the reception room and study on the second floor, where his piano is located, is the largest room of the house. the piano is a becker, which was given him by the st. petersburg firm in 1885, when he first arrived in maidanovo. tchaikovsky never played the piano in a concert hall for an audience, but he did play at home for his guests, and enjoyed playing duets on the piano with visiting musicians. his evening entertainments also usually included oral readings of literature.