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Tchaikovsky worked for the Ministry of Justice for 4 years. He started to take musical lessons at age 21 at Russian Musical Society, then he attended The Saint Petersburg Conservatory (1862 to 1865).
He was able to afford leaving the conservatory thanks to his patroness with Nadezhda Von Meck, who provided him of a monthly allowance.
Tchaikovsky died in Saint Petersburg, Russia on November 6, 1893 (53 years). While the official cause of his death is declared to be the cholera, many rumors imply that his death was selfinflicted by drinking poison
His complete set of compositions includes around 169 pieces: operas, ballets, concertos and cantatas:
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat minor Violin Concerto in D major The Nutcracker ballet Symphony No. 6 The Swan Lake ballet Sleeping Beauty, etc
Originally composed from 1875-1876 under the name of The Lake of the Swans. Performed for the first time in March 1877 by the Bolshoi Ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow with no success. Modesto blamed the the poverty of the production.
Marius Petipa with Ricardo Drigo and the choreographer Lev Ivanov revived the ballet after Tchaikovskys death. Odette was performed by Pierina Legnani, the ballet received positive reviews.
Modest edited the libretto and changed the final to a non-so-tragic one that was well received
Form: Moderate pace, the same melody is played more than once, its based on repetition and variation (A-B-A-B-A)
Expression: Pianissimo at the beginning, contrast to loud and more energetic sound.
Min 3:17 - 7:45 Melody/texture: Conjunct, homophonic melody. Ascending and descending melody
Rhythm/Meter: Triple meter, fast tempo. Harmony: Consonant, chromatic, all in major scale. Form: Allegro and vivace, ternary (A-B-A).
Expression: Forte during the first movement, then pianissimo, then forte again.
Melody/Texture: Mostly homophonic, in some very short parts polyphonic and Rhythm/Meter: Triple meter, Waltz.
Harmony: Chromatic harmony, consonant Form: Andante, based on repetition, same melody played by different instruments. Expression: Piano, dynamic contrast between piano, pianissimo and suddenly mezzo forte.
Rhythm/Meter: Duple meter, steady tempo until the end of the movement when it starts getting a little faster.