Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Fun Facts

  • By the age of six, Tchaikovsky was fluent in French and German in addition to his native Russian.

  • Tchaikovsky destroyed his first two operas.

  • Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is one of his most well-known works, perhaps because of its use of cannons in the score.

  • The circumstances surrounding Tchaikovsky's sudden death remain a mystery to this day.

  • Tchaikovsky was anti-social, and suffered from stage fright.

  • The first piece of Tchaikovsky's music to be publicly performed was his Characteristic Dances, conducted by Johann Strauss, Jr.

  • Though Tchaikovsky's famous ballet, The Nutcracker, is now a holiday tradition, it wasn't popular until several decades after its premiere.

  • Tchaikovsky appeared at Carnegie Hall's inaugural concert, conducting his own Coronation March.


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Fun Facts

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Works Catalog

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Biography

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