Just gotta say: TCHAIKOVSKY is a show stopper. I've got witnesses:

[UTUSN]

1- Lennie BERNSTEIN said, nobody *NOBODY* had a more melodic gift.

2- EISENHOWER said, I love *TUNEFUL* music (him).


Just heard Capriccio Italien in a long time. Right now, Francesca da RIMINI (although I luerve Leah).

[elleng]

1. Sure as heck is!!!

[BlueJazz]

2. Love cranking Tchaikovsky up in the car.

[betsuni]

3. Yes.

George Balanchine said: "Sometimes people say to me, 'I love the music of such-and-such composer.' My feelings for Tchaikovsky were different, even as a child. Imagine yourself in a church and suddenly the organ starts playing overwhelmingly grand music in all its registers. And you stand there mouth agape in astonishment. That's how I always felt about Tchaikovsky. He's like a father to me."

Tchaikovsky would cry when listening to music, while composing, at pretty much anything. From his diary: "As it always after a weeping fit, old crybaby, slept like the dead and awoke refreshed, but with a new supply of tears which flow ceaselessly." He certainly gets my tears flowing, joy and sorrow, death and life, beauty, loss, everything:

[elleng]

4. My first ventures into classical music,

as a child in NYC, Balanchine/Tchaikovsky ballets!