Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Essay

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is one of the most praised composers of Russia and perhaps of all time. During his life, Tchaikovsky created many notable works. He created ballets such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and most famously The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky also was responsible for Operas like Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades. Tchaikovsky even wrote the Coronation March for Tsar Alexander III. The reason for this essay is to shine light to one of the most famous Russian composers to ever exist. Many people know the works of Tchaikovsky, but have no idea who is responsible for them. Tchaikovsky was one of the most influential Russian composers because of the works he created, his construction of Russian classical music, and the challenges …show more content…
His career started before he even made it to the St. Petersburg Conservatory, but due to the time-period, a lot of those works are lost. He hit the ground running when he decided to study music full time and completed over twenty concert pieces in just two years. After his schooling, Tchaikovsky would begin working on his early operas and other compositions. The manuscripts from some of his original pieces were destroyed because of how unhappy he was with them. However, he would recycle some of the material for his later works. A lot of Tchaikovsky’s work was not originally well received. Swan Lake debuted in 1875 and was deemed a failure, but now is one of the most praised ballets. Swan Lake is part of Tchaikovsky’s trilogy of ballets that include The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky would also create famed operas such as Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades. Despite the criticism, Tchaikovsky received praise for his controversial work from some great minds. It is said that Leo Tolstoy arranged Tchaikovsky to perform for him and it brought Tolstoy to tears (Volkov 176). Tchaikovsky was even ordered to write the Festival Coronation March for Tsar Alexander