Tchaikovsky: The Man Revealed

by John Suchet

Overview

A tortured genius, a sensitive soul, and a great composer burdened by the weight of his private desires, Tchaikovsky’s life is explored in full by the incomparable John Suchet.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is one of the most successful composers that Russia has ever produced, but his path to success was not an easy one.

A shy, emotional child, intended for the civil service by his father, Tchaikovsky came late to composing as a career, and despite his success he was a troubled character. Doubting himself at every turn, he was keenly wounded by criticism. The death of his mother haunted him all his life and his incessant attempts to suppress his homosexuality took a huge toll.

From Tchaikovsky’s disastrous marriage to his extraordinary relationship with his female patron, his many amorous liaisons, and his devotion to friends and family, Suchet shows us how the complexity of Tchaikovsky’s emotional life plays out in his music. A man who was by turns quick to laugh and to despair, his mercurial temperament found its outlet in some of the most emotionally intense music ever written.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781643131337
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	07/02/2019
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	667,026
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

John Suchet presents Classic FM's flagship morning program in England. Before turning to classical music, John was one of the England's most respected television journalists. As a reporter he covered world events, including the Iran revolution, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Philippines revolution. John has been honored for both roles. In 1986 he was voted Television Journalist of the Year, in 1996 Television Newscaster of the Year, and in 2008 the Royal Television Society awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award. The Royal Academy of Music has awarded him an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his work on Beethoven, having written six books on the composer, including the highly acclaimed Beethoven: The Man Revealed. His bestselling biography of the Strauss family, The Last Waltz: The Strauss Dynasty and Vienna, was published in 2015.

Table of Contents

Family Tree vi

Author's Note vii

Prologue ix

1 Pyotr, the Fledgling Seagull 1

2 Upheavals and Loss 13

3 An Unbearable Farewell 21

4 Guilt and the Cruellest Loss 29

5 A Difficult Journey 39

6 Pyotr Chooses Music 51

7 Tchaikovsky, Musk Teacher 63

8 The Ladies' Man 71

9 A Most Unlikely Affair 79

10 A Tragic Love 89

11 The Lake of the Swans 97

12 Unexpected Inspiration 107

13 Bending the Rules 115

14 Misery and Defiance 123

15 Swan Lake - and Failure 131

16 In Love - and Alone 139

17 A Woman Enters His Life 145

18 'She Is Repulsive to Me' 157

19 Fate 169

20 'It Stinks to the Ear' 179

21 A Sort of Freedom 189

22 The Boulevardier 197

23 An Impenetrable Secret 205

24 A Family Crisis 213

25 A Benefactor Bids 'Adieu' 221

26 On Tour and Unhappy 229

27 A Musical 'Adieu'? 237

Postscript 242

Afterword 246

Timeline 260

Select Bibliography 264

References 266

Index 270

Editorial Reviews

"An introduction to Verdi as a man rather than as a composer. A book meant to stoke enthusiasm, ideal for someone who has seen a Verdi opera or two and wants to know more." [praise for John Suchet's 'Verdi']

Christian Science Monitor [praise for John Suchet's 'Verdi']