Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is considered to be the most
popular Russian composer in history and my favorite composer of piano
compositions many of which I grew up learning. This is due to his most
celebrated compositions for his ballets that include Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker all of which make up my all-time favorite pieces to
play on the piano especially, Pas De Deux, a
dance for the Sugar
Plum Fairy and Prince Coqueluche. Tchaikovsky is a true inspiration as his collective body of work
constitutes 169 pieces that include symphonies, operas, ballets, concertos,
cantatas, and songs. His works are of great appeal for listeners as they are
characterized by impressive harmonies, light melodies, picturesque
orchestration, and have the ability of evoking a powerful emotional response as
it does for me.
Tchaikovsky lived a full life completely surrounded by his love for music, so much so that as a child he would complain that the music in his head kept him from sleep. This link details his life in stages and includes a list of his works.
Tchaikovsky said, "Truly there would be reason to go mad were it not for music," and I couldn't agree more. This link includes a list of his works that can be clicked on to hear a sample in hopes that they will evoke the same emotional response for you all as they do for me.
A little over half way through the article, this link details Tchaikovsky's musical style detailing harmony, rhythm, structure, and repetition.
