Melodiya presents a complete collection of romances and songs by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky timed to the 175th anniversary of the great Russian composers birth. Chamber vocal music has a very special place in the extensive legacy of a composer who far better known as a symphonist of genius, a creator of operatic and ballet masterpieces, and a prominent master of the concerto genre. It accompanied Tchaikovsky throughout his artistic life, being his lyrical diary and at the same time a creative laboratory where he sought for and found images for his very different works. The six-disc set features all of the composers 103 romances for voice and piano, including rare cycles such as 16 Songs for Children, Op. 54, and 6 romances after French poets, Op. 65. The recordings were made between 1962-90 as part of a grand project of the complete recorded collection of Tchaikovskys works, involving the finest in Soviet-era talent.