Symphony No. 1 by A. Borodin composed in 1862–1867 and performed in 1869 is original in the image content. The music, epic according to its scope and Russian by nature, bears the genuine symphonism of the development of the major thematic grain. It was conceived in the land of endless valleys and grand deliberate rivers, it evokes in one's imagination the pictures of the spring waters, awakening of the life forces. The third movement of the symphony has the Oriental intonations.
It took a long time (from 1869 to 1876) for Borodin to write Symphony No. 2. The premiere performance took place in 1877. The symphony was composed parallel with the opera “Prince Igor” which is close to the symphony by its imagery and character. The symphony was later called “Heroic” which is in perfect harmony with the music, full of spontaneous force, audacity and scope, the music monumental by its proportions, original by its image con tent which evokes in memory the Russian bylinas. Each of four movements is individual by nature: powerful, ponderous march of Allegro, irresistible in its flight Scherzo, songful Andante, reminding of the legendary singer Bayan, solemn Finale all this is united in the whole monumentary fresco painted with the bold wide strokes.
Alexander Borodin began to work over the Third Symphony in winter 1883-84. The work over the Symphony continued up to the end of his life. He often played music of the Symphony to his friends, but he didn't write it down and unfortunately it remained unfinished. Now we can listen to it thanks to A. Glazunov who remembered the author's performing of the first movement of the Symphony and used Borodin's Scherzo, intended initially for a Quartet, for the second movement according to A. Borodins will. As a result of this now we have the score of two movements of the Third Symphony known as “Unfinished”. First the Symphony was performed on October 24, 1887 at a concert dedicated to A. Borodin's memory.
The "Petite Suite" for Piano was written in 1885 in usual for the genre inter change of programme and dance miniatures. It is quite an original composition because of expressive manners and innovatory approaching of art task. "Petite Suite" is recorded on this disc in A. Glazunov's instrumentation. In Finale he used music of Borodin's piano Scherzo, repeating it twice in different instrumentation. Orchestral version of the Suite was premiered on October 28, 1889 in St. Petersburg, performed by the orchestra under Rimsky-Korsakov.
Overture to the opera “Prince Igor” was written from memory and orchestrated by A. Glazunov, who heard its piano version in the author's performance. It is based on contrasts of Russian and oriental, polovtsian images, on opera's melodies and tunes.
