Tchaikovski

Tchaikovski, also spelled Tchaikovsky, commonly refers to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893), a Russian composer whose works helped define the Romantic era in classical music. Born in Votkinsk, in the Russian Empire, he studied piano and theory as a youth before enrolling at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in 1862. Under teachers such as Nikolai Zaremba and Anton Rubinstein, he developed a versatile style that fused Western European traditions with elements of Russian melody.

After his early career as a professor in Moscow, Tchaikovski gained international fame with a prolific output spanning symphonies, concertos, operas, and ballets. His most enduring works include the ballets Swan Lake (1877), The Sleeping Beauty (1890), and The Nutcracker (1892); the orchestral Romeo and Juliet (fantasy overture, 1869) and the 1812 Overture (1880) are also central to the repertoire. Notable operas include Eugene Onegin (1879) and The Queen of Spades (1890). His concertos—Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor (1875) and Violin Concerto in D major (1878)—remain staples of the instrument repertoire.

Tchaikovski's personal life included a brief, ill-fated marriage to Antonina Miliukova (1877–1878) and a long relationship with the aristocratic patron Nadezhda von Meck, who supported his work and travels. He died in Saint Petersburg in 1893 at age 53; cholera is the widely cited cause. His music is celebrated for memorable melodies, rich orchestration, and emotional expressiveness, making him one of the most performed Romantic composers worldwide.