Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 36 & Romeo And Juliet Overture

One of the most wondrous friendships in musical history was the one between Pyotr Ilyitch Tchaikovski and a rich noblewoman, Nadjezhda von Meck. She worshipped Tchaikovski from afar and initiated a correspondence which, over the years, would amount to some 1200 letters. Madame Von Meck became Tchaikovskis patroness and granted him a generous yearly allowance. In this way it became possible for Pyotr Ilyitch to resign his detested job as a professor at the Moscow conservatory, concentrate on composing, and travel, preferably abroad. The two agreed that they would never meet, in order to avoid any emotional complications which might arise. Thanks to the extensive correspondence, we are well informed about numerous details of Tchaikovskis life, including the background to his Fourth Symphony in f, op. 36, from 1877. Around this time, Tchaikovski had unexpectedly rushed into a marriage in order to avoid revealing his homosexuality. After a week with his bride, the composer suffered a nervous breakdown and made an attempt at suicide, after which the marriage was dissolved on medical advice. It was against this backdrop that the Fourth Symphony was composed……