History Creator / PyotrIlyichTchaikovsky

[[quoteright:174:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tchaikovsky_1906_evans_5856.png]]

'''Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky''' (7 May 1840 –- 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''Theatre/SwanLake'', ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'', and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter. One of the first known homosexual composers, he suffered much during his lifetime, and it shows through his music.

The ''Capriccio italien'' is another reasonably famous piece, a medley of various Italian songs he claimed to have heard on vacation. Or cribbed from anthologies, showing that the practice of sampling is nothing new in music.

Tchaikovsky has a tendency to repeat motifs and themes, both large sections of a piece and small bits of a few bars that make up those themes.

His private life was almost as interesting. He's the earliest composer that we know for sure was homosexual, and he suffered for it during his lifetime.



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!! Tropes present in his life and work:

* ArmoredClosetGay: In 19th century, how could he be otherwise?
* TheBeard: His marriage, which was a disaster.
** Also had a literal [[BadassBeard beard]], as seen in the photograph above.
* DrivenToSuicide: There are some people who think that he committed suicide instead of dying of cholera.
* {{Gayngst}}: Pretty self-explanatory.
* MagnumOpusDissonance: While ''Theatre/TheNutcracker'' became his most popular work, he was not generally pleased with the score, and was disappointed that his other compositions didn't fare as well with the public.
--> "I gave them a masterpiece in ''SwanLake'', but all they want from me is fluff."
** He also didn't much care for his ''1812 Overture'', calling it "very loud and noisy, but without any actual art in it", yet it is perhaps the most well-known of his compositions.
* OrchestralBombing: Pretty much the entire point of the ''1812 Overture,'' in which the score (depicting Russia's defeat of Napoleon's army) actually calls for [[StuffBlowingUp real cannons to be fired]] at the finale. To quote {{Calvin|AndHobbes}}:
--> "And they perform this in crowded concert halls?? Gee, I thought classical music was boring!"
* PlatonicLifePartners: He was this with Nadezhda von Meck.
* StandardSnippet: His music is a particularly rich source of these. Many themes of ''The Nutcracker'' (thanks to ''Disney/{{Fantasia}}''), the ''1812 Overture'', ''Marche Slav'', and the use of the great crescendo from the overture to ''Romeo and Juliet'' used in just about every love scene ever.
* TransparentCloset: To those who knew him personally.
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* ArmoredClosetGay: In 19th century Russia, how could he be otherwise?

'''Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky''' (7 May 1840 –- 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''Theatre/SwanLake'', ''Literature/SleepingBeauty'', and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter.

His private life was almost as interesting. He's the earliest composer that we know for sure was homosexual, and he suffered for it during his lifetime.

'''Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky''' (7 May 1840 –- 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''SwanLake'', ''SleepingBeauty'', and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter.

* StandardSnippet: His music is a particularly rich source of these. Many themes of ''The Nutcracker'' (thanks to ''{{Fantasia}}''), the ''1812 Overture'', ''Marche Slav'', and the use of the great crescendo from the overture to ''Romeo and Juliet'' used in just about every love scene ever.

'''Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky''' (7 May 1840 –- 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''SwanLake'' and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter.

His private life was almost as interesting. He's the earliest composer we know, for sure, was homosexual, and he suffered for it during his lifetime.

** Also had a literal [[BadassBeard beard]].

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (7 May 1840 –- 6 November 1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''SwanLake'' and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter.

Russian Romantic composer, most famous for ballets ''SwanLake'' and ''Theatre/TheNutcracker.'' Also known for the ''[[AwesomeMusic/{{Classical}} 1812 Overture]],'' which features cannons. His first name is usually anglicized as Peter.