Not just a great composer but the greatest ever! The art of music is rooted in development of unforgettable melodies that soothe our souls, pathos that touch our hearts with beautiful orchestration and colorful harmony and counterpoint that we wish to hear repeatedly without ever getting tired. On this basis, Tchaikovsky was the greatest composer who ever walked the face of the earth because of his array of spectacular and virtuosic super masterpieces in all genres of classical music: operas, ballets, piano concertos, violin concerto, cello concerto, symphonies, large orchestral tone poems, church choir music, chamber music and songs. No other composer could ever come close to such a distinction, not even by a long shot.

Apparently whilst Benjamin Britten was writing his one and only ballet music "The Prince of The Pagodas" he kept a score of "Swan Lake" by his bedside.

Man these videos are great! So informative and interesting! Thanks for your work on these videos.

Tchaikovski german piano teacher said Tchaikovski was a kind of mediocre without a real talent but it was the future composer’s father who insisted his son continued musical education after graduation from a law school. Tchaikovski wrote himself that he is very lucky to have such father.

I just read this excellent piece today, 3/17/2022. You covered so much material in such a succinct, but yet detailed manner. Kudos to you!!

Thank you for the OUTSTANDING videos!!!👍👍👍👍👍

YES RUSSIAN MUSIC

As someone who's been studying Tchaikovsky's life and music now for more than 50 years, I congratulate you on such an insightful summary in the short time you had! I can think of no better introduction to man and music than this. But I believe (like you probably) that he did kill himself and that the 6th symphony is his suicide note. I can't prove it, of course. So, he drank a glass of unboiled water...? According to Tchaikovsky's brother, Modest, he drank it the day after a visit to the theatre, at breakfast and in Modest's apartment According to his nephew, he drank it at a restaurant called Leiner's the night before, causing quite a scene: Tchaikovsky arrived late from the theatre in quite a state and asked for a glass of cold water. They didn't have any. (What? One of the biggest and most popular eateries in SP didn't have any water?) Besides which, Tchaikovsky always drank mineral water... Aspen if he could get it. So we're meant to believe that this place had run out of both boiled tap water AND every brand of mineral water. Seriously? Glazunov supports this story too, writing, "I should know. I was there." But Tchaikovksy's beloved mother had died of cholera when he was 14 and he was terrified of the disease. It doesn't make sense, does it? Until you read that one of the doctors who attended the composer in his last days was a man called Lev Bertenson, also the Tsar's physician. According to his wife, on his deathbed, the good doctor said, "I killed Tchaikovsky." Arsenic mimics the symptoms of cholera really quite closely but are we really to believe that Tchaikovsky chose this agonizing way to die? I don't think so. I think Bertenson gave him a lethal injection yet signed cholera as the cause of death. There, my little rant is over. Once again, I really enjoyed the video!

Love your understanding and insights. Thanks so much for sharing.

Thanks for the great vid, I've been looking forward to it

Tchaikovsky's wife was very distraught indeed, because today I was reading a book about Tchaikovsky and apparently Antonina was looked after by Tchaikovsky's sister for a little while, but she just couldn't take Antonina's fits of crying anymore. Another grim detail was that apparently Antonina would bite her nails to the point that there were bloodstains all over the room! In that sense I'm not surprised that she eventually ended up in a mental institution, a tragic story indeed.

good job - very informative

Loved the variations on a rococo theme in the background (is it the one played by Narek haknazaryan), although it distract me many times, it's definitely my most favorite tchaikovsky composition.

First rate summary - thank you!

Your Russian pronunciation(the way you pronounce russian composer's names )is sooo good,do you know this language? Btw what is your favorite russian composer? P.s just found your account,it's so interesting, thank you so much for all of your work!

I feel like just listening to the very end of the finale of “Pathetique” is enough evidence that the Symphony could be a suicide note. The gradual drop of all the instruments until only the cello and bass are left, with the bass playing what sounds like a fading heart beat.

Hey I love this series, but I’m curious will you be doing Mozart? Or maybe you’ve done it and I’m blind and can’t find it.

He was the most versatile of the great composers.

A very interesting video about a very complex man sir. Thank you. You mentioned that PIT was very susceptible to criticism. I wonder what the difference is between critiicism means in this case compared with expressing personal taste and woud appreciate your personal thoughts. After all ordinary mortals such as I would respond by suggesting that if the critic could do better then they are free to do so. Blessings and peace

Loved it. After reading enough Poznansky & Wiley the suicide sounds like a silly conspiracy. Can’t think of a more appropriate musical genius to fill up so much of my life.

You should do one about Paul Hindemith! I like your videos

The way that the sixth symphony ends give way to the suicide theory

Have you made a video about Mahler yet?

I greatly enjoyed your presentation on the miraculous Pitor Tchaikovksy. I'm curious: 1) where can I find Tchaikovsky's reference to Fauré as "adorable," and 2) where can I find his reference to the prospect of gardening full time if his invention waned? All the best, Paul Sayre

For now, Tchaikovsky is my favorite composer of all time along with Shostakovich! The Pathétique symphony is my alltime favorite symphony and the best recording of that symphony in my opinion is the one conducted by Teodor Currentzis and played by the MusicAeterna orchestra. Speaking of which, what will be your take on the Greek-born Russian conductor Teodor Currentzis?

Hello i have a paper and really need to figure out how he influenced music

I tried to read all the titles on your bookshelf ...I thought Arthur lesser's book on Men, Women, and Pianos would be there.

3:15. "He learned a little flute." So he learned the piccolo?

Unrelated to great composers, does the way you play music influence the way you talk? Very rhythmic with lots of inflection haha

I have a theory about Tchaikovsky's death. What about food poisoning. The symptoms that biographers say he experienced after eating at the restaurant, sound similar to those someone suffers after having a reaction to something undercooked. He could have had an ailment that went untreated for years. A combination of this ailment and undercooked meat could have done him in.

Is Igor top 5 among greatest composers?

I think you understate homophobia in Russia in his day.

8:38

"he was bad with money" Ha! what's new

Hmm. I read that he actually thought quite highly of Richard Wagner. I would doubt his sanity if not.

We have understand that homosexuality was thou of as non human even maturation was thought of as extremely aberrant. Thank Goc for Sigmunde Frued who in his letter to an American woman dashed all that cultural bagage

How Russia rlly sucked in music b4 Tchaikovsky never gets me.