Alexander Borodin

Russia, 1862–1887

Chemist by profession and composer of 'The Five'. Prince Igor and the Second Symphony fuse Russian epic breadth with oriental colour.

MusicRoots documents 3 artists who influenced Alexander Borodin and 0 artists Alexander Borodin influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Alexander Borodin?

• Mily Balakirev — Balakirev drew the chemist Borodin into 'The Five' in 1862 and guided his First Symphony to completion.
• Robert Schumann — Borodin absorbed Schumann heavily as a student in Heidelberg — his wife Ekaterina, a fine pianist, converted him to Schumann's music, shaping his lyrical chamber writing.
• Ludwig van Beethoven — Beethoven was among the canonic German masters Borodin steeped himself in at Heidelberg — the structural backbone beneath his Russian-epic breadth.