Peter Tchaikovsky
Tchaikovsky was the first Russian composer to become popular throughout the world. Everyone loves the beautiful melodies he composed for The Nutcracker, which create a fairy tale atmosphere.
Tchaikovsky was a sensitive child whose feelings were easily hurt. He was often sad but found happiness in music. "I grew up in a quiet spot and was saturated from earliest childhood with the wonderful beauty of Russian popular song," he wrote. Memories of his childhood and the spirit and beauty of Russian folk songs inspired him to compose music. He was very kind, and loved to give money to poor children.
Tchaikovsky was also afraid of many things, including lightning. One of his favorite hobbies was hunting for mushrooms.
Tchaikovsky first studied to become a lawyer, but when he was 22 he decided to study music instead. He loved attending operas and concerts and Mozart was his favorite composer. He is famous for writing the music for the beautiful ballets Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Sleeping Beauty.
Music is not illusion...
it reveals to us beauties
we find nowhere else.
—Peter Tchaikovsky
