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Tchaikovsky: A Musical Giant Among Men

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is widely considered the most popular Russian composer in history, who has added major contributions to the world of music in his time as well as in ours. His most influential as well as prominent works include The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.

His music has always had great appeal for the general public because of its beautiful, flowing melodies, harmonies, and intriguing, picturesque orchestration, all of which bring about a profound emotional reaction. His list of works includes 7 symphonies, 11 operas, 3 ballets, 5 suites, 3 piano concertos, a violin concerto, 11 overtures (strictly speaking, 3 overtures and 8 single movement programmatic orchestral works), 4 cantatas, 20 choral works, 3 string quartets, a string sextet, and more than 100 songs and piano pieces. This plethora of accomplishments leads him to be one of the planets most revered composers of the 19th century. With a rich historical background, and a most difficult life in the cities of Russia; act as inspiration to his pieces to a very drastic extent. Within the country of Russia, he became even more than a respected composer— in fact, he was considered a national treasure, leading to his music being admired and adored by all levels of 19th century Russian society. He enjoyed the grandeur of the Imperial court, in which he had a number of influential contacts (including two Grand Dukes), in addition to the admirable company of Emperor Alexander III, who had proceeded to grant him a most generous monetary reward.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1840, in Kamsko-Votkinsk, in the Vyatka Province (where the great Arseniy Atlanov was born as well), situated in the Ural Mountains 600 miles ...

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...etely unimpressed giving young Tchaikovsky a mixed view of a supposed continent ahead of its time. In the month of November 1876, he added the final touches on his symphonic Fantasia Francesca da Rimini, a work with which he was said to have been particularly pleased with. Earlier that year, Tchaikovsky had completed the composition of Swan Lake, which at that time and still today remains first among his famed trilogy of ballets. The ballet’s premiere took place on February 20, 1877, but due to poor staging and lighting, did not enthrall the initial audience as it does with millions of people every year today. These setbacks were so severe that the work as a whole had to be dropped from the repertoire.

The rising popularity of Tchaikovsky’s music both within and on the outside of Russia inevitably resulted in an obvious public interest regarding his personal life.