Great Composers: Tchaikovsky

This video is part of a BBC series that profiles some of the world's best-loved composers. In this edition, the featured artist is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This 19th century Russian composer was the most popular musical artist of his day. Trained as a lawyer, Tchaikovsky left his profession to follow his passion for music. He taught and composed many works familiar to music lovers, including Swan Lake, the 1812 Overture, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. In the program, excerpts of his music are interspersed with letters, diaries, personal accounts, re-enactments, and scholarly commentary.