Birth

 

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in 1840 in Votkinsk, a small town in the Russian Empire, to Ilya (an engineer) and Alexandra (a domestic engineer).  Tchaikovsky started piano lessons at the age of 5 and was considered a "precocious" pupil - he could read music as adeptly as his teacher within 3 years. His parents, although initially supportive of his music talent, instead sent him to boarding school to become a civil servant at the age of 10.

 

 

During His Lifetime

 

While Tchaikovsky did become a civil servant, he quickly quit that job to focus on composing full time.  Unfortunately, success did not come very frequently in those early days and Tchaikovsky developed a lifelong sensitivity to criticism.  It is also reported that Tchaikovsky experienced an emotional trauma when his mother died, and he mourned her loss for the rest of his life, calling it "the crucial event" that ultimately shaped his life.

 

Several things happened during Tchaikovsky's lifetime that you might have heard about before today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death

 

Pyotr Tchaikovsky died in 1893 at age 53 in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was buried in Tikhvin Cemetery near the graves of fellow Russian composers of the day.

 

 

 

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Type of Music

 

Tchaikovsky was a composer during the Romantic Period and is best known for his ballets. Most of his compositions have a strong sense of Russian nationalism - that is, his music sounds Russian to people outside Russia.  Below is a YouTube video that describes Tchaikovsky's life and music in more detail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most Famous Music

 

Tchaikovsky's most famous music includes three ballets (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker) as well as the1812 Overture.  Fun Fact: Although the 1812 Overture is very popular, Tchaikovsky did not really like it!

 

 

 

Music in Pop Culture

 

Tchaikovsky's music has been used many, many times in popular culture.  Click Tchaikovsky's pop art portrait to see video examples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Listening

 

These videos are great examples of Tchaikovsky's most famous music: Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker as well as the1812 Overture.