Tchaikovsky’s Nightmare: The ‘Winter Daydreams’ Symphony

Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1, “Winter Daydreams,” was difficult to complete, but provoked his developing a routine that lasted his professional life.

"Winter Snowfall Scene With Cabin" by Karl Rosen. Oil on canvas; 16 inches by 20 inches. Public Domain

Having just experienced a severe ice storm and near-zero temperatures in my corner of Missouri, it seems fitting to turn to seasonal music for comfort. Vivaldi’s “Winter” movement from his “Four Seasons” is the most famous example of chilly weather listening, but other composers wrote works inspired by cold climates.

Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1, “Winter Daydreams,” is one of the best of these. The story of its composition is also a fascinating one. Written when he was only 26 years old, it is his first significant work. It also pushed him to the point of physical exhaustion and caused a complete mental breakdown. He would eventually overcome these difficulties, however, to popular acclaim. While he went on to write many more famous works, however, Tchaikovsky’s greatness began here.

Nikolai Rubinstein Takes a Pupil

In early 1866, composer Nikolai Rubinstein (1835–1881) founded the Moscow Conservatory. Today, this music school is one of the country’s top institutions of higher learning, a Russian equivalent of Juilliard. But back then, Nikolai had to search hard for talent to fill his teaching spaces. On the recommendation of his brother Anton Rubinstein, who had founded the St. Petersburg Conservatory four years prior, Nikolai appointed a promising young composer named Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky to be the school’s professor of music theory.