Revolutionary Russian composer

Revolutionary Russian composer

• Revolutionary Russian composer

• mid 19th century (1840-1893)

• Sent to School of Jurisprudence in St. Petersburg by parents

• passionate about the works of Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, and Bellini

• obtained his first job as a bureau clerk in the Ministry of Justice.

• abandoned the post officially when Anton Rubenstein opened a conservatory in St. Petersburg in 1862

• began composing many of his masterpieces such as Characteristic Dances, Overture in F, and a cantata called Ode to Joy.

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky is a Russian composer from the mid 19th century. Peter originally started piano lessons at the age of 4 with a local teacher. However, soon his parents’ interest in music died and Peter was sent to a school for the “lesser nobility” called the School of Jurisprudence in St. Petersburg. Nonetheless, while attending this school Peter was able to continue to pursue a life in music by means of going to theatres and the opera regularly with fellow peers. He was passionate about the works of Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, and Bellini, and had a keen interest in the piano manufacturer that sometimes visited the school. Because music was not Peter’s main focus of study in his teenage years, Peter obtained his first job as a bureau clerk in the Ministry of Justice. However, after 3 years of committing to this job, Peter found that his true passion was in music and abandoned the post officially when Anton Rubenstein opened a conservatory in St. Petersburg in 1862. Peter graduated the conservatory after two years and began composing many of his masterpieces such as Characteristic Dances, Overture in F, and a cantata called Ode to Joy.

• Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky is a Russian composer from the mid 19th century. Peter originally started piano lessons at the age of 4 with a local teacher. However, soon his parents’ interest in music died and Peter was sent to a school for the “lesser nobility” called the School of Jurisprudence in St. Petersburg. Nonetheless, while attending this school Peter was able to continue to pursue a life in music by means of going to theatres and the opera regularly with fellow peers. He was passionate about the works of Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, and Bellini, and had a keen interest in the piano manufacturer that sometimes visited the school. Because music was not Peter’s main focus of study in his teenage years, Peter obtained his first job as a bureau clerk in the Ministry of Justice. However, after 3 years of committing to this job, Peter found that his true passion was in music and abandoned the post officially when Anton Rubenstein opened a conservatory in St. Petersburg in 1862. Peter graduated the conservatory after two years and began composing many of his masterpieces such as Characteristic Dances, Overture in F, and a cantata called Ode to Joy.

3 ballets: Swan Lake (1877), The Sleeping Beauty (1890) and The Nutcracker (1892)

• 3 ballets: Swan Lake (1877), The Sleeping Beauty (1890) and The Nutcracker (1892)

• 8 operas: including Eugene Onegin (1879) and Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades, 1890)

• Orchestral music: including 7 symphonies (No.1, 1866; No.2, 1872; No.3, 1875; No.4, 1878; No.5, 1888; No.6 "Pathétique", 1893; Manfred, 1885)

• Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23

• Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

Although Peter had some minor nervous breakdowns before a lot of his final pieces, such as his first symphony and his first opera, Peter overcame his self doubts and physical ailments, and successfully earned the hearts of the critics and audience of Russia.

• Although Peter had some minor nervous breakdowns before a lot of his final pieces, such as his first symphony and his first opera, Peter overcame his self doubts and physical ailments, and successfully earned the hearts of the critics and audience of Russia.

• There were also some tense moments between Peter and the Rubenstein brothers because the Rubenstein brothers promoted strict “Russianism” in music, while Peter allowed Western European sensibilities into his music. However, because of Peter’s brazen displays of his extreme emotion, he remained popular with the public.

Society welcomed Peter like Santa Clause, and Peter even had the privilege to compose without having any burden about thinking of the financial expenses. The government even gave Peter a permanent pension, and he was gaily received and gratified during his Europe tours in 1888. However, opulence only lasted for a brief amount of time for rumors about Peter’s unorthodox behaviors regarding his preference to male rather than female spread quickly. Also, one of the biggest emotional downfalls occurred to Peter at this time when his long time (13 years) financer rejected him. Even though Peter did not need her support anymore, he was devastated by her rejection and traveled to America. There, he was once again welcomed by the public, but Peter missed Russia. To his dismay, he immediately fell unhappy after going back to Russia. Here, he wrote his last symphony.

• Society welcomed Peter like Santa Clause, and Peter even had the privilege to compose without having any burden about thinking of the financial expenses. The government even gave Peter a permanent pension, and he was gaily received and gratified during his Europe tours in 1888. However, opulence only lasted for a brief amount of time for rumors about Peter’s unorthodox behaviors regarding his preference to male rather than female spread quickly. Also, one of the biggest emotional downfalls occurred to Peter at this time when his long time (13 years) financer rejected him. Even though Peter did not need her support anymore, he was devastated by her rejection and traveled to America. There, he was once again welcomed by the public, but Peter missed Russia. To his dismay, he immediately fell unhappy after going back to Russia. Here, he wrote his last symphony.

Due to drinking contaminated water a few days before, many biographers believe that Peter died of cholera, the same disease that killed his mother, Alexandra Andreevna. Cholera in Russia was spreading quickly at the time and consequently, hapless Peter died on November 6, 1893, nine days after the premiere of his Sixth Symphony, the Pathétique.

• Due to drinking contaminated water a few days before, many biographers believe that Peter died of cholera, the same disease that killed his mother, Alexandra Andreevna. Cholera in Russia was spreading quickly at the time and consequently, hapless Peter died on November 6, 1893, nine days after the premiere of his Sixth Symphony, the Pathétique.

Because of the unsuccessful marriage with his former student, who was a female, and because of the sudden coldness received by the public because of his homosexuality, Peter committed suicide nine days after the premier of his 6th symphony, Pathétique.

• Because of the unsuccessful marriage with his former student, who was a female, and because of the sudden coldness received by the public because of his homosexuality, Peter committed suicide nine days after the premier of his 6th symphony, Pathétique.

• The death of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky is uncertain at the moment. . .

"Essentials of Music - Composers." Essentials of Music. 3 Dec. 2008 .

• "Essentials of Music - Composers." Essentials of Music. 3 Dec. 2008 .

• "Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky — Infoplease.com." Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help. — Infoplease.com. 3 Dec. 2008 .

• "Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky." NNDB: Tracking the entire world. 3 Dec. 2008 .

• "Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 3 Dec. 2008 .

• "Tchaikovsky Research : Life." Tchaikovsky Research. 3 Dec. 2008 .

• "Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky." World History: The Modern Era. 2008. ABC-CLIO. 3 Dec. 2008 .