TSCHAIKOWSKY, chi-kov'skA,PETER amen (1840-93). The greatest composer Russia has thus far produced, born at a small place called Votkinsk, in the Ural mining region, on 3lay 7, 1840. He studied jurisprudence in Saint Peters burg, and in 1859 obtained a position in the Ministry of Justice. In company with a young poet named Apukhtin, who greatly influenced his future, he listened to Italian opera whenever an opportunity presented itself. This love of Italian music left its traces in Tschaikowsky's scores. He entered the Conservatory where Anton Rubin stein, its director, was attracted by the young man's ability. Tschaikowsky resigned his Govern ment position, studied music with all the vigor of his nature. and on his leaving the Conserva tory three years later, he continued to study orchestration with Rubinstein and took up the flute, piano, and organ. In 1866 he accepted the position of teacher of harmony at the Moscow Conservatory. It was at this time that he met the poet Ostrovsky, who gave him the libretto for his first opera. Voyeroda ["The Chieftain"J.
Tschaikowsky's first musical idols were Glinka, the father of modern Russian music, and Mozart. He venerated Beethoven and admired Schumann, but, singularly enough, he never eared much for Chopin. Schumann, with his short breathed phrases. was the Russian's model in writing for the pianoforte. Tschaikowskv went on composing. undeterred by the lack of ap preciation on the part of both the Rubinsteins. Even the brilliant and effective first piano con certo was picked to pieces by Nicholas. and so hurt was the young composer that lie erased the dedication to Nicholas and substituted the name of Hans von Billow, who rewarded the courtesy by producing the concerto in Boston on the oc casion of his first visit to America (1875-76). Tschaikowsky made the acquaintance of Bala kireff, who urged him to compose the Nome() et Jullette fantaisie overture. Now flowed forth a stream of songs, symphonic poems. concertos, symphonies, operas, chamber music. overtures, dances, many experimental in form. much that was mediocre and also some genuine master pieces. An unhappy marriage, briefly endured, sent him into a retirement at Kiln. which was occasionally interrupted by trips to Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, and England. He met Brahms and liked the man, but never con cealed an antipathy for his music. He admired 'Wagner, with many reservations, though lie will ingly visited Bayreuth. But he took no great interest in the music drama, preferring old fashioned operatic forms. All his opinions, musi cal and otherwise, may be found in his Diary, and in his musical criticisms, which were edited by G. A. Laroche. His fame grew apace, and in the spring of 1891 he visited America, in re sponse to the invitation of Walter Danirosch, and was present at the dedication of Carnegie Hall, New York. On November 6, 1893, Tschai kowsky died in Saint Petersburg, after a short illness, of cholera. His death evoked universal sympathy, and Russia learned from the western world that she had lost her greatest composer.
For many years the opposition to Tsehaikowsky was based upon the allegation that he was not really one of the Neo-Russian nationalists, who with Tolstoy 'went to the people' for their themes. Tsehaikowsky, like Turgenieff, was a
traveled man of culture, and a cosmopolitan on certain sides of his art; but there was no truer patriot than this fiery-smiled poet, who demon strated his slavophilism in a hundred of his com positions. His happiest work is in the pure fantasy, or what he was pleased to term 'over ture fantaisie.' Thus his Manfred, Romeo et Juliette, The Tempest, and Francesca do Rimini, gives us Tschaikowsky at the very top of his powers. The unfailing invention which marked his poetic works seemed to desert him when he attempted purely abstract music. A poet first, musician afterwards, Tschaikowsky was inspired by poetic themes. He was a born master of orchestration. The timbres of his instruments meant for him so many voices, and so his works are often tone-dramas, operas without words. Tsehaikowsky's music reveals the mighty pes simism of his nation. His symphonies are often built upon typical phrases, taken from the folk song; he is Russian in his operas, with their national texts and treatment. Some of his songs —lie wrote over a hundred—are masterpieces: "Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt," "Don Juan Serenade," "Disappointment," "Warum sind die Rosen so Wass?" His Florentine string sextet is warm in color, and in his three string quartets he often strays across the borders into the pleasing country of the operatic. The world has come to recognize the last movement of the Pathetic symphony as an unparalleled embodiment of woe. Bnt as a whole the work hangs loosely together. The fifth symphony is more homo geneous, the fourth, in F minor, more Russian. There are three piano concertos, a violin con certo, and many piano pieces. The symphonic poems, with their wealth of musical imagery, their dramatic power and thrilling effects con stitute Tschaikowsky's claim to immortality. He had a predilection for ballet-music and left charming specimens of dance music in Le eas semoi.w(le suite and other compositions in a light vein. llis operas arc seldom heard outside of Russia. Eugene Oneqin (1879) is said to be a work of genius. Besides it, The l'oye rode (1869), The Jlaid of Orleans (1881), Mazeppo 11882), and loloothe (1S93) met with success. Other noteworthy works include the lyric drama snowdrop; three ballets. Lc hie des (vines. La belle an Bois dormant (1890), and Lc casscnoiscitc; symphonies, symphonic poems, and a great mass of miscellaneous compositions. He published a Treatise on Harmony (1872) ; a translation of Gevaert's Traite &instrumenta tion ' • and also wrote Musikalische Erinnerungen undFeltilletons (1899).
Consult the biographies by Rosa Newmarch (London, 1900), Knorr (Berlin, Modest, Tschaikowsky (Germ. trans., Leipzig, 1901), and Hruby (ib., 1902) ; also Huneker, Mezzotints in Modern Music (New York, 1899) ; Runciman, Old Scores and Nem Readings (London, 1899) ; and Imbert, Profits dc ntusicicns (Paris, 1888).