Tchaikovsky himself was dismissive about the piece, written to commemorate Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow. When a female friend owned up to liking it, Tchaikovsky retorted, ‘But what do you see in it?

A cartoon hangs on a wall in the offices of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. It shows a violinist entering a door marked “1812 Overture Rehearsals.” Behind him follows a percussionist, dragging a ...

Somehow, over the past half-century and with hardly anyone noticing, the 19th century Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky has become as integral to the Fourth of July as George Washington and ...

For many U.S. symphony orchestras and their audiences, it's just not the Fourth of July without Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's rip-roaring, bell-ringing, cannon-firing "1812 Overture." Continuing its ...

Following the lead of many orchestras across the globe, the San Diego Symphony on Thursday announced that it is pulling Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” a beloved work that has long been a staple at its ...

Over the past 145 years, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” has been used to celebrate July 4th, sell cereal and astound movie audiences. It’s been sampled and spoofed, with popping balloons ...

TOKYO >> Some Japanese orchestras have decided to stop performing a piece by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky that celebrates Russia’s defense against a French invasion in 1812. Popular among ...

Was Tchaikovsky a tempest or a drudge? The great Russian composer of iconic works like “The Nutcracker” and the “1812 Overture” is generally thought to have lived a life of melodrama. An alcoholic and ...

The Minnesota Orchestra's sold-out "Echoes of History" concert reopening the University of Minnesota's iconic Northrop Memorial Auditorium on Friday reprises more than Northrop's original Oct. 22, ...

Some ensembles have decided not to perform Tchaikovsky’s overture, written as commemoration of Russia’s defeat of Napoleon’s army. By Javier C. Hernández With its earsplitting rounds of cannon fire ...

The U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own" will entertain audiences of all ages with its annual "Overture 1812 Concert" featuring the popular Tchaikovsky's Overture 1812 on Tuesday, Aug. 14, at 8 p.m. The ...