Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
"Music is no illusion, but rather a revelation. Its triumphant power lies in the fact that it reveals to us beauties we find in no other sphere; and the apprehension of them is not transitory, but a perpetual reconcilement to life."
--P. I. Tchaikovsky
Locations
- 1840: Born in Kamsko-Votkinsk, Vyatka province, Russia.
- 1852: Schooled in St. Petersburg, attended St. Petersburg Conservatory.
- 1877 through end of life: Intermittent travels abroad, especially to Western Europe and Italy; trip to America in 1891.
- 1866-1877: Teaches at Moscow Conservatory. 1885 until death in 1893: Return to Moscow, serves as director of Moscow branch of Russian Musical Society.
Texts
- Click here for Tchaikovsky's Biography Page, exploring the composer's life.
- Click to view a list of Tchaikovsky's key works and their dates.
- Click here to go to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians article on Tchaikovsky
- Tchaikovsky's life bore frightening coincidences with the story of his opera, Eugene Onegin. Click for the NGDM article on the opera.
- The opera Onegin is based on a poem by the famous Russian author Alexander Pushkin. Click for the complete text of the poem "Yevgeny Onegin", in both Russian and English. Click here for a second translation in English.
- There are several excellent websites on Tchaikovsky and his life and times. The DMOZ Open Directory site has a wealth of information and links to articles and other sites, including humanitiesweb. And click here for an additional recommended site.
Images
Tchaikovsky: Stages of Life
- A young Tchaikovsky, as a student
- Middle-aged Tchaikovsky
- The elderly Tchaikovsky, in the last year of his life
Performance photos
- Anna Pavlova and Russian ballet dancers in Swan Lake
- The Nutcracker
- The American Van Cliburn wins the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia -- an important political event for the two countries. In this photo, Kruschev congratulates Van Cliburn.
Audio files
Ballets
- Swan Lake excerpts
- The Nutcracker
- The Sleeping Beauty
Concerti
Operas
- Eugene Onegin
- The Queen of Spades
