Borodin, Alexander

Alexander Borodin was a Russian composer and chemist of Georgian – Russian extraction, born on November 12, 1833, in Saint Petersburg1. He is best known for his symphonies, his two string quartets, the symphonic poem “In the Steppes of Central Asia,” and his opera “Prince Igor”.

Borodin was one of the prominent 19th-century composers known as “The Five,” a group dedicated to producing a “uniquely Russian” kind of classical music1. Despite his fame as a composer, he regarded medicine and science as his primary occupations, only practicing music and composition in his spare time or when he was ill1.

As a chemist, Borodin made important early contributions to organic chemistry, including being among the first chemists to demonstrate nucleophilic substitution and being the co-discoverer of the aldol reaction. He also founded the School of Medicine for Women in Saint Petersburg, where he taught until 1885.

Borodin’s life was a fascinating blend of artistic creativity and scientific pursuit. He passed away on February 27, 1887, in Saint Petersburg