Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk, Russia, in 1840. His parents had no particular ambitions for their son to become a musician, but young Peter showed an early love for music. He was given piano lessons at the age of five and within a year he could play better than his teacher.
His mother died when he was fourteen years old and he was greatly saddened by her death.
He began to compose music which, he said, helped to soothe his troubled mind.
By the end of his life, in the late nineteenth century, Peter Illich Tchaikovsky was acknowledged as the greatest living composer.
However, at the beginning of his career, his compositions were not always appreciated. Tchaikovsky's music, which is so popular and familiar today, was at the time considered to be very modern and different.
Some people thought it was too sentimental and emotional. But audiences everywhere soon came to appreciate Tchaikovsky's distinctive musical style, which was full of passion and feeling.