Can you recognize Tchaikovsky by ear?
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) was a Russian Romantic composer, known for Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, the 1812 Overture and his Piano Concerto No. 1. In Guess the Composer, you hear up to 30 seconds of music and name the composer.
How to recognize Tchaikovsky
Listen for long, sweeping string melodies, intense emotional climaxes and brass fanfares. Colorful woodwind solos and a gift for waltzes and dance rhythms come straight from the ballet stage.
Who can Tchaikovsky be mistaken for?
Listeners may confuse this music with that of Sergei Rachmaninoff, Antonín Dvořák or Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
How hard is Tchaikovsky in the game?
The game has up to 147 excerpts by Tchaikovsky, depending on your country, and most are at the Medium level.
Pieces you may hear
- Concerto for Piano and Orchestra no. 1 in B-flat minor, op. 23
- Swan Lake, op. 20: Act II
- The Nutcracker (suite from the ballet), op. 71a
- The Year 1812, Festival Overture in E-flat major, op. 49
- Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 'Pathétique'
- Capriccio Italien for orchestra, Op. 45
- Serenade for Strings in C major, op. 48
- Symphony no. 5 in E minor, op. 64
Portrait: Nikolai Kuznetsov, Public domain; background removed.
