According to his teachers, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), was not particularly gifted. His special talents were acknowledged only in 1865 when he had been working for the Ministry of Finances for some years.
In 1866 he was appointed teacher at the Conservatory and applied himself to composing. His oeuvre is fairly extensive and many of his compositions receive a high ranking on the international list of classical music, including his six symphonies, solo concertos (violin concerto and...