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Follow us on. Alexander Porfir'yevich Borodin November 12, - February 27, was a genius in several fields. The illegitimate son of a nobleman and a peasant, his aristocratic connection allowed him to receive a better education than almost any other serf of his time. His father, at his death in , freed Borodin from serfdom. Borodin began to compose music in his teens.

He studied piano and taught himself the cello. He also began to study chemistry, beginning because he wanted to make fireworks. Soon, however, his passion for chemistry as a subject in itself eclipsed his interest in music.

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At the time, one could not obtain a separate degree in chemistry, and so Borodin began as a medical student. On graduation, he became an army surgeon. In fact, it was in the army that he met a young officer named Modest Mussorgsky. In any case, Borodin had so distinguished himself, that he was sent to Heidelberg for further study, where he came into contact with Mendeleyev, the architect of the periodic table.

He continued to compose in his off-hours, but the works, with few exceptions, were not especially distinguished. In , he married. Borodin's musical output, although brilliant, was constrained by the demands of job and family throughout his life. For a major composer, he has a very, very slim catalogue.