ALEXANDER PORFIRIVICH BORODIN

PHYSICIAN, CHEMIST AND COMPOSER*

By F. WILLIAM SUNDERMAN, M.D., Ph.D.

PHILADELPHIA

N THE Lancet of 1887 there ap­ din gladly accepted this assertion and peared an obituary of the physi­ never bothered to verify its correctness. cian and chemist, Alexander Por­ Alexander Porfirivich Borodin was firivich Borodin, which, after out­ the illegitimate son of Prince Luke Ilining briefly his eminent scientificGhedeanof, a descendant of the last career, closed with this casual state­ rulers of Emeretia, which was an ancient ment, “He is, indeed, said to have ren­ kingdom in the Caucasus. His paternal dered valuable service to the cause of ancestors claimed to be descended from music in Russia." Now, after the pass­ David and adopted the harp and sling ing of fifty years, the fact that Borodin for their coat-of-arms. His mother, had been a distinguished laboratory Eudoxia Kleineke, was twenty-five years physician who had received recognition of age and his father sixty-two at the throughout the world is almost forgot­ time of his birth. The child was given ten; his claim to immortality arises the name “Borodin, ’ the surname of chiefly front his accomplishments as a one of his father’s slaves. musical composer, which he, himself, Borodin was reared in a pleasant regarded as “a recreation, a pastime, maternal environment. His mother was and an avocation that distracts me from cultured, beautiful and financially in­ my principal activity as a professor." dependent. In youth he was of such deli­ cate physique that some of his relatives To Borodin art and science were in­ believed him to be tuberculous and ad­ separable throughout his entire life, vised his mother not to spend too much yet he found only an hour or so a day time and money on his education, since, to devote to music and preferred to be in their opinion, the expenditure would known merely as a “Sunday” musician. probably be fruitless. His mother, how­ Fhe birth year of Borodin is ques­ ever, took exceptionally good care of tionable. Though he may have been him physically and, despite the advice born in the year 1833, on his tombstone of her relatives, she had him tutored in the year of his birth is recorded as 1834. French, German and music and gave On October 31, 1873, Eastern Calen­ him every educational advantage. Early dar (November 12, Western Calendar) in childhood Borodin displayed a re­ Borodin wrote, “today is my fortieth markable talent for music and at the birthday.” On that same day, however, age of nine composed a polka entitled an old servant in his family told him he “Helene” in honor of a woman living was only thirty-nine years of age. Boro­ in his home. At the age of twelve he * Read before Section on Medical History, College of Physicians, Philadelphia, Decem­ ber 13, 1937. received lessons on the Hute and ’cello science was beginning to be emphasized and began to express enthusiasm for in the university curricula. Courses in the playing of chamber music. At this chemistry and physics became poptdar with students and superseded to some extent those in philosophy and history. Encouraged by his mother, Borodin en­ tered the St. Petersburg Academy of Medicine in 1850 and was soon at­ tracted to the academy’s chemistry de­ partment, then under the direction of Professor Zinin. Although Borodin was naturally very shy, it did not require long for Zinin to appreciate his real enthusiasm for chemistry and to recog­ nize in this youngster his own possible successor, whom later he accepted as an adopted son. As a student Borodin was brilliant; the only criticism offered of his examinations pertained to his habit of quoting the Scriptures too freely. Writing in the Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry in 1880, Borodin de­ scribed the chemistry laboratory and Zinin, the professor who had such a profound influence upon his later life:

His [Zinin’s] laboratory was the meet­ ing place of young scientists who regu­ larly came to visit with him. These young fellows were eager to share with Zinin early period he wrote a concerto for the results of their experiments and to flute with piano accompaniment and receive his advice, to discuss their ideas also a string trio for two violins and and plans, etc. His laboratory was trans­ ’cello. formed into a miniature chemistry club During his adolescent years Borodin and meeting place where the ideas of the became fascinated with the study of young Russian chemists were exchanged. chemistry. The rooms in his apartment Here Zinin in his high-pitched voice were filled with jars and beakers from would explain enthusiastically the newer which he prepared his own fireworks ideas and for lack of chalk and black­ and water-colors. These boyhood lean­ board would write on the dusty table with his finger the equations of those reac­ ings toward music and science later tions which have such an important place into the developed absorbing interests in the chemical literature. ... I remem­ of his life. ber especially the Monday evenings when At the beginning of the fifties, when there would be gathered a small but in­ Borodin was sixteen or seventeen years teresting group of scholars and scientists. of age, a new era in higher education In his small study there would be heated was evolving in which the study of debates and discussions. At these gather­ ings Zinin would display his intellectual cal school, Borodin went to Heidelberg power, vast knowledge, outstanding mem­ to work in Erlenmeyer’s laboratory with ory, keen and original humor. his Russian friend, Mendelieff. During the three happy years he spent in It may be interesting to note that Heidelberg Borodin began research Zinin’s outstanding achievement in sci­ work in organic chemistry and pub­ ence was his work that led to the lished several articles in English, French preparation of aniline derivatives from and German chemical journals. aromatic nitro compounds and thus Borodin and Mendelieff spent their initiated the study of the chemistry of summer vacations largely in travel. dyes. Mendelieff describes their trips in a Borodin’s friends at the Academy very vivid manner: were in the main not Russian students We would travel with light baggage— but Germans, whom as a group he con­ just a bag for the two of us. We wore sidered more cultured and more inter­ blouses and tried to pass for artists, since ested in music. So many of their eve­ in Italy this has financial advantages. We nings were devoted to the playing of bought underwear on the way which later chamber music that Zinin on one oc­ we would give to the waiters as tips. In casion reproached Borodin, saying, this way we visited Venice, Verona and “You would do better to become less Milan in the spring of i860. In the fall occupied with your music. You know of the same year we visited Genoa and I am depending upon you to succeed Rome. During our first trip we had an me, but you are thinking only of music. interesting adventure. Near Verona our railway coach was searched by the Aus­ You are making a mistake by chasing trian police for an Italian who had been twTo rabbits at the same time.’’ held as a political prisoner and who had After completing his studies at the escaped. The southern features of Borodin medical school, Borodin obtained an attracted the attention of the police who internship at the Military Hospital in believed that Borodin was the fugitive St. Petersburg where for the first time whom they sought. They inspected our he met Moussorgsky, a young subaltern baggage and questioned us but found in one of the fashionable regiments of out that we were just poor Russian stu­ Russian guards. Moussorgsky, like dents and so left us alone. Borodin, was also interested in com­ We had scarcely crossed the Austrian border when our fellow passengers in the posing music. By virtue of this mutual coach started to hug and kiss us and to hobby, they became intimate friends. shout “Evviva.” The fugitive had really The year following his internship been in our group and had crossed the Borodin prepared a thesis on the anal­ border without being recognized. Thus ogy between arsenious and phosphoric thanks to the suspected features of Boro­ acid and received a medical degree on din, the fugitive had escaped the clutches May 3, 1858. He practiced medicine of the Austrian government. for only a short time after internship, While a student at Heidelberg, Boro­ since his interests lay in the academic din met Catharine Protopopoff, who aspects of medicine and especially in later became his wife. This girl, an ac­ the fields of physiological and organic complished pianist, had come to Heidel­ chemistry. berg for a rest following a concert en­ The year after graduation from medi­ gagement in Moscow. Their mutual love of music and the fact that they were aims were Rimsky-Korsakoff, a former Russians living in a foreign country naval cadet; Moussorgsky, the military played a large part in bringing about officer; and Borodin. This small group their affection for each other. In her which played such an important role in memoirs Catharine wrote concerning the advancement of musical composi­ their friendship in Heidelberg: tion during the past few decades became known as the “Kouchka” or the “Rus­ He [Borodin] became like a brother to me, taking care of my health, my treat­ sian Circle of Five.” It would seem ments, and even my financial affairs. Ac­ significant that the “Kouchka” was companied by a friend, R, I often went to composed essentially of men of science, Baden Baden to play roulette and would Balakireff having been a mathema­ lose considerable money. . . . Borodin tician, and Cui a professor of fortifica­ played quite a trick on me by pretending tions in the Engineer’s Academy. The that he needed money and asking me to “Kouchka” openly revolted against the lend him almost all that I had. Since I rules and conventions of European could not easily refuse to lend him the music, feeling that traditional classical money I had to forego playing roulette. It music inhibited the free expression of was only much later that I learned that Russian musical thought. Their idea he had borrowed my money only to pre­ of nationalism in music was to treat vent me from losing it. folk songs with gay and brilliant flour­ Borodin returned to the St. Peters­ ishes, adorning them with the very arti­ berg Academy of Medicine in the fall ficialities which are the direct antithesis of 1862 as an associate professor in or­ of folk music. This “Free School of ganic (including physiological) chemis­ Music,” headed by Balakireff, searched try, under Zinin, and as a professor of for, and used mainly, liturgical chants chemistry in the school of forestry. At and folk songs as their musical idiom. this time he began a series of researches Being a young professor, who was by on condensation reactions of aldehydes, nature reticent and self-conscious, Boro­ which led later in his life to the dis­ din was hesitant to confess his activities covery of aldol (p hydroxybutyric as a composer of music. He derived, aldehyde), simultaneously with Wurtz however, much encouragement to con­ in 1873. tinue in this work from the “Kouchka” Borodin’s interest in music was more and from the pianist Liszt. Balakireff, than a superficial drawing-room attrac­ in a letter to Stasoff (who later became tion, so that after returning to Russia Borodin’s biographer) wrote, “Our he lost little time before resuming union was exceedingly stimulating for his studies in musical composition. Borodin. Up to that time he considered Through his friendship with Moussorg- himself an amateur and did not regard sky Borodin became associated with a his compositions as important. I was the small group of musicians who studied first one to reproach him and he im­ the technique of orchestration and the mediately began to compose his sym­ esthetics of music under Balakireff. phony in E^-Major.” Balakireff and Cesar Cui had been ad­ Just as Liszt had been one of the first vocating for some time the introduction Europeans to laud Wagner’s contribu­ of nationalism in Russian music. tions to music, so also he encouraged Joined with them in their nationalistic Borodin, advising: Do not listen to those who wish to at any time whatsoever and took him away deter you. Believe me, you are on the right from his dinner or his tea. Dear old Boro­ track. Your artistic instinct is such that din would get up with his meal or his

you should not be afraid to be original. drink half-tasted, would listen to all kinds Remember that the same sort of criticism of requests and complaints and would was given to Mozart and Beethoven in promise “to look into it.’’ . . . their time. If they had followed the ad­ [His wife] continually suffered from vice of their critics, they would not have asthma, passed sleepless nights, and [did become great masters. not get up until] 11 or 12 o’clock. . . . [Alexander] had a difficult time with her After Borodin’s marriage to Cath­ at night, rose early, and got along with arine Protopopoff in April, 1863, he insufficient sleep. Their whole home life moved his living quarters to the new was one unending disorder. . . . Their chemistry laboratory where he re­ apartment was often used as a shelter or mained as the director until his a night’s lodging by various poor [or death. Here Borodin worked tirelessly “visiting”] relations, who picked that place throughout his life and was available at to fall ill or even lose their minds. Borodin all hours to any student or associate had his hands full of them, doctored them, took them to hospitals, and then visited who requested his help or advice. Those them there. In the four rooms of his apart­ who worked in the laboratory were ment there often slept several strange per­ made to feel as though they were mem­ sons of this sort; sofas and floors were bers of Borodin’s family and never hesi­ turned into beds. Frequently it proved tated to approach him with questions impossible to play the piano because some­ and new ideas. one lay asleep in the adjoining room. . . . One of the most descriptive accounts Borodin was a man of very strong phy­ of Borodin’s home life may be found sique and health; a man of no whims and in Rimsky-Korsakoff’s autobiography, easy to get along with. He slept little, but from which the following excerpts are could sleep on anything and anywhere. taken: He could dine twice a day, or go dinner­ less altogether, both of which happened Of all my intimate musical friends, I frequently. Borodin would drop in on a visited Borodin the oftenest. . . . His friend during dinner; he would be in­ inconvenient apartment, so like a corri­ vited to join the meal—“As I have already dor, never allowed him to lock himself in dined today and, consequently, have or pretend he was not at home to any­ formed the habit of dining, I might as body. Anybody entered his [apartment] well dine once more”—Borodin would say and seat himself at the table. They would tions is the letter that he wrote to offer him wine—“As I don’t drink wine, Rimsky-Korsakoff’s son, aged two as a rule, I might treat myself to it today” months! —he would reply. Next time it might be just the contrary. Dear Sir:—Your Father lent me a horn Throughout his life Borodin had an to play. Now I am in a very difficult posi­ affection for cats and always kept sev­ tion. Your Father asked me to send it back as soon as possible, but your Mother, eral in his home. His mother would pay who dislikes all noisy toys, asked me to as much as too rubles for one that keep it as long as I could. Since I cannot took her fancy. Rimsky-Korsakoff re­ please them both I am sending the horn lates that if a guest were to brush away to you. However, I find it necessary to one of the cats that made for the guest’s tell you not to put the instrument to your plate at the dinner table, Borodin’s mouth. It is made of brass. Excuse me for wife would invariably take the cat’s giving you such advice, but you are so part and tell some incident pertaining young. I am older than you and there­ to the animal’s biography. fore more experienced (and besides, I stud­ Although Borodin and his wife had ied medicine). I know very well that no children of their own, they took young men of your age put everything care of several. On one occasion, it is that they find into their mouths. I had the same habit myself, but it really was a recorded an adopted daughter asked long time ago. Believe me that if I per­ Borodin to play a piano duet with her. mit myself to give you such advice, it is When Borodin asked of the child what due to my interest in you. My best regards she could play, she replied that she to your Mother and Father. Sincerely knew how to play chop-sticks. Borodin yours, then proceeded to write a polka to har­ Borodin. monize with the playing of chop-sticks. This gave Rimsky-Korsakoff the idea Borodin published approximately of composing a set of variations on the twenty major articles on chemical sub­ chop-stick theme. Cui and Liadof were jects. In addition to his studies on the also invited to contribute to the amuse­ aldehydes, he prepared and studied the ment. After the paraphrases were pub­ reactions of several organic fluorides lished Liszt, in a letter written to a and wrote a few papers dealing with friend, praised them highly The musi­ some of the higher fatty acids. In his cal critics of St. Petersburg, however, later years he was occupied with physio­ were indignant over the publication logical studies pertaining to nitrogen of such a conglomerate musical com­ metabolism. He invented a nitrometer position and, when confronted with for the estimation of nitrogen in or­ Liszt’s favorable comments, they even ganic compounds which was widely doubted the authenticity of Liszt’s let­ used and described in most of the then ter. Later Liszt, in order to emphasize current chemistry manuals. the esteem with which he regarded these In the seventies Borodin established paraphrases, retaliated by composing a himself as a pioneer in the cause of prelude which was published in the medical coeducation in Russia. He, to­ second edition of this entertaining gether with Professor Roudneff and work. Mrs. Tarnovsky, founded the Women’s Typical of the easy manner with Medical College of St. Petersburg in which Borodin handled delicate situa­ 1872. At this institution Borodin served in the capacities of professor of chem­ No persuasion of Borodin’s close friends istry and treasurer until his death. was of any avail. Everything seemed to Of Borodin’s major musical composi­ stand in his way, and one restless, unsys­ tions twelve were published during his tematic day passed after another, giving him no time whatsoever for composing. lifetime and nine were published post­ Once I went over in the evening and humously. In 1876 he wrote to a friend, Borodin was out. I was met by Dianin “When I am so ill that I must stay at who told me how Rimsky-Korsakoff had home and can do nothing important, just called and had wept and prayed be­ my head splitting, my eyes filled with fore the ikons and sworn that the cause tears, so that every moment I must take of Russian music was lost as long as out my handkerchief, then I compose “Igor” remained unfinished and as long music.” In another letter he wrote: as Borodin was entangled in trifling mat­ ters with charity organizations which I must point out that I am a composer could be done by anybody, while “Igor” looking for something unknown. I am could be completed only by him. Dianin almost ashamed to confess to my com­ added that Rimsky-Korsakoff’s lamenta­ posing activities. For others the composi­ tions seemed to have some effect on Boro­ tion of music is the goal of their lives. din who had promised to attend to “Igor” For me, it is only recreation, fun, which —next summer! takes time from my serious business as a That Borodin was not always in professor. I am absorbed in my work, my happy spirits and had many cares and science, my academy and my students. Men and women students are dear to me. worries is revealed in a letter written to his friend Mrs. Karmolin: It was the opinion of some of Boro­ Our academy is awaiting its verdict. din’s colleagues, however, that his best . . . There is much anxiety, unnecessary musical compositions were written at red-tape and bad financial arrangements. periods when he appeared to be most This leaves me little time for my beloved active in the laboratory. work. At home things are not going An intense national character pre­ smoothly. My poor wife is always sick and dominates in Borodin’s music. While this year worse than last. The only thing manifest even in his first symphony that cheers me up is the Women’s Col­ in E^-major, it does not reach heroic lege. It takes lots of time, but gives me a moral satisfaction. On account of my proportions until the second symphony work on all kinds of committees, etc., I in B minor and the great epic opera, have no time for my music. When I have “Prince Igor.” The opera was begun time for physical relaxation, I lack the in 1869 at the suggestion of his friend peace of mind which is so indispensable Vladimir Stasoff, who believed that the for composing music. story of the army of Igor would afford On February 15, 1887, Borodin Borodin an inspiring patriotic medium wrote a letter to his wife, who was then for his talent. Borodin procrastinated living in the drier climate of Moscow on dreadfully in writing the opera and it account of her health: “Tomorrow we is regrettable that he left it unfinished shall have a dance. It is going to be a at the time of his death. His friends grand affair—a costume-ball in the au­ Rimsky-Korsakoff and Glazunoff finally ditorium. I do not care to write to you completed it in 1889. Concerning this about it since others will tell you about procrastination Kurbanoff wrote: it later.” This dance had been arranged by the professors of the academy for Borodin was very human. He was al­ their families and friends. Borodin at­ ways looking for an opportunity to help tended, dressed in the costume of a Rus- some one. He gave money, advice and

sian peasant. It is said that he was in an assistance to any friend who asked him. especially gay and lively mood that eve­ In his later years when his memory was ning-dancing, telling jokes, etc., when not so keen, he made notations on scraps suddenly he leaned forward and of paper of the things he wanted to do. dropped dead from a heart attack. On one of these papers he wrote, “Go to B and ask him to admit A into a hospital. Borodin was buried in the Alexander Write a prescription for K. Talk to B con­ Nevsky cemetery, next to Moussorgsky. cerning D. Could not something be done His students carried the coffin on their for V?’’ If he succeeded in helping some shoulders from his home in the labora­ one, he was very happy. tory to the burial ground. Many obitu­ aries were written after his death. A In 1889 Borodin’s friends erected an part of one published in the Journal of elaborate tombstone in honor of his the Russian Chemical Society by his memory. The design consisted of a bust colleague, Dianin, is as follows: of Borodin, embellished with inscrip­ tions of the structure of organic com­ Editorial. Etude, 52:508, 1934. pounds which he had studied and of Kurbanoff, M. M. Chesterian, n.s., 16:96, the main themes of some of his musical *935- Obituary. Professor Borodin. Lancet, 1:601, compositions. 1887. Recently there has appeared in the Stoddard, H. Borodin, genius in double French literature a psychoanalytical harness. Musical Opinion, 57:502, 1934. study of Borodin by LaCombe. This Strangeways, A. H. (Ed.) Music and Letters, author endeavors to provide reasons 16: No. 2, 1935. for the fact that Borodin preferred to Zinin, N. Nature, 21:572, 1880. remain a “Sunday” musician and to Books (English) follow a scientific rather than a musical Abraham, G. E. H. Borodin. The Composer career. LaCombe’s analysis may be sum­ and His Music. London, New Temple marized somewhat as follows: For Boro­ Press (n. d.). din science expressed no sentiments or Abraham, G. and Rimsky-Korsakoff, N. A. emotions, whereas music was the em­ Studies in Russian Music. N. Y., Scribner, bodiment of both. His teacher and fos­ i936- Calvocoressi, M. D., and Abraham, G. Mas­ ter father, Zinin, had encouraged Boro­ ters of Russian Music. N. Y., Knopf, 1936. din to become a scientist and not a Montagu-Nathan, M. A History of Russian musician. Borodin could never forget Music. London, Reeves, 1918. that he had been an illegitimate child Paine, J. K., Thomas, T., and Klauser, K. and hence his true father, whom he (Ed.) Famous Composers and Their Works, had never known, had in the deepest Vol. 4. Boston, Millet, 1891. sense discouraged him from expressing Rimsky-Korsakoff, N. A. My Musical Life. Trans, by J. A. Jaffe. Ed. by C. van Vech- his emotions. Being particularly gifted ten, N. Y., Knopf, 1925. in music Borodin was thus faced with Rosenfeld, P. Musical Portraits. Interpreta­ a most difficult psychological situation. tions of Twenty Modern Composers. N. Y., Now, fifty years after his death, those Harcourt, 1920. scientific activities which were Boro­ din’s primary interests in life are to a Books (French) large extent forgotten, while his music La Combe, R. P. Le cas de Borodine. These. is becoming even more widely known. Paris, Maloine, 1936. Borodin did not leave a great number Books (German) of musical compositions, but what he Feddersen, B. W., Oettingen, A. J., (Ed.). did leave has weight and commands Poggendorff’s Biographish-Litterarisches respect. In the words of Sir Henry Handworterbuch. Dritter Band (1858-83). Hadow: Leipzig, Barth, 1898. “No musician has ever claimed im­ mortality with so slender an offering. Books (Russian) Yet, if there be, indeed, immortalities A. P. Borodin, His Life, Letters and Musical in music his claim is incontestable.” Activities 1834-37. St. Petersburg, Souvorin, 1889. eferences R Braudo, E. M. Borodin. Petrograd, 1922. Articles Khuboff, G. Borodin. Moscow, 1933. Abraham, G. Borodin. Musical Times, Stasoff, V. V.- Borodin, His Life, Corre­ 75:983> 1934- spondence and Musical Articles. St. Peters­ Borodin, A. P. Nature, 134:727, 1934. burg, 1889. Cruppi, L. Borodin and Liszt. Living Age, Dianin (Ed.). Letters of A. P. Borodin. Vol. March 11, 1922. 1, 1857-71. Moscow, 1927-28.