Moguchaya Kuchka
The Mighty HandfulAlexander Borodin
In 1962 Mussorgsky brought the fifth memberof the group to meet the rest of the group, Alexander Borodin. Borodinwas an amateur composer and a professional doctor-chemist. (Suzanne Massie,340) Alexander Profir’yevich Borodin was born on October 31, 1833. He was an illegitimate son of a Georgian Prince who fell madly in lovewith a twenty-four year old daughter of a solider. Borodin was registeredas the son of Porphyry Borodin, one of his father’s serfs. (Suzanne Massie,343) He was highly educated in both the sciences and the arts. He learnedto play the flute, cello and piano. Borodin attended medical school atthe age of 17 and after he had completed it he went and studied chemistryin Germany. “Music historians agree that if Borodin had beenable to devote more time to composing, he would have played an even greaterpart in the evolution of music. But the musician was also a dedicated doctorand scientist, who spent his life balancing the two careers. (Suzanne Massie,342) Mussorsky introduced Borodin to Balakirev who forcefullyencouraged Borodin to start composing music. However, it took Borodin nearlyfive years to complete his first symphony because of all of the other activitiesin his life.
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