Alexander Borodin - String Quartet No. 2 in D Major - III. Notturno:

Alexander Borodin 

(12 November 1833 – 27 February 1887)

was a Russian Romantic composer of Georgian origin, as well as a doctor and chemist. He was one of the prominent 19th century composers known as The Mighty Handful, a group dedicated to producing a uniquely Russian kind of classical music, rather than imitating earlier Western European models.

Borodin is best known for his symphonies, his two string quartets, In the Steppes of Central Asia and his opera Prince Igor. Music from Prince Igor and his string quartets was later adapted for the US musical Kismet. A notable advocate of women's rights, Borodin was a promoter of education in Russia and founded the School of Medicine for Women in St. Petersburg.

String Quartet No. 2 in D Major - III. Notturno((Kontras Quartet)

보로딘이 속한 러시아 국민악파 5인조의 우두머리였으며 조언자이기도 하였던 발라키레프는 실내악에 찬성하지 않았음으로 보로딘은 1877년 현악 4중주 1번을 완성 후 실내악을 쓰지 않고 있었다. 그러다 1881년 또다른 국민악파 5인조였던 무소륵스키가 42세의 나이에 알콜 중독으로 눈을 감자, 푸쉬킨의 시 "멀리 떨어진 조국의 해변을 향하여"에 곡을 부쳐 무소륵스키의 죽음을 애도한 다음 곧바로 실내악을 작곡하는데 이 곡이 현악 4중주 2번이다.

 

그 해 여름 2개월에 걸쳐 완성한 보로딘은 약혼 20주년을 기념하기 위하여 부인에게 헌정하였다.

[오케스트라 연주]

Liatoshinsky Chamber Orchestra, Kiev, plays Borodin's nocturne during last ICF (International Conductors' Festival) under the conducting of Christophe Rody (Switzerland)