Composer Profile 9
Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky is one of the most popular of all composers. Combining great dramatic flair with an amazing knack for penning tunes, he wrote some very memorable music.

But Tchaikovsky was a rather sad chap. He never quite got his personal life together. His marriage was a sham. So much so he felt the only way out was to leap in a freezing river, only to get rescued. Everybody canned his music. And then there are the nasty, persistent rumours that he had to top himself to avoid a sex scandal. He died by drinking unboiled water during a cholera outbreak.

The legacy, his music, is full of drama and power, infused with big tunes and a strong Russian melancholy.

Here’s a set of great Tchaikovsky tunes, but it’s only the beginning:

1. Capriccio Italien, op.45
2. Eugen Onegin – Act 2 – Waltz ("Vot tak syurpriz") & Polonaise
3. Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture after Shakespeare
4. Serenade for Strings in C major, op.48 – 2. Valse
5. Sleeping Beauty, op.66 – 6. Valse (Act I) (etc.)
6. Swan Lake, op.20 – 10. Scene (Act II) (etc.)
7. Symphony No. 4 in f minor, op.36 – 3. Scherzo. Pizzicato ostinato. Allegro
8. Symphony No. 5 in e minor, op.64 – 2. Andante cantabile
9. Symphony No. 6 in b minor, op.74 – 1. Adagio. Allegro non troppo
10. The Seasons – 6. June - Barcarolle