It was said of Russian composer Alexander Borodin (1833–87) that "no musician has ever claimed immortality with so slender an offering." His lifelong work as a graduate research chemist and teacher preoccupied him, leaving little time for the music composing that he loved. But while the quantity of Borodin's compositions was small, the quality of his music was extraordinarily high. Such works as his opera Prince Igor, his first two symphonies, two string quartets, and songs place him firmly in the front rank of nineteenth-century Russian composers. This volume brings together Borodin's two most popular works: the melodious, vivacious "Polovtsian Dances" from Prince Igor and the richly evocative tone poem "In the Steppes of Central Asia."
The enormous success of these works is evidenced by their frequent performance in concerts worldwide and their many recordings. This attractive, durable, authoritative edition brings the full score of each composition to students, musicians, conductors, and music lovers everywhere.