Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Biography - A Very Quick Guide
Artist:
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Born:
May 7, 1840, Votkinsk
Died:
November 6, 1893, St. Petersburg
Who was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky?
Russian composer Pyotr Illych Tchaikovsky was born May 7th, 1840 in Votkinsk, 1000km to the east of Moscow. He was born into an unremarkable but prosperous middle-class family, his father being a mining engineer at the local ironworks. Any inherited musical talent is likely to have come from his mother, who was a talented amateur pianist. Tchaikovsky himself showed early promise, beginning piano lessons at the age of five.
What was his early life like?
Compared to the greater mass of the Russian population, to whom serfdom was still a reality, Tchaikovsky led a relatively privileged early life. He was home educated before being sent to the Imperial School of Jurisprudence in St. Petersburg. Though this prepared him for a career in the civil service, he eventually decided to pursue a career in music, being accepted into the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1862.
How did he survive after leaving university?
Following completion of studies, Tchaikovsky was appointed as a teacher of harmony at the Moscow Conservatory, though this provided him with a very meagre lifestyle. In the 1870s, however, he formed a relationship with a wealthy widow, Nadezhda von Meck. An admirer of his work, she provided him with financial, as well as emotional support over the course of ten years. The written correspondence between the two is voluminous, even though, remarkably, they never met.
What types of music did he write?
Tchaikovsky was a versatile composer, writing operas, six symphonies, concertos, chamber music and songs. He is nowadays, however, remembered above all for his three ballets: Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.
What makes his style unmistakably Russian?
In its lush harmonies, strong emotional contrasts, brilliant melodies and strong sense of drama, his music exhibits a heart-on-the-sleeve emotional directness that is a defining characteristic of the national style. He was also not averse to drawing directly upon aspects of native music, including folk melodies and national dance rhythms, as well as looking to Russian folklore and literature when seeking inspiration for his operas and ballets.
Why was his personal like unhappy?
The beauty of Tchaikovsky’s music is thrown into sharp relief by the tragedy of his life. A homosexual man in socially conservative 19th century Russia, he attempted to fit in by marrying his former student Antonina Milyukova. The inevitable collapse of the marriage led to a nervous breakdown and lingering feelings of guilt, isolation and depression.
What is the strangest characteristic of the composer?
Tchaikovsky suffered from extreme hypochondria, constantly fearing that he might be poisoned or contract a fatal disease. His most irrational, and bizarre, belief was that his head might fall off as he was conducting. To prevent this happening, he would sometimes hold his chin with one hand whilst beating time with the other.
What are his greatest works?
Some of Tchaikovsky’s most celebrated works include:
-Ballets: Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker
-Symphonies: Symphony No. 4, Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique)
-Concertos: Piano Concerto No. 1, Violin Concerto in D Major
-Operas: Eugene Onegin, The Queen of Spades
-Overtures: 1812 Overture, Romeo and Juliet
Why is his death so debated?
Tchaikovsky died nine days ofter conducting the premiere of his Sixth Symphony in St. Petersburg on November 6th, 1893. He was 53. His death has often been attributed to cholera, cause by drinking unboiled water by accident. Some, however, have claimed that he died by suicide, either by taking poison or by deliberately drinking the contaminated water. Though speculation continues to this day, it is unlikely that we will ever know the definitive cause of his death.
Russian composer Pyotr Illych Tchaikovsky was born May 7th, 1840 in Votkinsk, 1000km to the east of Moscow. He was born into an unremarkable but prosperous middle-class family, his father being a mining engineer at the local ironworks. Any inherited musical talent is likely to have come from his mother, who was a talented amateur pianist. Tchaikovsky himself showed early promise, beginning piano lessons at the age of five.
What was his early life like?
Compared to the greater mass of the Russian population, to whom serfdom was still a reality, Tchaikovsky led a relatively privileged early life. He was home educated before being sent to the Imperial School of Jurisprudence in St. Petersburg. Though this prepared him for a career in the civil service, he eventually decided to pursue a career in music, being accepted into the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1862.
How did he survive after leaving university?
Following completion of studies, Tchaikovsky was appointed as a teacher of harmony at the Moscow Conservatory, though this provided him with a very meagre lifestyle. In the 1870s, however, he formed a relationship with a wealthy widow, Nadezhda von Meck. An admirer of his work, she provided him with financial, as well as emotional support over the course of ten years. The written correspondence between the two is voluminous, even though, remarkably, they never met.
What types of music did he write?
Tchaikovsky was a versatile composer, writing operas, six symphonies, concertos, chamber music and songs. He is nowadays, however, remembered above all for his three ballets: Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.
What makes his style unmistakably Russian?
In its lush harmonies, strong emotional contrasts, brilliant melodies and strong sense of drama, his music exhibits a heart-on-the-sleeve emotional directness that is a defining characteristic of the national style. He was also not averse to drawing directly upon aspects of native music, including folk melodies and national dance rhythms, as well as looking to Russian folklore and literature when seeking inspiration for his operas and ballets.
Why was his personal like unhappy?
The beauty of Tchaikovsky’s music is thrown into sharp relief by the tragedy of his life. A homosexual man in socially conservative 19th century Russia, he attempted to fit in by marrying his former student Antonina Milyukova. The inevitable collapse of the marriage led to a nervous breakdown and lingering feelings of guilt, isolation and depression.
What is the strangest characteristic of the composer?
Tchaikovsky suffered from extreme hypochondria, constantly fearing that he might be poisoned or contract a fatal disease. His most irrational, and bizarre, belief was that his head might fall off as he was conducting. To prevent this happening, he would sometimes hold his chin with one hand whilst beating time with the other.
What are his greatest works?
Some of Tchaikovsky’s most celebrated works include:
-Ballets: Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker
-Symphonies: Symphony No. 4, Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique)
-Concertos: Piano Concerto No. 1, Violin Concerto in D Major
-Operas: Eugene Onegin, The Queen of Spades
-Overtures: 1812 Overture, Romeo and Juliet
Why is his death so debated?
Tchaikovsky died nine days ofter conducting the premiere of his Sixth Symphony in St. Petersburg on November 6th, 1893. He was 53. His death has often been attributed to cholera, cause by drinking unboiled water by accident. Some, however, have claimed that he died by suicide, either by taking poison or by deliberately drinking the contaminated water. Though speculation continues to this day, it is unlikely that we will ever know the definitive cause of his death.
Useful recources:
Wikipedia —Tchaikovsky
Encyclopaedia Britannica—Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | Biography, Compositions, & Facts
Dedicated Tchaikovsky research site—Tchaikovsky Research
Kennedy Center—Artist profile: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Chicago Symphony Orchestra—‘Why Do We Love Tchaikovsky?’
Newzik Blog—Biography of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
8notes Tchaikovsky Collection- Free Tchaikovsky Sheet Music
Top Pieces on 8notes by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
March from The Nutcracker
Dance of the Flowers from the Nutcracker
1812 Overture
Waltz from Sleeping Beauty
Opening Theme from Piano Concerto
Dance of the reed pipes
1812 Overture (measure 349 to end)
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker
Dance of the Flowers from the Nutcracker
1812 Overture
Waltz from Sleeping Beauty
Opening Theme from Piano Concerto
Dance of the reed pipes
1812 Overture (measure 349 to end)
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker