Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer of the Romantic period who is known for his symphonies, his ballets, and his operas. His music is celebrated for its emotional intensity and its melodic invention.
Early Life and Education
Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk in 1840, the son of a mining engineer. He studied at the Imperial School of Jurisprudence and worked as a clerk in the Ministry of Justice.
He abandoned his career in the civil service to study the music at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. He was a pupil of Anton Rubinstein and took his diploma in 1865.
He was appointed a professor at the Moscow Conservatory and began to compose the symphonies and the operas. He was supported by the patron Nadezhda von Meck.
The Ballets
Tchaikovsky composed the music for three great ballets. Swan Lake was produced in 1877 and was not at first a success.
The Sleeping Beauty was produced in 1890 and The Nutcracker in 1892. The ballets are among the most performed and the most loved of the repertoire.
The music of the ballets is celebrated for its melody and its orchestration. The dances of the ballets are the standard of the classical ballet.
The Nutcracker became a tradition of the Christmas season throughout the world. The suite of the dances is one of the most popular of the concert works.
The Symphonies and the Concertos
Tchaikovsky composed six symphonies, of which the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth are the most famous. The sixth, the Pathétique, was his last work.
The Piano Concerto No. 1 and the Violin Concerto are among the most performed of the concertos. The works display the brilliant writing for the solo instruments.
The Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture and the 1812 Overture are the popular orchestral works. The 1812 Overture uses the cannons and the bells.
The music is characterised by the emotional intensity and the sweeping melodies. The orchestration is rich and the harmonic language is bold.
The Later Years and the Legacy
Tchaikovsky was troubled by the conflict over his homosexuality and by the depression. The support of Nadezhda von Meck ended in 1890.
He toured Europe and the United States as a conductor. He received the honours from the Russian and the foreign societies.
He died in 1893 in Saint Petersburg, nine days after the premiere of the Pathétique. The cause of the death was reported as the cholera.
He is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic period. His works remain central to the repertoire of the orchestras and the ballet companies.
The Operas
Tchaikovsky composed several operas, of which Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades are the most famous. The works are based on the literature of Pushkin.
He composed the ballets Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. The ballets are among the most performed of the repertoire.
He composed the symphonies, of which the sixth, the Pathétique, is the most famous. The work was his last composition.
The Music and the Style
Tchaikovsky's music is characterised by the emotional intensity and the melodic invention. The orchestration is rich and the harmonic language is bold.
He drew on the Russian folk music and the European tradition. The works combine the national and the international elements.
He toured Europe and the United States as a conductor. He received the honours from the Russian and the foreign societies.
The Honours and the Memory
Tchaikovsky received the Order of Saint Vladimir and the honours from the foreign societies. He was elected a member of the French Academy of Fine Arts.
The Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow is one of the most prestigious of the music competitions. The competition is named in his honour.
He is regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic period. His works remain central to the repertoire of the orchestras and the ballet companies.
The Patronage and the Support
Tchaikovsky was supported by the patron Nadezhda von Meck for fourteen years. She provided the financial support and the encouragement.
The relationship was conducted through the letters and the two never met in person. The correspondence is an important source for the life of the composer.
The support ended in 1890 for the reasons that remain unclear. The parting affected him deeply.
The Personal Life
Tchaikovsky was troubled by the conflict over his homosexuality. The marriage of 1877 was a brief and the unhappy episode.
He was the recipient of the honours from the Russian and the foreign societies. He was a member of the French Academy of Fine Arts.
He toured Europe and the United States as a conductor. He died in 1893 in Saint Petersburg nine days after the premiere of the Pathétique.
See also
- Romantic music
- Ballet
- Symphony
- The Nutcracker
References
- ↑ Brown, David. Tchaikovsky: The Man and His Music. London: Faber and Faber, 2006.
- ↑ Poznansky, Alexander. Tchaikovsky: The Quest for the Inner Man. New York: Schirmer Books, 1991.
- ↑ Wiley, Roland John. Tchaikovsky's Ballets. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1985.
- ↑ Tchaikovsky, Modeste. The Life and Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky. London: John Lane, 1906.