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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. Although musically precocious, Tchaikovsky was educated for a career as a civil servant as there was little opportunity for a musical career in Russia at the time and no system of public music education. When an opportunity for such an education arose, he entered the nascent Saint Petersburg Conservatory, from which he graduated in 1865. Despite his many popular successes, Tchaikovsky's life was punctuated by personal crises and depression. Tchaikovsky's sudden death at the age of 53 is generally ascribed to cholera, but there is an ongoing debate as to whether cholera was indeed the cause, and also whether the death was accidental or intentional (text from Wikipedia).
As with all posts dedicated to one composer, I will select my 12 favourite works, listed in chronological order. All depicted CD's are from my own collection. Text is sometimes copied from the Wikipedia entries.
Swan Lake (1876)
Swan Lake is the first of the three famous Tchaikovsky ballets. Despite its initial failure, it is now one of the most popular ballets of all time. For me, this is the one that stood the test of time. The Nutcracker has more famous tunes, but Swan Lake works better as an overall listening experience. The version shown above is by the National Philharmonic Orchestra under Richard Bonynge on a Decca set with six CD's (including the two other ballets).
String Quartet No. 3 (1876)
The last of the three string quartets. The first quartet is probably the best known, because of the Andante Cantabile movement that is often used as an encore, and that features one of his most gorgeous melodies. As a composition though, I prefer the third. The version shown above is by the Borodin String Quartet on an EMI double CD.
Variations on a Rococo Theme (1877)
The Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33, for cello and orchestra was the closest Tchaikovsky ever came to writing a full concerto for the instrument. The style was inspired by Mozart, Tchaikovsky's role model, and makes it clear that Tchaikovsky admired the Classical style very much. However, the Theme is not Rococo in origin, but actually an original theme in the Rococo style. After his brilliant violin concerto, this is by far his best concertante work to my taste. The version shown above is by Mstislav Rostropovich and the Berliner Philharmoniker under Herbert von Karajan on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Eugene Onegin (1878)
Tchaikovsky wrote eleven operas, a handful of which still being in the extended standard repertoire. Eugene Onegin is my favourite, and in fact my favourite 19th century opera not composed by Wagner. The story concerns a selfish hero who lives to regret his blasé rejection of a young woman's love and his careless incitement of a fatal duel with his best friend. The version shown above is by the Staatskapelle Dresden and Rundfunkchor Leipzig, directed by James Levine, with Thomas Allen, Mirella Freni, Anne Sofie von Otter, Neil Shicoff, and Paata Burchuladze as main singers, on a Deutsche Grammophon double CD.
Symphony No. 4 (1878)
The Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36, is the first of his symphonies I selected for my dozen picks. The first three are not bad, but this was a considerable step forward in terms of quality. It is a dramatic work, with a for the time rare imbalance between the four movements (the first taking up almost half of the symphony's length). The version shown above is by the Leningrad Philharmonic under Yevgeny Mravinsky on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Violin Concerto (1878)
The violin concerto in D major, Op.35, is the only one of Tchaikovsky's four formal concertos to make my list - the three piano concertos are not even close. The piece is in three movements, with no break between the second and the third. It is generally seen as one of the best violin concertos of all time, although the influential critic Eduard Hanslick called the concerto "long and pretentious", "music that stinks to the ear", and wrote that "the violin was not played but beaten black and blue." I love it. The version shown above is by Nathan Milstein and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra under Claudio Abbado on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Serenade for Strings (1880)
The Serenade for Strings in C major, Op. 48, is a piece in four movements for string orchestra (according to the composer, "The larger number of players in the string orchestra, the more this shall be in accordance with the author's wishes"). It is a fun piece with a fantastic melody in the second movement waltz. The version shown above is by the Vienna Chamber Orchestra under Philippe Entremont on a Naxos CD.
Romeo and Juliet (1880)
Romeo and Juliet, TH 42, ČW 39, is a symphonic poem (or as the composer called it, an Overture-Fantasy), based on Shakespeare's play of the same name. The love theme is one of his most famous melodies. The version shown above is by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Barenboim on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Piano Trio (1882)
The PianoTrio in A minor, Op. 50, was written in Rome between December 1881 and late January 1882. It is subtitled À la mémoire d’un grand artiste [In memory of a great artist], in reference to Nikolai Rubinstein, his close friend and mentor, who had died on 23 March 1881. It is a tragic piece in two movements, the second one consisting of a theme and variations. Probably his best piece of chamber music. The version shown above is by the Borodin Trio on a Chandos CD.
Manfred Symphony (1885)
The unnumbered Manfred Symphony in B minor, Op. 58, is a programmatic symphony in four movements, based on the poem Manfred written by Lord Byron. The composer initially considered the work one of his best, and in a typical reversal of opinion later considered destroying all but the opening movement. More than any other PIT symphony, it divides the listeners, who tend to rank it near the top or near the bottom. I'm in the former group. The version shown above is by the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra under Mariss Jansons on a Chandos CD.
Symphony No. 5 (1888)
The Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64, is in four movements. It is based on the idea of "ultimate victory through strife" and contains some of the composer's finest moments, especially in the haunting almost Mahlerian second movement. The version shown above is by the Leningrad Philharmonic under Yevgeny Mravinsky on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
Symphony No. 6 "Pathétique" (1893)
The Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, was the final completed symphony by Tchaikovsky. The composer gave the work the name "The Passionate Symphony", employing a Russian word meaning "passionate" or "emotional", which was then (mis-)translated into French as pathétique, meaning "solemn" or "emotive" - let alone the occasional further mis-translation into English as the Pathetic symphony.... The symphony is in four movements, but unconventionally ends in an Adagio lamentoso to stress the somber mood that is present throughout this work. This was my first Tchaikovsky symphony and after all these years still my favourite by far. The version shown above is by the Leningrad Philharmonic under Yevgeny Mravinsky on a Deutsche Grammophon CD.
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