Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) was the first Russian composer to win lasting fame in the West. He wrote the ballets Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, six symphonies, the 1812 Overture and the First Piano Concerto, music built on long, singing melodies and open emotion. The Pathétique, his last symphony, premiered nine days before his death. The recordings here are in the public domain: Musopen released the symphony free of copyright, and the United States military bands' performances are works of the U.S. government.
Genres: classical, orchestral