Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s life path was distinguished by the depth and intensity of his spiritual search. An important element in understanding human nature and the world itself for the composer was regular reading of religious and philosophical literature.

The beginning of Tchaikovsky’s life was marked by the profound influence of Christian commandments. They plunged deep into the soul of an impressionable boy. This is evidenced by the poems of seven-year-old Petya Tchaikovsky, addressed to God. In adulthood, Tchaikovsky always read the Bible.

In the 1880s, the composer carefully studied and compared the texts of the Old and New Testaments. He had a personal copy of the Russian-language translation of the Bible. It is likely that the composer, having bought the Bible in the early 1880s, began reading it in 1884. Tchaikovsky did not turn to any other book as often as to the Bible: in the process of reading, he wrote down 75 different dates on the pages. The first date is September 11, 1885, the last is February 3, 1892.

While studying sacred texts, the composer marked what he read with crosses and asterisks; he highlighted important ideas. He wrote down the conclusions that arose in the course of reading in the margins. The composer’s heart was always especially touched by the words from the Gospel of Matthew:

After returning from short trips, Tchaikovsky began reading the Bible the very next day, or even the same day, trying to restore his way of life, which was different from city life — “senselessly fussy, but at the same time disgustingly idle”, as the composer wrote in one of his letters.

In the last years of his life, the composer continued his religious and philosophical searches, during which his pantheistic worldview was strengthened and the main thesis of pantheism — “God is nature” became predominant. During that period, Tchaikovsky’s fascination with the views of Benedict Spinoza, who was the closest to him among philosophers, became quite clear.

The book contained 13 dried flowers, a bird’s feather and two bookmarks for reading the Old and New Testaments. Tchaikovsky wrote,