When we think of Russian music in Paris, the name Sergei Diaghilev comes first to mind. In the early years of the 20th century, that famous Russian impresario saw to it that not only the new music of Stravinsky was performed in the French capital, but also a historical panorama of earlier Russian works, including Mussorgsky’s opera, “Boris Godounov.”

But Russian music and musicians had been coming to Paris for decades, and for their part, notable French composers like Adolphe Adam, Hector Berlioz, and even the young Claude Debussy had all visited Russia.

Russian music also figured prominently at famous Universal Expositions held in Paris in the latter 19th century. On today’s date in 1878, for example, Tchaikovsky’s “Valse-Scherzo” for violin and orchestra received its premiere in Paris, at a Russian concert conducted by the composer’s colleague and compatriot Nicolai Rubinstein. In addition to this brand-new work, Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto and symphonic fantasia “The Tempest” were also performed during Russian concerts at the 1878 Exposition.

Tchaikovsky was back home in Russia, curious to know how his works fared in Paris. He wrote to a friend: “Have you been to any of the Russian concerts in Paris? According to some newspapers my compositions were a great success, to others a failure. I cannot get at the truth.” Fortunately, when Rubinstein returned to Russia, he was able to report first-hand that Tchaikovsky’s music had, indeed, been very well received.