This is the first surviving photograph of Pyotr Tchaikovsky. It dates back to 1848. The photo was taken at the time when the future composer’s father retired as a Major-General and the family left Votkinsk for St. Petersburg.
Little Pyotr is only eight years old. He is standing on the left, wearing a long plaid shirt with a belt. Sitting next to him is his mother, Alexandra Andreyevna Tchaikovskaya. Leaning her elbow on her mother’s knees is the composer’s younger sister, Alexandra. The oldest children, ZinaIda and Nikolai, are standing in the middle. The father, Ilya Petrovich Tchaikovsky, is holding the youngest son, IppolIt.
The Tchaikovsky family was considered one of the best culturally developed families in Votkinsk. Music was often played in their house: parents used to gather an amateur chamber ensemble. Tchaikovskys also had an orchestrion — a mechanical organ with a set of cylinders and recordings of dance and classical music. The composer’s family always lived in love and harmony. His parents were very loving with each other: even after many years of marriage, Ilya Tchaikovsky called his wife ‘Sashenka’ and ‘My angel’ in his letters. Their children kept their correspondence and turned it into a beautiful album.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s first teacher was his mother. It was her who showed him the notes and taught the basics of playing the piano. She could play and sing very well. Unfortunately, Alexandra Andreevna passed away when she was only 42 years old. It was a huge blow for the family. Years later, the composer confessed he could not listen to Alexander Alyabyev’s The Nightingale without tears, because his mother loved that melody.
Tchaikovsky’s father also believed in his son’s talent. He supported Pyotr wholeheartedly when he decided to quit the law career and dedicate his life to music.
The composer loved his younger sister Alexandra just as much. He used to call her a ‘perfect, wonderful woman.’ She was only a year younger than her brother, and the two shared their joy and griefs since childhood. After the death of their mother, the 12-year-old Alexandra left Smolny Institute and came back home. She assumed the role of a hostess and was happy to take care of her brothers, especially the young twins who were only 4 at the time (not pictured on this photograph). In 1860, Alexandra married Lev Davydov, son of Decembrist Vasily Davydov, and the young couple settled in Kamenka estate, Kyiv Governorate. Starting from 1865, Tchaikovsky was their frequent visitor. Kamenka, and then his sister’s own estate — Verbovka — became his favorite places for work and leisure.
Tchaikovsky maintained a good relationship with his brothers as well. Pyotr and his elder brother Nikolai were good friends since childhood. As adults, they would jokingly give each other work advice: Pyotr Tchaikovsky humorously suggested engineering solutions for locomotives, and Nikolai teased his brother coming up with alternative endings for his operas. The brothers did not see Ippolit as often because he moved to Odessa and then to Taganrog due to his job, but they did try to maintain a correspondence.
Little Pyotr is only eight years old. He is standing on the left, wearing a long plaid shirt with a belt. Sitting next to him is his mother, Alexandra Andreyevna Tchaikovskaya. Leaning her elbow on her mother’s knees is the composer’s younger sister, Alexandra. The oldest children, ZinaIda and Nikolai, are standing in the middle. The father, Ilya Petrovich Tchaikovsky, is holding the youngest son, IppolIt.
The Tchaikovsky family was considered one of the best culturally developed families in Votkinsk. Music was often played in their house: parents used to gather an amateur chamber ensemble. Tchaikovskys also had an orchestrion — a mechanical organ with a set of cylinders and recordings of dance and classical music. The composer’s family always lived in love and harmony. His parents were very loving with each other: even after many years of marriage, Ilya Tchaikovsky called his wife ‘Sashenka’ and ‘My angel’ in his letters. Their children kept their correspondence and turned it into a beautiful album.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s first teacher was his mother. It was her who showed him the notes and taught the basics of playing the piano. She could play and sing very well. Unfortunately, Alexandra Andreevna passed away when she was only 42 years old. It was a huge blow for the family. Years later, the composer confessed he could not listen to Alexander Alyabyev’s The Nightingale without tears, because his mother loved that melody.
Tchaikovsky’s father also believed in his son’s talent. He supported Pyotr wholeheartedly when he decided to quit the law career and dedicate his life to music.
The composer loved his younger sister Alexandra just as much. He used to call her a ‘perfect, wonderful woman.’ She was only a year younger than her brother, and the two shared their joy and griefs since childhood. After the death of their mother, the 12-year-old Alexandra left Smolny Institute and came back home. She assumed the role of a hostess and was happy to take care of her brothers, especially the young twins who were only 4 at the time (not pictured on this photograph). In 1860, Alexandra married Lev Davydov, son of Decembrist Vasily Davydov, and the young couple settled in Kamenka estate, Kyiv Governorate. Starting from 1865, Tchaikovsky was their frequent visitor. Kamenka, and then his sister’s own estate — Verbovka — became his favorite places for work and leisure.
Tchaikovsky maintained a good relationship with his brothers as well. Pyotr and his elder brother Nikolai were good friends since childhood. As adults, they would jokingly give each other work advice: Pyotr Tchaikovsky humorously suggested engineering solutions for locomotives, and Nikolai teased his brother coming up with alternative endings for his operas. The brothers did not see Ippolit as often because he moved to Odessa and then to Taganrog due to his job, but they did try to maintain a correspondence.
