Dream of Tschaikowsky

Few works kick into overdrive in the first few seconds: Tchaikovsky's exhilarating B-flat minor Piano Concerto is instantly at 180, with a striking orchestral tutti and massive piano chords that challenge the pianist as hard as steel. It's hard to believe, but his teacher wanted to pull out his ears for this concerto. Perhaps one or two pages are worth saving, the rest must be destroyed,' was his verdict. It's a good thing the composer didn't give in, otherwise one of the most popular and brilliant Romantic piano concertos would no longer exist.