Boris Tchaikovsky
Soviet and Russian composer, pianist
About Boris Tchaikovsky
Lived 1925 – 1996 (aged 70). Boris Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer, pianist, film score composer, music educator and musician.
Boris Alexandrovich Tchaikovsky (; 10 September 1925 – 7 February 1996), PAU, was a Soviet and Russian composer, born in Moscow, whose oeuvre includes orchestral works, chamber music, and film music. He is considered as part of the second generation of Russian composers, following in the steps of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (to whom he was not related ) and especially Mussorgsky.
He was admired by Dmitri Shostakovich, with whom he studied, who (according to Per Skans in his notes for a recording) suggested in a letter of 1 February 1969 to Isaak Glikman, that "If Barshai's orchestra (the Moscow chamber orchestra) makes a guest appearance in Leningrad playing Vainberg's Tenth Symphony and Boris Tchaikovsky's Sinfonietta, you really have to hear them".
Of his larger-scale works almost all have been recorded. Boris Tchaikovsky generally wrote in a tonal style, although he made brief forays into serialism.
Selected works Stage The Star (Звезда), unfinished opera in three scenes (1949); libretto by David Samoilov after the novel by Emmanuil Kazakevich; Moscow Conservatory diploma-work
Orchestral Procession (Шествие) (1946) Symphony No.1 (1947) Fantasia on Russian Folk Themes (Фантазия на русские народные темы) (1950) Slavic Rhapsody (Славянская рапсодия) (1951) Symphonietta for string orchestra (1953) The Murmuring Forest Orchestral Suite (1953) Capriccio on English Themes (Каприччио на английские темы) (1954) Overture (Увертюра) (1957) Symphony No.2 (1967) Chamber Symphony (Камерная симфония) for chamber orchestra (1967) Theme and Eight Variations (Тема и восемь вариаций) (1973) Six Etudes (Шесть этюдов) for string orchestra and organ (1976) Symphony No.3 "Sevastopol" (Севастопольская симфония) (1980) The Winds of Siberia (Ветер Сибири), Symphonic Poem (1984) Four Preludes (Четыре прелюдии) for chamber orchestra (1984) The Juvenile (Подросток), Poem for orchestra (1984) Music for Orchestra (Музыка для оркестра) (1987) Symphony with Harp (Симфония с арфой) (1993) The Bells (Колокола), Prelude for orchestra (1996; completed in short score only)
Concertos Concerto for clarinet and chamber orchestra (1957) Concerto for cello and orchestra (1964) Concerto for violin and orchestra (1969) Concerto for piano and orchestra (1971)
Chamber music Piano Trio (1953) String Quartet No.1 (1954) String Trio (1955) Sonata for cello and piano (1957) Sonata for violin and piano (1959) Suite in D minor for cello solo (1960) String Quartet No.2 (1961) Piano Quintet (1962) Partita for cello and chamber ensemble (1966) String Quartet No.3 (1967) String Quartet No.4 (1972) String Quartet No.5 (1974) String Quartet No.6 (1976) Sextet for wind quintet and harp (1990)
Piano 3 Etudes (1935; 1972; 1980) 5 Pieces (1935) 5 Preludes (1936) 5 Pieces (1938) Sonata No.1 (1944) 2 Pieces (1945) Sonatina (1946) Sonata No.2 (1952) 8 Children's Pieces (Восемь детских пьес) (1952) Sonata for two pianos (1973) Pentatonic (Пентатоника), 6 Easy Pieces (1993) Natural Modes (Натуральные лады), 7 Miniatures (1993)
Vocal Two Poems by Mikhail Lermontov (Два стихотворения М. Ю. Лермонтова) for soprano and piano (1940) Four Poems by Josef Brodsky (Четыре стихотворения И. Бродского) for soprano and piano (1965) Lyrics of Pushkin (Лирика Пушкина), Song Cycle for soprano and piano (1972) Signs of the Zodiac (Знаки Зодиака), Cantata for soprano, harpsichord and string orchestra (1974) The Last Spring (Последняя весна), Song Cycle for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet and piano (1980); words by N. Zabolotsky From Kipling (Из Киплинга) for mezzo-soprano and viola (1994)
Film scores Year English title Original title Notes 1952 Опасный рельс directed by Khanan Shmain 1956 Murder on Dante Street Убийство на улице Данте directed by Mikhail Romm 1957 Обыкновенный человек directed by Alexander Stolbov 1958 October Days В дни Октября directed by Sergei Vasilyev Journey Beyond Three Seas Pardesi; Хождение за три моря directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and Vasili Pronin 1959 Заре навстречу directed by Tatyana Lukashevich Anyuta Анюта segment from Three Tales of Chekhov; directed by Meri Andzhaparidze 1960 Splendid Days Серёжа directed by Georgi Daneliya and Igor Talankin 1961 В пути directed by Meri Andzhaparidze 1962 "The Tram to other Cities" Трамвай в другие города directed by Yuli Fait 1963 Summer Is Over Пропало лето directed by Rolan Bykov and Nikita Orlov Прочь с дороги! directed by E. Shorokh Жертва directed by Meri Andzhaparidze 1964 Balzaminov's Marriage Женитьба Бальзаминова directed by Konstantin Voynov The front is in defense Пока фронт в обороне directed by Yuli Fait 1965 "The Road to a Sea" Дорога к морю directed by Irina Poplavskaya 1966 A Boy and A Girl Мальчик и девочка directed by Yuli Fait Aybolit-66 Айболит-66 directed by Rolan Bykov 1967 Autumn Weddings Осенние свадьбы directed by Boris Yashin 1968 Первая девушка directed by Boris Yashin 1969 Гори, гори моя звезда directed by Alexander Mitta 1971 Нюркина жизнь directed by Anatoli Bobrovsky 1974 Moscow, My Love Москва, любовь моя directed by Alexander Mitta and Kenji Yoshida (吉田憲二; Кэндзи Ёсида) Shower Ливень directed by Boris Yashin 1976 Собственное мнение directed by Yuli Karasik Долги наши directed by Boris Yashin 1978 Лоскутик и облако animated film; directed by Rasa Strautmane Как тоску одолели animated film; directed by Yuri Trofimov Расмус–бродяга directed by Maria Muat A French Lessons Уроки французского directed by Yevgeny Tashkov 1979 Северная сказка directed by Rasa Strautmane 1983 Подросток TV mini-series; directed by Yevgeny Tashkov 1984 Зелёный остров directed by Yuli Fait 1987 Ловкачи directed by Yevgeny Tashkov
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Important facts
People in Boris Tchaikovsky's life
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Boris Tchaikovsky?
Soviet and Russian composer, pianist (1925–1996)
When was Boris Tchaikovsky born?
Boris Tchaikovsky was born on 10 September 1925 in Moscow.
When did Boris Tchaikovsky die?
Boris Tchaikovsky died on 7 February 1996 in Moscow.
What was Boris Tchaikovsky's occupation?
Boris Tchaikovsky was a composer, pianist, film score composer, music educator and musician.
What nationality was Boris Tchaikovsky?
Boris Tchaikovsky was Russian.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Boris Tchaikovsky
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Boris Tchaikovsky. https://biography.guide/boris-tchaikovsky/
MLA: "Boris Tchaikovsky." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/boris-tchaikovsky/.
Chicago: "Boris Tchaikovsky." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/boris-tchaikovsky/.
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