| Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composer of the beloved | | | | Tchaikovsky a huge yearly stipend, allowing him to |
| Nutcracker Suite, was an eccentric who lived a life | | | | write without hindrance the music the world now loves, |
| worthy of a fantasy in a child's book. | | | | especially his children's masterpiece, the Nutcracker |
| He was extremely neurotic and given to crying fits. | | | | Suite. |
| Once, when visiting New York, he checked into a hotel | | | | They corresponded regularly, if not voluminously, |
| and made himself at home. First he sat down and | | | | leaving a legacy of personal letter writing rivaled only |
| wept "rather long." He then walked quietly along | | | | by that of Mozart. |
| Broadway, returning to his room where he, "started | | | | At first she longed to meet him, but with the passing of |
| whimpering again several times." This was for no | | | | years decided to experience him only through his |
| particular reason, by his own account. | | | | music and letters. Tchaikovsky agreed, telling her that |
| It is likely that much of the voluptuous music | | | | he could never live up to what she might imagine him |
| Tchaikovsky created would never have been written | | | | to be. |
| were it not for Madame von Meck, a wealthy Russian | | | | Yet she was his confidante in their letters, and he |
| heiress who became Tchaikovsky's greatest fan and | | | | poured out his heart to her as he could to few others. |
| secret patron. | | | | They peeked at each other out of the corner of their |
| It began when Madame von Meck wrote Tchaikovsky | | | | eyes at concerts, and even met in a hurried encounter |
| a fan letter, in which she told him of her love for his | | | | in a concert hall corridor. Both blushed deeply, and |
| music and offered him a generous yearly allowance | | | | fumbled in embarrassment. Finally Tchaikovsky |
| with the sole proviso that they were never to meet. | | | | hurriedly raised his hat, and Madame von Meck |
| They followed this rather strange pledge even though | | | | fluttered away. |
| they were within sight of each other at concerts and | | | | And that was the only time the woman who financed |
| parties in Moscow. | | | | the Nutcracker Suite ever met the composer. |
| For fourteen years Madame von Meck secretly sent | | | | They never saw each other again. |