Symphony No.2 (Borodin, Alexander Porfirevich)

Free public domain sheet music from IMSLP / Petrucci Music Library

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For 2 Pianos, 4 hands (Chernov?)

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General Information

Misc. Comments

Considerable confusion has arisen over the exact nature of the contributions by Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov to this work. Although the symphony was completed by 1876, Borodin lost his original full scores for the first and final movements before being notified in the fall of that year of the Russian Musical Society's intent to perform the symphony early in 1877. The composer, ill in bed, was unable to find the scores and had to re-orchestrate the lost movements from his piano-4 hands version. After an unsucessful premiere (10 March 1877, RMS / Eduard Napravnik), Borodin revised the orchestration, particularly that of the Scherzo, incorporating a number of suggestions by Rimsky-Korsakov. A second performance at the Free School under Rimsky-Korsakov's direction two years later (4 March 1879) received a much warmer response.

Even though his four-hand arrangement was published in 1877, Borodin held off publishing the orchestral score until he finished incorporating a number of additional technical improvements to the orchestration that had been recommended by Rimsky-Korsakov after the 1879 performance. Upon the composer's death, the full score and parts remained unpublished in an early proof stage. Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov completed the proofreading before publicaton later that year (1887). While it's true that Rimsky contributed orchestrational improvements, it would be inaccurate to ascribe the symphony's orchestration to him. The orchestration is substantively that of the composer. Bessel's credit to Rimsky and Glazunov, printed mainly for the purpose of securing French copyright status, has unfortunately contributed to this mistaken impression over the decades.

Movement Listing

1. Allegro
2. Scherzo
3. Andante
4. Finale

Publication History

Original publisher: St. Petersburg: V. Bessel & Co., 1877
Bessel issues

• 1877 - Arr. piano 4 hands by composer, plate 672, 53 pages
• 1887 - Full score, "Ed. redigée par N. Rimsky-Korsakoff et A. Glazounoff", plate 671, 156 pages

Reprinted by Muzgiz, ed. Nikolai Miaskovsky (1881-1950), plate 7465 (1927, 1931)

Reprinted by Kalmus (Orch. Series #166, ca.1933-ca.1946)

• (1891) - Orchestra parts, plate 2480, engraved

Reprinted by Kalmus (Orch. Series #166, later A1333), Lucks (after 1933)

• (1905) - Arr. 2 pianos, 4 hands (Konstantin Chernov?), plate 4923, 27 + 27 pages
• (1912) - Arr. piano solo, Konstantin Chernov (1865-1937), plate 6700, 35 pages
• 1920 - Full score, "Ed. redigée par N. Rimsky-Korsakoff et A. Glazounoff", plate 671, 116 pages

Printed from a professional copyist's manuscript. Possibly prepared by Breitkopf (Bessel's German agent).

• (1920) - Study score, plate 671, 173 pages (joint issue with Eulenburg)

Other Publishers
Full and study scores

• (1920) - Leipzig, London: Ernst Eulenburg, Ed. #491, plate E.E. 3691, 173 pages

Reprinted by Kalmus (KMOS #166), later Belwin et al, Philharmonia (#266), Boosey & Hawkes (HPS #642)

• 1946 - Moscow: Muzgiz, ed. L. Kaltat "redaktor", plate 671(!!), 152 pages, re-engraved (probably at C. G. Röder's facility)

Reprinted Kalmus (Orch. Series #166, later A1333 - 1947 and later), Lucks, Dover (2005)

• 1977 - Moscow: Muzika, ed. D. Chupatov "redaktor", plate 9489, 162 pages

Other arrangements

• (1895) - Arr. piano 4 hands by composer, Paris: Alphonse Leduc, Bibiotheque Leduc #203, 63 pages
• (1897) - Arr. 2 pianos, 4 hands by Gustave Sandré (1843-1916), Paris: Alphonse Leduc, plate 10,297, 27+27 pages