Name P.I. Tchaikovsky is familiar to every Russian person, and his works are known not only in his native country, but far, far beyond its borders. Not only famous, but also beloved. He lived and worked at the end of the 19th century, in a wonderful time, which was marked by the heyday of the cultural and scientific life of the Russian Empire.
Discoveries were made by great scientists, the secrets of nature and the universe were revealed, great creators created their works. Once in the fertile soil, the talent of Peter Ilyich could not help but develop in all his strength.
He was born on April 25, 1840 in the Vyatka province. At the age of five, little Peter was already playing the piano well, but the real art training began only in St. Petersburg, in the Schmeling boarding house.
As a legacy, Tchaikovsky left amazing works full of romanticism and psychological research on the topic of human relations and souls. We have collected the 10 most interesting facts about Tchaikovsky, which will help to look at this outstanding person from different angles and at least to understand a little who he really was. Biography and stories from the life of the great composer who influenced world culture.
10. Seriously took up music at age 21
For the first time, little Peter was brought to the piano, most likely, by his mother, Alexandra Andreevna, and later a serf learned music from him. Music was always loved in the Tchaikovsky family, it sounded on their estate almost daily, often musical evenings were arranged.
But Peter was decided to be determined at the Imperial School of Law, after which he worked for a while in the profession.
By age 21, he was still fond of music and was already considered a talented performer and improviser. It was at this age that Tchaikovsky decided to enter the conservatory and devote himself to serving the music.
9. Received a diploma 5 years after graduation
Perth Ilyich graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1865. His thesis was the cantata "To Joy", which did not make any impression on the commission. It was said that Tchaikovsky was mediocre, more was expected of him, and he could not go beyond the framework of traditions.
The newly arrived musician received a diploma only after five years, in 1870, after the approval of the regulations on the conservatory. Tchaikovsky received a diploma of completion of an educational institution with a silver medal.
8. Tolstoy burst into tears, listening to the music of Tchaikovsky
Meeting P.I. Tchaikovsky with L.N. Tolstoy took place in 1876. N.G. Rubinstein organized a musical reception in honor of the writer, who wholeheartedly loved music and played the piano himself well. That evening, among others, he played and Tchaikovsky, who later recalled that during his execution Lev Nikolaevich “burst into tears».
Later, Tolstoy wrote to the composer that an evening at the Moscow Conservatory was the most expensive gift and the most expensive recognition of his merits. Throughout his life, Tchaikovsky carried love for the genius of Lev Nikolaevich and sincere admiration for him.
7. Was a fan of Mozart
Pyotr Ilyich loved Mozart as he loved a loved one. He acknowledged that not every work of the great composer was perfect, he understood the strengths and weaknesses, but this did not interfere with his selfless love.
He believed that Mozart adopted the best from Bach, Gluck, Haydn and Handel, did not allow them to disappear into oblivion, combined all the best from these creators.
Together with sincere love, Tchaikovsky published completely devastating articles that combined worship of Mozart's work and his sharp criticism.
6. Destroyed the opera Ondine and Voivode
The opera Undine is based on the favorite work of the Tchaikovsky family, which is written by Friedrich de la Mott Fouquet. She wrote in the shortest possible time, as the composer was promised that if she was ready, she would be delivered in the same year 1869.
But in 1870, the score was rejected by the college of conductors, and the upset composer took it and, by his own admission, destroyed the manuscript of “Undiny”.
5. The legendary Swan Lake was initially underestimated
“Swan Lake” was first presented in 1877, and since then the whole world choreography is in one way or another connected with this ballet. It is hard to imagine that few people at the premiere could have foreseen that the dance performance would be so successful.
To a greater extent, initially a bad reputation thanks to the choreographer Reisinger, the author of a very mediocre production. The Swan Lake literally failed, and would have remained forgotten if it had not been decided in 1895 to reconsider the production in memory of Tchaikovsky who had died by then.
Petersburg choreographers revised the plot and philosophy, appeared the duet of Odette and Siegfried and the famous dance of little swans. The performance was waiting for success, and it was this version that became the basis for all subsequent productions, versions and rethinking.
4. The home library was amazing
P.I. Tchaikovsky in his life put together a huge library. The collection was formed over almost the entire life of the composer. It contains not only works of art, but also works on literature, philosophy, science, history, critical articles, as well as a large selection of periodicals.
The home library reflects the interests of Tchaikovsky, his soul movement, the spiritual search for the composer, a change in his orientations and attitude.
Today, most of the library has been preserved in the wedge house and is a single complex, a single exhibit and a good base for studying the personality and life of the composer.
3. Chekhov dedicated to the composer the compilation of short stories “Gloomy People”
"Gloomy people" - a collection of stories by A.P. Chekhov, who was released in 1890. According to the author himself, his works in this book are boring, gloomy and boring, like autumn itself, but in a letter to P.I. He asked Tchaikovsky to allow the composer, in spite of everything, to devote the Gloomy People to him as a sign of special respect. Tchaikovsky personally visited Chekhov to thank him for his flattering desire to make such an initiation.
2. Love for Desiree Artaud
Few women left a mark on the fate of Peter Ilyich. Someone says that the matter is in his genius and extraordinary enthusiasm for music, others that in non-traditional orientation. Be that as it may, one of these ladies was Desiree Artaud. She was an opera singer from Belgium. She met Tchaikovsky in 1868 during her tour. The composer was struck by her talent, popularity and vividness of personality.
Their feelings were mutual, and relations, albeit purely platonic, developed so quickly that Pyotr Ilyich was seriously determined to marry Artaud. At first, the singer’s mother prevented him, but when relations with a potential mother-in-law were established, and the issue of the wedding was almost resolved, Desiree married another.
Undoubtedly, Pyotr Ilyich experienced the betrayal of the opera diva hard, but he didn’t show a special kind and went calm and calm.
1. He wrote 10 operas, 3 ballets, 7 symphonies and 104 romances
P.I. Tchaikovsky left behind a legacy whose significance is difficult to overestimate. Throughout his life, he became the author of ten operas, three ballets, seven symphonies and more than a hundred romances, as well as concerts, miniatures for piano and entire instrumental cycles.
His work is represented by various forms and genres of musical works. Along with contemporaries from The Mighty Handful, Tchaikovsky made a great contribution both to the development of music and cultural life in the Russian Empire, and to the world cultural fund in general.
He remains one of the most famous, talented and significant composers in history, one of the best representatives of romanticism in music.