Great Masters: Tchaikovsky—His Life and Music

Overview

Course No. 753

Join celebrated music historian Dr. Robert Greenberg to dig into the complicated life of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and examine how it was a fundamental component of his renowned compositions. This course consists of 8 lectures that delve into Tchaikovsky’s artistic journey and the balances he struck between emotional expression and classical structure. You’ll discover his monumental contribution to music, revealing the complexities of his persona and the impactful historical context surrounding his works.

Video Lectures

• Introduction and Early Life
  • Overview of Tchaikovsky’s early years and his sensitive character.
  • Duration: 47 min

2. A Career in Music
   • Explore the beginnings of Tchaikovsky’s career and his early influences.
   • Duration: 47 min

3. The First Masterworks
   • Analyze Tchaikovsky’s first significant compositions and their contexts.
   • Duration: 45 min

4. Maturity
   • Examine how Tchaikovsky’s life and relationships shaped his mature works.
   • Duration: 47 min

5. Three Women—Tatyana, Antonina, and Nadezhda
   • Study the key female figures in Tchaikovsky’s life and their impacts on his music.
   • Duration: 45 min

6. “My Great Friend”
   • Discover Tchaikovsky’s fruitful collaboration with Nadezhda von Meck.
   • Duration: 44 min

7. “A Free Man”
   • Learn about Tchaikovsky’s rise to international fame and struggles with depression.
   • Duration: 46 min

8. The Last Years, or Don’t Drink the Water
   • Reflect on Tchaikovsky’s final years, his health struggles, and lasting legacy.
   • Duration: 46 min