Show notes
In an in-depth interview, Devin Patrick Hughes speaks with former ITN journalist, ClassicFM host, and biographer John Suchet discusses his transition from journalism to classical music as a career because of his connection to Tchaikovsky’s music. He shares his initial love for Tchaikovsky’s melodies, developing an understanding of music through learning jazz trombone, and his eventual passion for writing about classical music composers. John touches upon Tchaikovsky’s struggle with his identity and homosexuality, and how it influenced his symphonic works. Additionally, he considers the debate about Tchaikovsky’s dubious death and the bizarre relationship that Tchaikovsky had with Nadezhda von Meck, his best-known patroness. John believes his approach to understanding music is through the man and not the music, and shares never before heard anecdotes about Tchaikovsky’s relationships with other men.

