Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Germany. His career is certainly among the most illustrious in music. Bach wrote hundreds of compositions and is considered by many to be one of the great geniuses of baroque music. Bach was a devout Lutheran and his religious views are also clearly reflected in his works. In 1735, Bach composed the Concerto for Two Pianos No. 3 in C minor, BWV 1062 Concerto for Three Pianos No. 2 in C minor, BWV 1064 and Concerto for Four Pianos in A minor BWV 1065. All three concertos were originally composed for orchestra and harpsichord. BWV 1062 is a transcription for a Concerto in D minor for two violins and a string orchestra. BWV1064 is a reconstructed Concerto for Three Violins in D Major. And BWV 1065 is from Vivaldi Op. 3 No. 10.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born on 7 May 1840 in Wotkinsk, Russia. As early as 1845, he received piano lessons from Maria Markovna Palchikova and quickly became more accomplished than his teacher. Upon his arrival in Moscow, the composition of the First Symphony in G minor (Op. 13) gave him infinite trouble, and many have suggested that this contributed to a nervous breakdown in July 1866. The Fourth Symphony in F minor (Op. 36) was begun in1877 and Swan Lake was produced in Moscow. After composing these, he again suffered from the effects of severe mental depression.
"It would be vain to try to put into words," he writes to Mme. Von Meck, in the famous letter about the Fourth Symphony, "the immeasurable sense of bliss which comes over me instantly whenever a new idea awakens in me and begins to assume a definite form. I forget everything and behave like a madman." Symphony No. 4, Opus 36 -- in F Minor was dedicated "To his best friend" who was his patroness, Nadezhda von Meck. It was composed between 1877-78 and was first performed in 1878.