Biography of Pyotr Illych Tchaikovsky

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Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky was born on May 7th of 1840 to a prominent family; he was one of 7 children. He had a love for music at an early age, yet his parents wanted him to find a profession that would afford him both a livelihood and social status. Because of this, Tchaikovsky was sent away to school at the age of ten. Around this age his mother passed away, leaving him extremely distressed and confused. He struggled to cope with her loss and is said to have viewed this as one of the most difficult and disturbing periods of his life. Having returned to school Tchaikovsky continued his studies, working to become a civil servant, a profession in which he advanced quickly but became increasingly dissatisfied with his occupation. He was extremely interested in music and was fortunate to have a supportive father who wanted him to excel in this profession. Tchaikovsky studied music theory under Nikolai Zaremba in St. Petersburg. It was here that Tchaikovsky developed both an understanding of technical composition and respect for Western European style. Upon graduating, he was given a teaching position in Moscow at the newly opened Conservatory. Tchaikovsky became a music critic which gave him opportunities to travel and to truly develop his style. Though critically acclaimed both in his and our time, the life of Tchaikovsky was marked by various episodes of deep depression and confusion. He was a musical giant plagued by personal feelings of inadequacy and embarrassment. Though his works were were not in-line with the progressivism of Western Europe, he pushed past the traditional and nationalist themes expressed by other Russian composers of his time. Tchaikovsky found himself between the Russian nationalists and the western compose... ... middle of paper ... ...ikovsky certainly had his demons. He constantly struggled with depression, specifically brought on by a confusion of his sexuality and his misinterpretations of love. Tchaikovsky was married to Antonina Miliukova for an immense amount of time, just under 3 months. He was constantly haunted by his homosexual tendencies, illegal by law and frowned upon by his culture it is certain that he entertained several homosexual partners, for which he undoubtedly felt a fair amount of guilt. Though he may not have ever conquered his sexual confusion, Tchaikovsky became accepting of it. Tchaikovsky was able to harness his emotions and direct them into his works, making him a composer that many performers and listeners can relate to. After 53 short years of life Tchaikovsky died on November 6th, 1893; his magnificent career have been abruptly ended by a suspected case of cholera.

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