As quoted in Maes, 166. Tchaikovsky was inspired to reach beyond Russia with his music, according to Maes and Taruskin. Source: Internet
Brown, New Grove (1980), 18:628; Keller, 346–7; Maes, 161. This intensity was entirely new to Russian music and prompted some Russians to place Tchaikovsky's name alongside that of Dostoyevsky. Source: Internet
Because of his professionalism, Maes says, he worked hard at this goal and succeeded. Source: Internet
Like his country, Maes writes, it took him time to discover how to express his Russianness in a way that was true to himself and what he had learned. Source: Internet
Maes, 137. He was aided in this by Ivan Vsevolozhsky, who commissioned The Sleeping Beauty from Tchaikovsky and the libretto for The Queen of Spades from Modest with their use of 18th century settings stipulated firmly. Source: Internet
Maes, 138. Tchaikovsky's focus on pleasing his audience might be considered closer to that of Mendelssohn or Mozart. Source: Internet