The Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor (Opus 23) by Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky is one of the most famous piano concertos of all time. It was written on the request of the piano virtuoso Nikolai Rubinstein. Rubinstien was also supposed to be the first performer, but when Tchaikovsky presented him with the work in 1874, Rubinstein thought the "Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor" was "banal, clumsy and incompetently written" as well as "poorly composed and unplayable." This misjudgment seems to be on a par with the Beatles being refused a record deal, as “guitar bands are on their way out”. Anyhow, Rubinstein requested changes, which Tchaikovsky thankfully never executed. Instead he dedicated the piece to the first performer, German pianist virtuoso Hans von Bülow. Apparently the section to the first movement of the "Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor" is based on a melody that Tchaikovsky heard performed by blind beggar-musicians at a market in Kamenka, near Kiev.