Russian Culture Monday - Tchaikovsky

Monday May 4, 2009

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, often referred to as P. I. Tchaikovsky, was a 19th century Russian composer. He is famous for works such as the 1812 Overture, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker.

Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1940, and his native town, Votkinsk holds a an annual festival in honor of his birth. Tchaikovsky learned how to play piano from his mother at a very young age, and he is now one of the world's most recognized composers. Even those who are not well versed in classical music may be familiar with his ballets and overtures, since many of these have entered into pop culture's musical lexicon. It's important to sample Tchaikovsky's work thoroughly before coming to an ultimate conclusion about it, even if the first image that comes to mind when you hear the name "Tchaikovsky" is thistles dancing like Cossacks in Disney's animated film, Fantasia. A performance of the 1812 Overture, with a choir and live canons, will make a refreshing change from tired Christmastime renditions of The Nutcracker selections.

In Russia, locations where the the composer lived or stayed have been turned into museums commemorating his music and his life.