Tchaikovsky in America: The Composer's Visit in 1891

Tchaikovsky in America: The Composer's Visit in 1891 by Yoffe, Lidya. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780195041170.

The opening of Carnegie Hall in May 1891 was celebrated with a spectacular gala music festival, central to which was the participation of one of the most eminent living composers: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky conducting several of his own compositions. In response to the invitation to play at this event, Tchaikovsky traveled thousands of miles from his home near Moscow and became the first great European composer to visit America. A charming account of Tchaikovskys only visit to America, this book is a revealing psychological portrait of Tchaikovsky in his last three years. It is also a rich picture of the cultural life of New York at the turn of the century, recounting Tchaikovskys encounters with prominent Americans, among them Andrew Carnegie, the industrialist and philanthropist, and Walter Damrosch, the well known American conductor. Much of the book is written in Tchaikovskys own words, using the diary that he kept during his 25 days in America and on the sea voyages to and from the country. Making use of contemporary newspaper accounts, letters to and from Tchaikovsky, and other materials, Yoffe offers fresh insight into the roots of Tchaikovskys enormous popularity in America.