Tchaikovsky -- The First Litigious Russian Music Talent

I was never a big enthusiast of Russian music so I never considered I would love the creations of Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky. I have been hearing his masterwork when I was yet six years old but I never really knew that it was this famous composer who created one of my most respected compositions until I sat in my Humanities class watching Disney's "Fantasia" listening to "Waltz of the Flowers" as it is being featured in one of the scenes. That incident later led me to research about who this distinguished composer was and why is he indisputably famous.

Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky, who was born May 7, 1840 in Votskink, Russia, is a Russian composer who developed a combination of western ideas with his homeland's melodies. He is more usually known with his ballet compositions such as "Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", and "Sleeping Beauty" although his other works incorporate writing operas like "The Queen of Spades", "The Maid of Orleans", and "Marzappa".

However, his personal life is cloaked with contention. He discarded his darling Antonina after a hasty wedding in the summer of 1877 before meeting his wealthy benefactress in the person of Nadezhda von Meck whom he corresponded with for 13 years, from 1877-1890. Although some historians look at him as a straight man, some look at him as a homosexual as perceived through is actions and his master works. The vindication of his death in November 6, 1893 is also as controversial as his life with disputes on how he died. Some believed he died of cholera which was considered incurable at the time, while others said, he committed suicide by means of following a sentence of a so-called "court of honor" when homosexuality is still taboo in Russian society.