A masterpiece by Alexander Borodin. Popular classical music.
Here is an introduction to Alexander Borodin, a composer known as one of the “Mighty Handful” (the Russian Five) in the world of classical music.
While many classical composers are full-time musicians who make their living performing or composing, Borodin was an exceptional figure: he entered the medical faculty at the University of St.
Petersburg, graduated at the top of his class, and went on to serve as an assistant professor and then professor of biochemistry at his alma mater—his primary profession was that of a chemist.
He even called himself a “Sunday composer,” and because he composed in the intervals between his scientific work, his output is not large.
Nevertheless, he left many remarkable works, including the Polovtsian Dances and his String Quartet No.
2.
Here, we present Borodin’s masterpieces, movement by movement, paired with outstanding performances.
Please enjoy these superb works that you’d never guess were written by someone whose day job was chemistry!
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A masterpiece by Alexander Borodin. Popular classical music (41–50)
Petite Suite, Op. 1: No. 2 “Intermezzo”Alexander Borodin
Alexander Borodin, who combined a deep love for Russian folk songs with a keen eye as a chemist, composed Intermezzo as one of the pieces in his collection Petite Suite, Op.
1.
This piano piece, part of a set that entrusts a young woman’s love to brief verses, unfolds at a leisurely tempo with an elegant melody that evokes yearning for and visions of a glittering social world.
Its delicate expression of feeling and beautiful melodic lines captivate listeners and refuse to let go.
Strongly reflecting the composer’s individuality, this work can be regarded as an excellent piece where Romantic aesthetics and emotion are tightly intertwined.
Petite Suite, Op. 1: No. 4 “Mazurka”Alexander Borodin
While working as a chemist, the Russian composer Alexander Borodin also left many outstanding works as a composer, and was active as a member of the “Mighty Handful” (The Five) alongside Mussorgsky and Balakirev.
The Mazurka from his piano collection Petite Suite, Op.
1—written over a short period—is a piece distinguished by its emotionally rich melody that evokes the Russian landscape.
Reflecting Borodin’s unique creativity and individual musical language, this work is sure to leave a deep impression on listeners.
Petite Suite, Op. 1: No. 5 “Reverie”Alexander Borodin
While working as a chemist and physician, Alexander Borodin deeply loved Russian folk songs and produced many works inspired by them.
The fifth piece, Reverie, from his representative piano miniatures Petite Suite, Op.
1, is a captivating work whose delicate, lyrical melody conjures a dreamlike, fantastical atmosphere.
Filled with Borodin’s rich sensibility and the characteristic beauty of Russian music, this masterpiece is highly recommended for those who want to fully savor the charm of Russian music or who love lyrical compositions.
Little Suite, Op. 1: No. 7 “Nocturne”Alexander Borodin
The seventh piece, “Nocturne,” from Alexander Borodin’s Petite Suite Op.
1—Borodin being a composer active in Imperial Russia—is notable for its beautiful melody that resonates deeply with listeners.
Woven with the delicate sensibility characteristic of Borodin, who was also renowned as a scientist, the piece is said to express the blissful feelings of a young woman in love.
Its gently flowing melody seems to quietly depict the subtle shifts of a maiden’s heart as she thinks of her beloved.
It is a work that fully showcases Borodin’s talent and his profound affection for Russian folk music.
String Quartet No. 2 in D majorAlexander Borodin
Alexander Borodin, who was a scientist and physician by profession, also composed numerous masterpieces that represent the 19th century.
Among them is his String Quartet No.
2 in D major, which he wrote as a dedication to his wife.
It begins with a first movement in sonata form, followed by a second movement in song form, and proceeds through the main theme toward the finale.
The overall romantic and elegant atmosphere conveys the deep love Alexander Borodin felt for his wife.
String Quartet No. 2, Movement 3: NocturneAlexander Borodin
Borodin was one of the composers known as the “Mighty Handful” (or “The Five”), a group in late 19th-century Russia who sought to create a nationalistic art music.
Although he was not a professional composer but a chemist working at an army hospital, he left behind deeply expressive masterpieces.
This piece, too, is characterized by the rich sonority of the strings.
The cello sings an emotional, beautiful melody, which the violin then takes up and continues to render with heartfelt expression.
Borodin dedicated this work to his wife as a commemoration of the 20th anniversary of confessing his love to her.
Symphony No. 2Alexander Borodin
Although Borodin was a Russian composer, he did not receive formal musical training and can be considered an amateur composer.
His Symphony No.
2 was completed in 1876, the same year as Brahms’s Symphony No.
1.
The hallmark of this work is its straightforward simplicity: there are no complex passages, and every section features accessible melodies supported by clear, easy-to-understand harmonies.