Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilich (1840–93), Russian composer. He studied with Anton Rubinstein, became professor at Moscow Conservatory, and gave concerts of his own music in Europe and the United States. His gift for melody and brilliant orchestration, plus the drama, excitement, and emotional intensity of his music, place him among the most popular composers. Orchestral works include Violin Concerto in D Major (1878) and Symphony No. 6, or the the “Pathétique” (1893). His ballets, Swan Lake (1876), Sleeping Beauty (1889), and The Nutcracker (1892), have become classics. His operas include Eugene Onégin (1879) and The Queen of Spades (1890).