"Tchaikovsky" redirects here. For other uses, see Tchaikovsky (disambiguation).
Pyotr (Peter) Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: ???? ????? ????o?????, Pëtr Il’ic Cajkovskij or Pyotr Il'ich Chajjkovskijj; listen (help·info) (7 May 1840 [O.S. 25 April] – 6 November 1893 [O.S. 25 October]), also transliterated Piotr Ilitsch Tschaikowski, Petr Ilich Tschaikowsky, Piotr Illyich Tchaikovsky, as well as many other versions, was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. Although not a member of the group of Russian composers usually known in English-speaking countries as 'The Five', his music has come to be known and loved for its distinctly Russian character as well as for its rich harmonies and stirring melodies. His works, however, were much more western than those of his Russian contemporaries as he effectively used international elements in addition to national folk melodies.
