of love (50s)
Listen, my friends, to my song (50s)
Why are you early, little dawn (50s)
Beautiful Fisherwoman (words by G. Heine, 1854-55)

The Sleeping Princess (1867)
Sea Princess (1868)
Song of the Dark Forest (1868)
False note (1868)
Sea (1870)
My songs are full of poison (words by G. Heine, 1868)
From my tears (words by G. Heine, 1871)
Arabian Melody (1881)
For the shores of the distant fatherland (words by A. S. Pushkin, 1881)
In people's houses (words by N. A. Nekrasov, 1881)
Arrogance (words by A.K. Tolstoy, 1884-85)
Wonderful Garden (Septain, 1885)

BORODIN, Alexander Porfirievich

Alexander Porfirievich Borodin is a Russian composer and chemist. The illegitimate son of Prince L. S. Gedianov, at birth he was recorded as the son of the prince’s serf servant, Porfiry Borodin. In 1856 he graduated from the Medical-Surgical Academy. Since 1858 – Doctor of Medicine. In the 1860s. In St. Petersburg he was engaged in scientific, pedagogical and social activities. From 1862 he was an associate professor, from 1864 he was a full professor, and from 1877 he was an academician. From 1874 he headed the chemical laboratory of the Medical-Surgical Academy. He was one of the organizers and teachers (1872-87) of higher educational institution for women – Women's medical courses.

Borodin is the author of more than 40 works on chemistry. Student of N. N. Zinin. The main area of scientific research is organic synthesis. Developed a method for producing bromine-substituted fatty acids by the action of bromine on silver salts of acids (1861); received the first organofluorine compound - benzoyl fluoride (1862) and developed a method for the preparation of carboxylic acid fluorides (1862). Investigated (1863-1873) aldehyde condensation products; simultaneously with S. A. Wurtz (1872), he carried out aldol condensation.

Borodin is widely known as a composer. In the 50s XIX century he began to write romances, piano pieces, and chamber instrumental ensembles. In 1862, he met M. A. Balakirev and joined the Balakirev circle (“The Mighty Handful”). Under the influence of Balakirev, V.V. Stasov and other “kuchkists”, the musical and aesthetic views of Borodin as a follower of M.I. Glinka, an adherent of the Russian national school in music, were finally formed, and the composer’s independent mature style was determined.

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

Most significant work Borodin's opera "Prince Igor", which is an example of a national heroic epic in music. The opera was created over the course of 18 years, but was not finished (after Borodin’s death, the opera was completed and orchestrated based on materials from the author N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov and A. K. Glazunov; post. 1890, Mariinskii Opera House, St. Petersburg).

Borodin's 1st Symphony (1867), which appeared simultaneously with the first examples of this genre by Rimsky-Korsakov and P.I. Tchaikovsky, marked the beginning of the heroic-epic direction of Russian symphonism. The pinnacle of Russian and world epic symphonism is his 2nd (Bogatyr) Symphony (1876). Among the best creations of the chamber-instrumental genre are Borodin's quartets (1st - 1879, 2nd - 1881).

The great Russian composer and chemist A.P. Borodin was born on October 31 (November 12), 1833 in St. Petersburg. He was the illegitimate son of the middle-aged Georgian prince Luka Gedianov and the St. Petersburg bourgeois Avdotya Antonova. According to the custom of that time, the child received the surname and patronymic of one of the father's serfs, the prince's servant - Porfiry Borodin. The boy got home education, learned languages - German, French, English (later he also mastered Italian). He showed an early interest in music: at the age of eight he began taking lessons at home on the flute, and then on the piano and cello, at nine he composed a polka for piano four hands and already at the age of 14 he tried his hand at composing for a chamber ensemble. And in 1849, an article appeared in one of the St. Petersburg newspapers, which, in particular, said: “The works of the gifted sixteen-year-old composer Alexander Borodin deserve special attention... We welcome this new national talent all the more readily because the composer’s career does not begin with polkas and mazurkas, but positive labor, distinguishing in the composition a subtle aesthetic taste and a poetic soul." If only the author of the article knew what she was raving about" poetic soul"Sasha. The boy's entire room was filled with flasks, burners and other devices for chemical experiments. It was chemistry, and not music, that most attracted Borodin, and chemistry became his profession.

In 1850 A.P. Borodin entered the St. Petersburg Medical-Surgical Academy. The studies went very successfully. After graduating from the academy in 1856, he remained there as a teacher and in 1858 received the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Borodin wrote his doctoral dissertation on the topic: “On the analogy of phosphoric and arsenic acid in chemical and toxicological relations.” Then the young scientist was sent on a scientific trip to Europe for scientific improvement. In those years, Borodin was familiar with many of those who later became the pride and glory of Russian science: D. Mendeleev, A. Butlerov, I. Sechenov, and others. In 1859-1862 A.P. Borodin visited Germany, France, and Italy. Almost immediately upon his arrival in the German city of Heidelberg, Borodin became friends with talented young chemists V. Savich, V. Olevinsky, D. Mendeleev. The friendship between Borodin and Mendeleev lasted for life. The life of young scientists in Heidelberg was spent in intense scientific work. And in the evenings they would gather with one of their friends and listen to music. Often the whole company, despite their modest material wealth, traveled to nearby cities for concerts and opera performances.

By that time, the young scientist Borodin was already the author of several romances, instrumental plays, and ensembles. Some of his piano pieces were even published. In Heidelberg, Borodin also composed, mainly chamber instrumental ensembles: piano trio, sextet, string quintet. They are immediately willingly performed on musical evenings. But, despite his strong attraction to music and the success of his compositions, he belongs to music lessons as a secondary matter - so great was the passion for science. There, in Heidelberg, Borodin met the young Moscow pianist Ekaterina Sergeevna Protopopova. An excellent performer of the music of Chopin, Schumann, and Liszt, she opened up for Borodin a world of romantic composers still unknown to him. And then, when for health reasons Ekaterina Sergeevna needed an urgent move to Italy, Borodin accompanied her as a groom. It was happiest year in his life: studies in the laboratory of a famous Italian scientist, frequent visits to concerts and opera performances. And, finally, a great feeling for the talented pianist, who, in his words, “served as the sun that illuminated and warmed the entire Italian landscape.” In Italy, Borodin created one of his best chamber works - the Piano Quintet.

Soon their wedding took place. When the newlyweds returned to St. Petersburg in 1862, Borodin took the position of associate professor in the department of chemistry at the Medical-Surgical Academy, and in 1864 he became an ordinary professor in the same department. In 1874 A.P. Borodin was appointed head of the chemical laboratory, and in 1877 he was elected academician of the Medical-Surgical Academy. At the same time, since 1863 Borodin was a professor at the Forestry Academy (department of chemistry), in 1868 he was one of the founding members of the Russian Chemical Society. Student N.N. Zinina, Borodin - author of more than 40 works on chemistry. He developed an original method for producing bromine-substituted fatty acids by the action of bromine on silver salts of acids; obtained the first organofluorine compound - benzoyl fluoride (1862), studied acetaldehyde, described the aldol and the aldol condensation reaction.

This service required a lot of time and effort from the young scientist. Despite his intense studies in science, Borodin never abandoned music. The year 1862 was decisive in his musical biography. Soon after returning from abroad, Borodin visited his colleague and friend, in whose house Saturday evenings were held, spent having a friendly conversation. On one of these “Saturdays” an event occurred that largely determined later life Borodin, - his meeting with the composer and his circle (later known as the New Russian School or the “Mighty Handful”), consisting of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and.

Acquaintance and communication with the leader of the “Mighty Handful” and with the members of this circle confirmed more in the young scientist serious attitude to his talent as a composer. After the first month of communication with Balakirev, “Alexander Porfiryevich was completely reborn musically,” Protopopova recalled, “he grew two heads tall, acquired something highly original and Borodinian, which one always had to be surprised and admired when listening to his music from then on.” Balakirev was the first to recognize Borodin’s extraordinary talent and instilled in him the idea of the need to create the First Symphony. Work on this symphony took place under the direct supervision of Balakirev and lasted about five years. Of course, such a long period was not determined by the slowness of the composer. He composed quite quickly, completely devoting himself to creativity. But such days when I had the opportunity to compose were extremely rare. Music did not leave the scientist - it sounded in his soul even during lectures. But it also happened differently: at home, during a conversation with fellow musicians, he suddenly jumped up and ran to the laboratory. Chemistry and music reigned supreme in his soul.

The first symphony was created in fits and starts, nevertheless it amazes with its harmonious integrity and harmony. The main features of Borodin's style already clearly appear in it - his music is full of contrasting and at the same time subtly similar images of either mighty strength, fortitude, or spiritual softness, affectionate tenderness. The completion of the First Symphony was delayed due to the composer’s workload with scientific, teaching and publishing activities, but in 1867 the symphony was finally completed, and in 1869 it was performed under the baton of Balakirev.

The historical value of the First Symphony lies not only in its artistic maturity. Appearing simultaneously with the first examples of this genre by Rimsky-Korsakov and, it was one of the first symphonies in Russian music and laid the foundation for the heroic-epic direction of Russian symphonism. Sounded from great success, it turned out to be a brilliant victory won by the composers of the “Mighty Handful”. This victory gave Borodin confidence in his creative forces, he now rejected all doubts about his right to engage in composition. He pays more and more attention to music, follows with great attention the successes of his musician friends, his works - in whole and in excerpts - are performed at concerts of the Free music school, at meetings of the "Mighty Handful". The atmosphere that reigned musical gatherings, high, incomparable enthusiasm could not leave anyone indifferent. And Borodin too - despite his always being busy with scientific and social activities. He creates his best romances and songs one after another. Almost half of them were written based on poetic texts by the composer himself.

The success of the First Symphony encouraged Borodin to continue working in this genre: in 1869, the idea of a symphony in B-flat minor appeared, but the composer soon abandoned it, attracted by the idea of an opera based on the plot of the ancient Russian epic “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” Soon the opera was also abandoned; Some of the music composed for her was included in the Second Symphony, the completion of which dates back to 1875. Around 1874, Borodin returned to his operatic concept and continued to work from time to time on individual scenes of Prince Igor. At this time, Borodin devotes a lot of time to scientific, teaching and social activities. In 1868, he published musical and critical articles in the newspaper "St. Petersburg Vedomosti", in 1872 Borodin was one of the organizers of the Women's Medical Courses in St. Petersburg, where he taught until 1887, and since 1885 he has been a professor and edited the scientific journal " Knowledge" etc.

At the end of 1875, Borodin completed his Second Symphony - one of the best works of Russian symphonic music, a work perfect in form and content. It was enthusiastically received by the composer's friends, who praised it as the best Russian symphony, surpassing everything created before it. When Mussorgsky suggested calling it “Slavic heroic,” the critic protested: not Slavic in general, but specifically Russian, heroic. So this symphony began to be called “Bogatyrskaya”. The second, Bogatyr Symphony stands on a par with the best works world musical classics.

Simultaneously with the Second Symphony, Borodin also worked on the creation of his main work, the opera “Prince Igor,” which began in the late 1860s. It was V.V. Stasov then suggested to him “The Lay of Igor’s Campaign” as a plot. This fascinated the composer, and soon he composed detailed plan future opera. Thus began the inspired and painstaking work on the opera “Prince Igor”, which, due to his constant busyness, lasted for 18 years - until his death. Borodin's thoroughness as a scientist was also reflected in his approach to composing. Scroll historical sources- scientific and artistic-literary, which he worked on before he began creating the opera, speaks volumes. Here are various translations of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, and that’s it basic research on the history of Russia. Working on the opera helped me endure disappointments and failures. The illness of his wife, Ekaterina Sergeevna, was especially depressing. She loved her husband, appreciated his enormous talent, but she had no opportunity to create comfort and peace for him, to surround him with care, since most I lived apart from him for years. Due to asthma, she could not live in St. Petersburg and usually spent six months with her parents in Moscow or the Moscow region. And her visits to St. Petersburg did not make Borodin’s life any easier.

Distracted from main activities and financial problems, forcing him to teach at the Forestry Academy and translate from foreign languages scientific literature, sometimes even uninteresting. Part of the salary went to help relatives, needy students, to support students (the Borodins did not have their own children), to purchase various drugs that were always missing in the laboratory, and much more. Nevertheless, Borodin carried out his research, which played a significant role in the development of chemistry. His contribution to Russian science is quite large, although it could have been even greater if the scientist had the necessary conditions.

The huge workload at the academy, the unsettled life, the illness of his wife and her frequent departures, the lack of a routine - all this caused a feeling of fatigue - spiritual and physical. Borodin's moral well-being was also deteriorating - old age was approaching, which threatened not only ill health, but also material insecurity. Nevertheless, at the end of his life, Borodin devoted himself more and more to music - the composer gradually replaced the scientist in him. During these years, the symphonic film “In Central Asia” (1880), several piano pieces and chamber ensembles were created. One of them - the First String Quartet - was performed in the winter of 1879 at a concert by the Russian musical society. Success inspired A.P. Borodin to create a new quartet - the Second, which was performed in Moscow in January 1882. And again success - even greater than in St. Petersburg. The second quartet is an even more mature and perfect work. Each of its four parts, making up a single whole, is at the same time a small instrumental masterpiece. Borodin's music begins to be performed in Germany, Belgium and France, largely thanks to the assistance of F. Liszt, with whom Borodin had maintained a personal acquaintance since 1877.

And Borodin was already working hard on a new symphony - the Third, which, in his opinion, was to become his brightest, most significant work. The composer intended to call it "Russian". He had already played some fragments from it to his friends, causing joy and admiration. Although very slowly, work was underway on the opera “Prince Igor”. The composer's friends provided him with every possible support. ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov and V.V. The Stasovs saw how Borodin lived, understood that it was very difficult for him, and tried with all their might to prevent him from abandoning his essay. “Tell me, for God’s sake, has “Prince Igor” made any progress? Or has he been sleeping for two whole years? If so, this is simply unforgivable for talented person“like you,” Stasov appealed to the composer. Rimsky-Korsakov agreed to any work to help Borodin: “I offer him myself as a musical secretary, just to promote his wonderful opera.”

Borodin wrote down music on separate pieces of paper; he never had time to write a score. Rimsky-Korsakov simply despaired that a gifted man could do so little. In the end, Rimsky-Korsakov invites Borodin to his home, calls Lyadov for help, and the three of them sit down to write the score. To speed up the process, you have to write not with ink, but with a pencil, and to prevent the pencil from being erased, the chemist Borodin covers the written sheets with a specially prepared composition, like a transparent varnish. The varnished sheets of the score were then hung to dry on lines in Rimsky-Korsakov's office. But neither “Prince Igor” nor the Third Symphony were ever completed. On February 15 (27), 1887, Borodin died unexpectedly.

That day, Borodin decided to gather young people at his place and organize a costume party. He himself dressed up in a yellow-red Russian shirt and blue trousers. In the midst of the fun, talking with the guest, he suddenly fell to his full height. Everyone rushed to him and immediately on the floor, without lifting him, began to bring him to his senses. The doctors and professors who came did their best for almost an hour to bring him back to life. Every means was tried, and nothing helped. He lay in front of the guests, and they stood around in jester costumes and were afraid to tell each other that it was all over. The heart, worn out by the unbearable load of three decades, could not stand it.

Masses of people flocked to Borodin's funeral. Everyone who knew him as a musician, a scientist, and simply as a sensitive and kind person. Taking turns, the students carried the coffin in their arms across the city to the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Borodin was buried next to Mussorgsky.

Rimsky-Korsakov brought all Borodin's music manuscripts to his place. Shocked by the death of his friend, Rimsky-Korsakov could not sleep all night. He tried to remember all the plans of the author of “Prince Igor”, and from memory he made sketches of what Borodin did not have time to write down. The friendship between Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov lasted for more than 20 years, and for eighteen of them, with stops and breaks, Prince Igor was composed. A few days after the funeral, Rimsky-Korsakov and Belyaev gathered in Borodin’s apartment. It was decided that to help N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov will be A.K. Glazunov. He was tasked with recording from memory the overture to “Prince Igor,” which Borodin often played among his friends, but which he never wrote. With the onset of summer, Rimsky-Korsakov began to work closely on the score of Borodin's opera. He wrote: “The work on the orchestration of “Prince Igor” proceeded easily, naturally and, apparently, was a success.”

In 1889, a monument was erected at Borodin’s grave (sk. I.Ya. Ginzburg, architect I.P. Ropet), created with public donations. A quotation from the “Bogatyr” symphony was reproduced on the monument, and on the fence (not preserved) - chemical formulas. Soon, on October 23, 1890, the premiere of the opera “Prince Igor” took place at the Mariinsky Theater. The success was enormous. It's scary to think that Russian music might have been left without "Prince Igor" if it weren't for Rimsky-Korsakov. With the selfless devotion of a true friend and artist-citizen, he heroically took upon himself a huge task. Rimsky-Korsakov completed this work completely free of charge, without receiving a single penny from either the music publishing house or the theater. Only in the name of the glory of Russian art did he do everything to save the brilliant opera from oblivion, and this can only be called a great creative feat.

A.P. Borodin did not stand out for his skill as a playwright, but his opera, thanks to its high musical merits, won stages all over the world. Borodin's creative legacy is relatively small in volume, but is a most valuable contribution to the treasury of Russian musical classics. His music is distinguished by its epic breadth, masculinity, and at the same time deep lyricism. “Borodin’s talent is equally powerful and amazing in symphony, opera, and romance,” wrote V. Stasov.