Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1840, in Vyatka, Russia. His family includes, his father: Ilya Petrovich Tchaikovsky, mother: Alexandra Andreyevna d'Assier, brothers: Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Anatoly Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Nikolai Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Ippolit Tchaikovsky, and sisters: Zinaida Ilinichna Tchaikovskaia, and Aleksandra Ilinichna Tchaikovskaia.
His work as a composer has changed the world. His oeuvre 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. His first composition was for his mother and he wrote it with his sister when he was 4. When his mother died, he was 14, and he was devastated.
Pyotr went to law school and graduated as a bureau clerk. He soon met the Rubinstein brothers, Anton (1829–1894) and Nikolai (1835–1881), both of whom were composers. His early works were well made but not memorable (unfortunately). The musical poems Fatum and Romeo and Juliet that he wrote in 1869 were the first works to show the style he became famous for. Tchaikovsky worked as an all-around musician in the early 1870s, and, as was expected of a representative of the IRMS, he taught, composed, wrote critical essays, and conducted (although he was not a great conductor). In 1875 he composed what is perhaps his most universally known and loved work, the Piano Concerto No.1. Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake (1876) is the most successful ballet ever written if measured in terms of broad audience appeal.
Peter was a misogynist (one who hates women). Later biographers repeated and even exaggerated Modest’s claim that Antonina was cheap and high-strung. In his correspondence of this period—indeed through a large part of his career—he was often morbid (gloomy) about his wife, money, his friends, even his music and himself. He often spoke of suicide. This, too, has been reported widely by Tchaikovsky's many biographers.
Pyoti made an arrangement with the immensely wealthy Nadezhda von Meck. She was attracted by his music and the possibility of supporting his creative work, and he was interested in her money and what it could provide him. For thirteen years she supported him at a base rate, plus whatever "bonuses" he could manage to get out of her. He dedicated his Fourth Symphony (1877) to her. Tchaikovsky finished Eugene Onegin in 1879. It is his only opera generally performed outside the Soviet Union. Other works of this period are the Violin Concerto (1881), the Fifth Symphony (1888), and the ballet Sleeping Beauty (1889).
To rest from his public appearances he chose a country retreat in Klin near Moscow. From this he became known as the "Hermit of Klin," although he was never a hermit. In 1890 he finished the opera Queen of Spades, based on a story by the Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin (1799–1837). In late 1890 Von Meck cut him off. He had reached the point where he no longer depended on her money, but he was still upset by her rejection. Even his brother Modeste expressed surprise at his anger. Tchaikovsky had an immensely successful tour in the United States in 1891.
The Sixth Symphony was first heard in October 1893, with the composer conducting. This work, named Pathétique, was poorly received—very likely because of Tchaikovsky's conducting. Tchaikovsky never knew of its eventual astonishing success, for he contracted cholera (a disease of the small intestine) and died, still complaining about Von Meck, on November 6, 1893.
Tchaikovskys Swan Lake was composed in 1875. Like The Nutcracker, Swan Lake was unsuccessful after its first year of performance. Conductors, dancers and audiences alike thought Tchaikovsky's music was too complicated and hard to dance to. Much is unknown about the original production of Swan Lake no notes, techniques or instruction concerning the ballet was written down. Only little can be found in letters and memos. It wasnt until after Tchaikovskys death that Swan Lake was revived. Much of the Swan Lake we know of today was a revision by the famous choreographers Petipa and Ivanov.
He and his colleagues both agreed that the swan represented womanhood in its purest form. The stories and legends of swan-maidens date as far back as ancient Greece; when the Greek god Apollos was born, flying swans circled above their heads. Legends of swan maidens can also be found in The Tales of the Thousand and One Nights, Sweet Mikhail Ivanovich the Rover and The Legend of the Children of Lir.
Swan Lake is known for its demanding technical skills all because of one extremely gifted ballerina, Pierina Legnani. She performed with such grace and discipline, the audience and everyone else who saw her claimed she set the bar. Every girl to dance the part of Odette/Odile after her was compared to Legnani's performance. Legnani performed 32 fouettes (a fast whipping turn on one foot) in a row a move many ballerinas resent because of its extreme difficulty. However, Swan Lake remains a favorite for many girls because of its extreme difficulty; technically and emotionally. The prestige that comes with performing Swan Lake flawlessly is invaluable.
Although he had an unhappy life, Tchaikovsky was remarkably successful in his passion. He never enjoyed his success as he died before he became famous. His beliefs would never be accepted in modern times. It is a good thing he lived from 1840 - 1893. Sources
"Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Biography." - Life, Family, Parents, Story, Death, Wife, School, Mother, Son. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2016.
"Tchaikovsky's Great Ballet: Swan Lake." About.com Entertainment. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2016.
