"This fascinating collection of letters, notes, and miscellanea from the archives of the Tchaikovsky State House-Museum sheds new light on the world of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Most of these documents have never before been available in English, and they reveal the composer's playful and unabashed sense of humor, private thoughts and daily concerns, and devotion to the Russian monarchy. Often intimate and sometimes bawdy, these diverse materials also offer a fresh perspective on Tchaikovsky's upbringing, his relations with family members, his patriotism, and his homosexuality, collectively contributing to a greater understanding of a major artist who had a profound impact on Russian culture and society. This is an essential compendium of substantial interest to cultural and social historians as well as to musicologists and music lovers."--