It should be mentioned that those, who were lucky enough to visit any public presentation of Steve Jobs (which sometimes lasted more than hour), could see how enthusiastically this first-class showman improvised on the theme of technology, as well as the life as it is. As a rule, at all his presentations, Steve Jobs looked the same way, which was unusual for the head of large company: from year to year Steve wore the same blue jeans Levi’s, black turtleneck and sneakers. Perhaps, by this he attracted attention, made it clear that he was from “us” and not detached from most people’s person. Moreover, Jobs’ style influenced the style of the company: at the same presentations, Apple’s vice presidents look exactly the same. This same approach is used in advertising “Get a Mac”, where Windows is presented as a businessman with an expensive suit, and the Mac – in T-shirt, jeans and sneakers.

As a matter of fact, the leader can not show his leadership skills and qualities always and everywhere. He can show his leadership qualities only in appropriate situations. For example, the head of the company may very well act in certain situations and fail in others. I would like to consider the example of Steve Jobs. It should be noted that at age of 21, Steve Jobs, together with Stephen Wozniak, founded legendary company “Apple Computers”. It can be said that eccentric Jobs was not looked like a traditional corporate senior manager. He grew up in the atmosphere of counterculture of 60-ies, and turned to computers, having behind the LSD experience, a trip to India and living in a commune. It is essential to note that in those days, when there were no personal computers, Jobs, with his unusual style, was just what is needed to create a new industry. In five years he became a leader of the corporation, which worth several billion U.S. dollars. However, the time showed that the Steve Jobs’ unorthodox style is not suitable for the delicate and complex business managing of a large corporation in a competitive market conditions. As a result, Apple Inc. has started to suffer losses, losing in competition with its competitors. Consequently, in 1985 Jobs was forced to withdraw under the pressure of John Sculley, the man, who was invited to lead the company by Steve Jobs. Despite this, Steve Jobs again headed the company in ten years. It is important to note that this happened when the company faced with the need to make a technological breakthrough: a qualitative improvement of their operating system “Macintosh” with the aim to restore clients’ confidence and former position in the market.

It should be mentioned that a corporate leader, who wants to remain effective for a long time, should be able to quickly adapt to changing circumstances, be flexible and vary his behavior depending on the situation. However, only a few are able to do this. Much more often, the leader fixates one style of behavior, which, for example, has proved as effective in the days of the formation of the company, but is not suitable for an intense period of growth and retention of the conquered positions. As a result, the company eventually loses its ability to compete on the market. Another typical example – the sad fate of the legendary John Akers, CEO of IBM, ignominiously fired from the corporation in 1993, after years of strong and successful career. In the 1980-ies, Akers made IBM’s a flagship of computer industry, but he was unable to cope with rapid technological changes that swept the computer industry since the early 90-ies. Consequently, in the modern IT-business very often is the situation, when the top management rested safely in their seats not more than five years. As a fact, this periodic “changing of the guard” allow corporations to remain dynamic and adequately navigate the rapidly changing world.

Generally, it is very difficult to predict will be the person a good leader solely on the basis of his personality traits. Therefore, over time, researchers began to incline to the view that it is not enough to consider only some personality traits. Also, the situation in which these traits manifest themselves should be taken into account. This does not mean that personality traits do not affect the chances of becoming leader. This means that not only personality and character of the person, but the situation in which he or she has to play a leadership role should be considered too. According to this point of view, to become an effective leader does not mean to be a “great man”. Rather, you should be the right man at the right place and at the right time.

Analyzing the leadership style of Steve Jobs, it should be noted that there are several theories of leadership, focusing attention both on the personal properties of the leader and the situation in which he operates. The most famous of them is contingency (situational) theory of leadership by Fred Fiedler. It should be mentioned that situational theory of leadership states that leadership effectiveness depends both on how this leader is focused on the task or relationships, and on the extent to which the leader controls the group and has the influence on it. As a fact, Fiedler’s assumption is that leaders can be divided into two types. Representatives of the first type are focused primarily on the problem, the second – on the relationships.

Leader, focused on the task (task-oriented leader) is more concerned to get the job done properly; he does not take into account relationships and feelings of employees. In my opinion, Steve Jobs can be related to this type of leadership, I presume that he was task-oriented leader. The potential advantages of this style are: fast decision-making, which subject to the overall objective and rigorous control over subordinates. In turn, leader, focused on the relationships (relationships-oriented leader), primarily interested in the feelings and relationships among employees. His aim is to improve work efficiency by improving human relations: promoting mutual support, allow subordinates to participate in the development of important decisions, take into account the mood and needs of employees, etc. Of course, there are no strict representatives of one or another style, and some leaders may be oriented both at work and at person. Also, Fiedler argued that neither of these two types of a leader is more effective than another. It all depends on the circumstances and the nature of the situation, namely what is the degree of control of the leader and his influence among group members. This is the cornerstone of his situational theory. In the case of “high control”, the leader has great personal relationships with subordinates, his position in the group implicitly recognized as an influential and dominant, and the work, performed by the group, is well structured and clearly defined. In a situation of “low control” is the reverse – a leader has poor relationships with subordinates, and the goals of the group are determined unclear.

As a result, after ten years after leaving Apple Inc., Steve Jobs was back on top. During this time, almost from scratch Jobs created two companies with a turnover of hundreds of millions of dollars. At the same time, Apple was experienced difficulties. Scully was a good leader, but did not have Jobs’ charisma, in whose possession, even a box of matches looked like a miracle of technology. Sales of the main Scully’s brainchild – handheld Apple Newton failed miserably. The company suffered huge losses and needed a new strategy and new leader. As a result, in 1996 the board of directors decided to buy a NeXT company for $ 400 million and Steve Jobs returned to the company, which he created, becoming the interim manager and resolutely took up the revival of Apple. First of all, he shut the Newton project. Under Steve Jobs’ pressure, Apple refused from the services of all partners in the retail computers sales in favor of one – Comp USA, which currently successfully sells Macs.

Moreover, Bill Gates greatly helped Apple in 1997, when he invested $ 150 million in the company. Apple significantly improved its positions. Even Microsoft Office 98 for Macintosh came to market in a few months earlier than the same version for Windows. The decisive actions of Steve Jobs played a key role in the revival of Apple. In 2001, Steve Jobs introduced the world first iPod player. It is essential to note that the main difference of iPod among competition was an innovative interface. As a fact, iPod created a furor. Only for a few years iPod sales became a major source of Apple income. During the first 6 years 110 million of iPod players were sold. Also, under the leadership of Steve Jobs, by 2006 Apple finally rose from the ashes and has considerably strengthened its positions in the personal computer market, driven by a partnership with Intel – all Macintosh began to work on processors from this company. In the same year, Jobs announced first iPhone. Once again, Steve Jobs made a real revolution in man’s interaction with device. In particular, iPhone interface allows you to make all the actions only by fingers, right on the screen, making the stylus and bulky external keyboard unnecessary. The success of iPhone was overwhelming, because the product was revolutionary. All major manufacturers of smartphones, de facto, recognized the new standard for smartphones and quickly set the manufacture of similar devices. By 2011, under Steve Jobs’ leadership Apple has become the richest company in the world. By the summer of 2011, its market value exceeds the total value of Microsoft and Intel. The company’s success contributed to the huge sales of iPhone, all generations of MacBook and the tablet PC iPad.

To sum it up, it should be noted that Steve Jobs – is a legendary figure in the computer industry. According to situational theory of leadership, Steve Jobs was task-oriented leader, who focused primarily on the problem and more concerned to get the job done properly. As a fact, Jobs made many of good things during his career. His achievements have far reaching consequences, and it is extremely difficult to evaluate them all. Every entrepreneur wants to change something in one industry, Jobs has forever changed the half-dozen industries, among which are: personal computers, telephones, animation, music, publishing, video games etc. He was a scholar, accomplished motivator, creator of the long-sighted fashion, a superb showman, a gifted strategist and many others. Throughout his life, Steve Jobs several times fall from the pinnacle of success, but again and again climbed on it, probably because he really loved what he did. I would like to finish the essay with the words about Steve Jobs of another great man – Bill Gates: “The world rarely sees someone, who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come. For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it is been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely”, according to Preston Gralla (2011).

References
Preston Gralla, Computerworld. http://blogs.computerworld.com/19058/what_bill_gates_has_said_about_steve_jobs_through_the_decades (accessed October 20, 2011).

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The New World Encyclopedia regards Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky as one of the most famous Russian and one of the world’s best classical composers due to his various harmonies, technical skill and stirring melodies. He is also considered to be the author of some of world’s most popular classical music themes.

It is believed that Peter had a rather difficult but memorable life. (“Tchaikovsky, Pyotr (Peter) Ilyich” The New World Encyclopedia)

Life

Born in Votinsk, in the district of Viatka, Russia on May 7, 1840, he was the son of a successful engineer named Ilya Petrovich Tchaikovsky. His mother, Alexandra Andreuevna had seven children, and Peter was the third child.

The Encyclopedia of World Biography reports that Peter and his brothers and sister got a sound education from a governess from France that they had. When he was four he started taking piano lessons and showed remarkable talent, and even surpassed his teacher’s abilities. One evening after the concert, Tchaikovsky complained that he was not able to sleep because the music had stuck in his head.

A boy loved his mother and when he was four he along with his sister composed a song devoted to her. That’s why when his mother died from Cholera and he was a 14- year boy, this greatly affected him. Since that time he suffered from different neuroses and had some periods of deep depression.

Attending the St. Petersburg law school he also took music lessons, including some composing, from Gabriel Lomakin. When he was 19, he graduated and got his first job as a bureau clerk and he performed some administrative functions. The young men tried to work hard, but he couldn’t as he hated his job; besides, by that time he had been fully absorbed by music.

Some time later he met two composers who were brothers, Anton (1829–1894) and Nikolai (1835–1881). It was only at the age of 23 that he made a career change and decided to study composition at the new St. Petersburg Conservatory and became its first composition student.

As Anton Rubinstein was always demanding and critical, he was always frightened by Anton’s harshness even after the graduation.

It was in 1866 when Peter got the Rubinstein’s invitation to live in Moscow and to work as a composition professor at the Moscow Conservatory.

At that time Tchaikovsky’s father had some financial problems so the young man had to support himself by earnings from teaching in the conservatory.

During the first two years there he had already created his first symphony and the opera Voyevoda.

In 1868 he met the famous Russian composers group “The Five” that included Balakirev, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin and Cui. Tchaikovsky admired them and in response to their fervor he wrote his second symphony, but he never joined the group and later he even considered them to be more internationalists than real Russians.

In 1869 he wrote two his musical poems Fatum and Romeo and Juliet, where his style was shown and for which he became famous for. In addition, Mily Balakirev’s (1837–1910) help him to redo twice his Romeo and Juliet.

Three years later he became a music critic for Russkiye Vedomosti.

In 1873 he wrote the Second Symphony, and two years later he created the ballet Swan Lake and it is the most successful.

In 1877 he married his student, Antonina Milyokova but nine weeks later they separated. She became mentally ill and died in 1917. (Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Biography” The Encyclopedia of World Biography)

The Classical Net reports that in 1876 Tchaikovsky met Madam Nadejda von Meck, who was a wealthy widow. She was his music admire and proposed him an allowance of 600 pounds per year. However, fourteen years later, Madame von Meck terminated the subsidy. Anyway, this period is considered to be one of the composer’s rich productivity as such works were created: Onegin, the Violin Concerto, Francesca da Rimini, Capriccio Italien, The Maid of Orleans, Mazeppa, the Fifth Symphony, The Sorceress, Serenade for string orchestra, the fantasy overture Hamlet as well as the ballet Sleeping Beauty.

The composer made some concert tours of a great success in the many important cities of Europe and the U.S from 1887 to 1891. Additionally, his opera that is considered to be one of his best, The Queen of Spades, was composed in 1890. Three years later he began working on his Symphony #6 in B minor that was titled Pathétique by his brother Modest.

Classical Archives states that later, in October 28, 1893 in St. Petersburg, his performance of the work, under his direction, was received rather indifferently. According to the official records, within nine days he died of cholera.

Nevertheless, modern scholarship is sure he committed suicide as an aristocrat had complained to the czar about his homosexuality.

Musical compositions

Despite the fact now that the music of Tchaikovsky is appreciated throughout the world, he didn’t always have a warm reception, especially in his native country and his works had a rather poor critical reception so as a result, he suffered from long periods of depression.

It is also very interesting to mention that his early works were rather good but not memorable. It may be said the he integrated Russian folk melodies with the Western European melodies. Despite the fact, he wrote a lot of works, he is usually associated only with the several, such as Swan Lake, Nutcracker, Capriccio Italien, Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades.

Besides, many compositions, for example, The Nutcracker, the Trio in A minor for Violin, the Piano Concerto #2 in G Major, Cello, the String Quartet #3 in E Flat minor and Piano, have been popular ever after.

Anyway, Tchaikovsky’s works are characterized by a variety of the richly melodic passages, sections of which feature the profound melancholy that is often alternated with so called dance-like movements that origin from the folk music.

Besides, he was a talented orchestrator; and his ballet scores have many striking effects of the coloration of the orchestral.

I must say that The Classical Net considers the symphonic works of the composer to be popular due to the melodic content, being strong in their abstract thematic development as well. His best operas are Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades, and they feature the suggestive melodic passages depicting a dramatic aspect with the effect of poignant.

The ballets of Tchaikovsky- Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty – are well-know within the world and remain popular nowadays.

Besides, it was Tchaikovsky who extended the symphonic poem range, and his works, in particular, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, are perfect due to their various moods melodic evocation of the literary works, they are based on. (“Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky”, The Classical Net)

My Opinion

After listening to the Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, I would like to say that it is a really amazing melody, featuring a wide combination of sounds.

As to the rhythm, the piece meter is 4/4 within the whole. I especially like the two rhythmic ostinati found in Theme A.

Besides, the Theme A features a lot of energy compelling the piece with the ostinati towards Theme B.
Then, the Theme B gains more energy with the syncopated accompaniment and melody.

While admiring the music your imagination begins to work and create various situations and that, to my point of view, is the thing I like the most.

Family and social life

Garden, Edward in their article Tchaikovsky say that it was in 1877 when his student, Antonina Milyokova, declared that she was in love with him and claimed to suicide unless he would marry her. According to the Encyclopedia of World Biography, she reminded him of Tatiana of his opera Eugene Onegin. They married but nine weeks later they separated and then he attempted suicide by drowning. It was his brother, Modeste, who saved him and he only experienced a nervous breakdown. After that Tchaikovsky moved to Switzerland because he wanted to recover, and after some time he moved to Italy. He supported financially Antonina while she took on a series of lovers. Furthermore, according to the Encyclopedia of World Biography, she became mentally ill and died in 1917, and she suffered not only her husband’s rejection but also the criticism of his brother Modeste Tchaikovsky. It is important to mention that Modeste, like Peter, was a misogynist, meaning that hated all women. In his brother’s biography he attacked Antonina, trying to shield Peter and to mask all his weaknesses. Garden, Edward. 2000).

Classical Archives reports that It has been widely reported by a number of biographers that being often gloomy about his wife, money and friends, he often spoke of suicide. When he was alive, he was unkindly treated by the critics because his music was open and emotional. Nevertheless, he didn’t even think about changing his style, even being sometimes dissatisfied with his works. Besides, Tchaikovsky never stopped composing. (Classical Archives, Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893); RUS”)

The Classical Net reports that in 1876 Tchaikovsky met Madam Nadejda von Meck, who was a wealthy widow. She was his music admire and proposed him an allowance of 600 pounds per year. It is interesting to mention that Madame Von Meck and Tchaikovsky never met specially, except for several accidental encounters.

In 1877 Tchaikovsky dedicated his Fourth Symphony to her. Two years later he finally finished Eugene Onegin. It should be stressed that it was the only opera of him that was performed outside the Soviet Union. Besides, within that period he also wrote the following works: the Violin Concerto, Francesca da Rimini, Capriccio Italien, The Maid of Orleans, Mazeppa, the Fifth Symphony, The Sorceress, Serenade for string orchestra, the fantasy overture Hamlet as well as the ballet Sleeping Beauty.

However, fourteen years later, Madame von Meck terminated the subsidy because she thought she was in the financial trouble. The composer had other sources of income and could sustain himself; nevertheless, he never forgave her such a sudden defection. Anyway, this period was one of the composer’s rich productivity.

Despite the fact that according to the state report he was considered to have died of cholera, modern scholarship thinks he committed suicide as an aristocrat had complained to the czar about his homosexuality. (“Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky”, The Classical Net)

Conclusion

It is no doubt that Tchaikovsky is the author of some of the most popular themes in world of the classical music. As a person he left hardly anything to the world, being so strange and experiencing a lot of nervosas but as a composer he left a number of amazing melodies and changed the classical music.

Besides, it was Tchaikovsky who extended the symphonic poem range.

I should add that some of his best works will be popular ever after, in particular, two operas Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades and two ballets Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty as well as Nutcracker, Capriccio Italien and Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.

In addition, there is a well-known proverb saying music is everlasting, so his works will live forever.

Bibliography

1. Garden, Edward. Tchaikovsky. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
2. “Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Biography” The Encyclopedia of World Biography
<http://www.notablebiographies.com/St-Tr/Tchaikovsky-Peter-Ilyich.html>
3. “Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893)”, Mfiles
<http://www.mfiles.co.uk/composers/Peter-Ilyich-Tchaikovsky.htm>
4. “Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky”, The Classical Net
<http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/tchaikovsky.php>
5. “Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893); RUS”, Classical Archives,
<http://www.classicalarchives.com/composer/3448.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about>
6. “Tchaikovsky, Pyotr (Peter) Ilyich” The New World Encyclopedia
<http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky#Style>

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