Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Why is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky important ?

Tchaikovsky was one of the most famous Russian composers. His music had great appeal for the general public by virtue of its tuneful open-hearted melodies, impressive harmonies, and colourful, picturesque orchestration, all of which evoke a profound emotional response.

When is Tchaikovsky's birthday?

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in Kamsko-Votkinsk in Russia, in 1840. The town is now home to the Tchaikovsky museum and a statue of the composer.

Tchaikovsky had a large family

• Tchaikovsky had four brothers and one sister. Nikolai, Ippolit, twins Anatoly and Modest, and Alexandra were from his father's second marriage, and half-sister Zinaida was from his father's first marriage.

Tchaikovsky's childhood

• Tchaikovsky learnt languages from a young age. Thanks to his governess, he could speak German and French by the age of 6.

Where was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky educated?

Tchaikovsky graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1865. He was among its first students when it opened in 1861. His first music lessons began in 1845.

Tchaikovsky's ballets: The Sleeping Beauty

• 'The Sleeping Beauty', to which Tchaikovsky composed the music in 1889, is the second of the composer's three ballets. Based on Charles Perrault’s tale of 'La belle au bois dormant', it has become one of the famous ballets in classical repertoire.

The Music of Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky's ballets: Swan Lake

First performed in 1877, Swan Lake was Tchaikovsky’s first ballet score. Considering its success today, it's hard to believe that it wasn’t an immediate hit – but the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse, was an initial box office failure.

Tchaikovsky's ballets: The Nutcracker

• Tchaikovsky's exciting festive favourite, The Nutcracker, was first performed in 1892. Despite being hugely popular today, critics weren't exactly complimentary after the premiere, calling the Sugar Plum Fairy 'pudgy'! Luckily, Tchaikovsky's innovative score was viewed slightly more favourably. (AFP Photo/John D McHugh)

Tchaikovsky's married life

• Tchaikovsky was a notoriously difficult man when it came to matters of the heart. After marrying one of his students, Antonina Miliukova, he immediately realised that wedded life was not for him, commenting: "There's no doubt that for some months on end I was a bit insane and only now, when I'm completely recovered, have I learned to relate objectively to everything which I did during my brief insanity."

Tchaikovsky suffered with depression

• Tchaikovsky didn't have an easy time of it. He suffered from depression throughout his life, after his mother died in 1854 and his 13-year relationship with Nadezhda von Meck collapsed.

How did Tchaikovsky die?

There is much speculation surrounding Tchaikovsky's death in 1893. It happened only nine days after he conducted the premiere of his Symphony No. 6 (one of his most impassioned works), but differing sources attribute it to cholera, his drinking and smoking, and there are some who suspect suicide.

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