Letter 472 - Revision history

Tony at 15:01, 21 March 2024

2024-03-21T15:01:24Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:01, 21 March 2024
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	All that I can say about myself is that I have not yet been able to rid myself of the fever which began bothering me while I was still in [[Moscow]]. I have had a few paroxysms here, too. You would of course like to know whether I am engaged in creative work. No, esteemed colleague, I am not creating anything whatsoever, and this is by no means because I do not feel like doing so, but rather because my head is empty and I can't squeeze anything out of it. What it will be like later on, I don't know. But now, when one young lady who lives here plays one of my pieces, I cannot believe that I am the author (that is, of the piece, not of the young lady). I simply do not understand how there can be people who are still capable of composing.		All that I can say about myself is that I have not yet been able to rid myself of the fever which began bothering me while I was still in [[Moscow]]. I have had a few paroxysms here, too. You would of course like to know whether I am engaged in creative work. No, esteemed colleague, I am not creating anything whatsoever, and this is by no means because I do not feel like doing so, but rather because my head is empty and I can't squeeze anything out of it. What it will be like later on, I don't know. But now, when one young lady who lives here plays one of my pieces, I cannot believe that I am the author (that is, of the piece, not of the young lady). I simply do not understand how there can be people who are still capable of composing.

	I hope, [[Sergey Ivanovich]], that you, in contrast, are fraught with musical thoughts and are assiduously setting them out on paper. How is the piano concerto <ref name="note2"/> ~~going?~~ You must without fail set about composing this work. Similarly, would it not be a good idea if you were to write something symphonic?		I hope, [[Sergey Ivanovich]], that you, in contrast, are fraught with musical thoughts and are assiduously setting them out on paper. How is the piano concerto going? <ref name="note2"/> You must without fail set about composing this work. Similarly, would it not be a good idea if you were to write something symphonic?

	If you turn up in [[Moscow]] empty-handed, I shall take revenge on you in the most implacable fashion.		If you turn up in [[Moscow]] empty-handed, I shall take revenge on you in the most implacable fashion.

Tony: Added space before note for consistency

2024-03-21T14:59:43Z

Added space before note for consistency

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:59, 21 March 2024
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	All that I can say about myself is that I have not yet been able to rid myself of the fever which began bothering me while I was still in [[Moscow]]. I have had a few paroxysms here, too. You would of course like to know whether I am engaged in creative work. No, esteemed colleague, I am not creating anything whatsoever, and this is by no means because I do not feel like doing so, but rather because my head is empty and I can't squeeze anything out of it. What it will be like later on, I don't know. But now, when one young lady who lives here plays one of my pieces, I cannot believe that I am the author (that is, of the piece, not of the young lady). I simply do not understand how there can be people who are still capable of composing.		All that I can say about myself is that I have not yet been able to rid myself of the fever which began bothering me while I was still in [[Moscow]]. I have had a few paroxysms here, too. You would of course like to know whether I am engaged in creative work. No, esteemed colleague, I am not creating anything whatsoever, and this is by no means because I do not feel like doing so, but rather because my head is empty and I can't squeeze anything out of it. What it will be like later on, I don't know. But now, when one young lady who lives here plays one of my pieces, I cannot believe that I am the author (that is, of the piece, not of the young lady). I simply do not understand how there can be people who are still capable of composing.

	I hope, [[Sergey Ivanovich]], that you, in contrast, are fraught with musical thoughts and are assiduously setting them out on paper. How is the piano concerto ~~going?~~<ref name="note2"/> You must without fail set about composing this work. Similarly, would it not be a good idea if you were to write something symphonic?		I hope, [[Sergey Ivanovich]], that you, in contrast, are fraught with musical thoughts and are assiduously setting them out on paper. How is the piano concerto <ref name="note2"/> going? You must without fail set about composing this work. Similarly, would it not be a good idea if you were to write something symphonic?

	If you turn up in [[Moscow]] empty-handed, I shall take revenge on you in the most implacable fashion.		If you turn up in [[Moscow]] empty-handed, I shall take revenge on you in the most implacable fashion.

	I shake your hand most firmly. Be so kind as to convey my profound respect to [[Varvara Maslova\|Varvara Ivanovna]], [[Anna Maslova\|Anna Ivanovna]], and Katerina Ivanovna, as well as to dearest [[Fyodor Maslov\|Fyodor Ivanovich]]		I shake your hand most firmly. Be so kind as to convey my profound respect to [[Varvara Maslova\|Varvara Ivanovna]], [[Anna Maslova\|Anna Ivanovna]] and Katerina Ivanovna, as well as to dearest [[Fyodor Maslov\|Fyodor Ivanovich]].

	Your sincerely affectionate,		Your sincerely affectionate,

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:47:37Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 14:47, 12 July 2022
(No difference)

Brett at 11:37, 12 March 2020

2020-03-12T11:37:33Z

New page

{{letterhead
|Date=14/26 June 1876
|To=[[Sergey Taneyev]]
|Place=[[Kamenka]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Moscow]]: {{RUS-Mcl}} (ф. 880)
|Publication={{bib|1951/48|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 6–7 <br/>{{bib|1961/38|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том VI}} (1961), p. 46–47
}}

==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist
|Original text={{right|''Каменка''<br/>14 июня 1876 г[ода]}}
{{centre|Сергей Иванович!}}
Верный своему слову, открываю мою корреспонденцию с Вами, но, конечно, ввиду того, что Вы меня поддержите и станете отвечать, в противном случае я Вам при первом удобном случае страшно напакощу, например, очерню Вас в глазах Софьи Васильевны, или что-нибудь подобное.

Выехал я из Москвы 27 мая, пробыл три дня в деревне в Харьковской губернии, а затем приехал сюда, т. е. в местечко Каменку, Киевской губ[ернии], Черкасского уезда. Явился я сюда в надежде повидаться с сестрой, долженствовавшей вернуться сюда из-за границы, но ошибся в расчёте. Сестра ещё не скоро вернётся. По этой причине я через четыре дня отправлюсь за границу, прямо в Виши, где намерен выдержать курс лечения, а в конце июля потеку в ''Байрейт''. Извольте по получении сей моей цидулы засесть и написать мне письмо с обстоятельным изложением всего, что с Вами со времени отъезда из Москвы случилось. Адресуйте так: France, Vichy, poste restante, M[onsieur] Pierre de Tschaïkovsky. Частичка ''de'' стоит у меня в паспорте, и потому, для поддержания моего аристократического достоинства, не пропускайте её.

Единственное, что я могу сказать про себя, это, что я до сих пор не могу отделаться от лихорадки, которая пристала ко мне ещё в Москве. Здесь у меня было несколько пароксизмов. Вы, конечно, не прочь узнать о том, предаюсь ли я творческим занятиям. Нет, почтенный коллега, не творю решительно ничего и вовсе не оттого, что не имею к тому поползновения, — а потому, что голова пуста и ничего из неё не выжмешь. Что дальше будет, не знаю. Но теперь, когда одна живущая здесь барышня играет одну из моих пьес, мне не верится, что я её автор (т. е. пьесы, а не барышни). Просто не понимаю, как это есть люди, которые ещё могут сочинять.

Надеюсь, Сергей Иванович, что Вы, напротив, чреваты музыкальными мыслями и с усердием излагаете их на бумаге. Как идёт фортепианный концерт? Непременно займитесь сочинением такового, а также не благоугодно ли Вам будет написать что-либо симфоническое?

Если Вы явитесь в Москву с пустыми руками, я Вам отомщу самым беспощадным образом

Весьма крепко жму Вашу руку. Потрудитесь передать моё величайшее почтение Варваре Ивановне, Анне Ивановне и Катерине Ивановне, а также милейшему Фёдору Ивановичу

Искренно любящий Вас,
{{right|П. Чайковский}}

|Translated text={{right|''[[Kamenka]]''<br/>14 June 1876}}
{{centre|[[Sergey Ivanovich]]!}}
True to my word as I am, I am initiating our correspondence, but, of course, on condition that you support me and actually reply. Otherwise, I shall play a dirty trick on you at the first convenient opportunity—for example, by slandering you in the eyes of Sofya Vasilyevna, or something of the sort.

I left [[Moscow]] on 27 May, spent three days in the country in [[Kharkov]] province <ref name="note1"/>, and then came here, that is to the small locality of [[Kamenka]], [[Kiev]] province, Cherkasy district. I came here in the hope of seeing my [[Aleksandra Davydova|sister]], who was supposed to be coming back here from abroad, but I miscalculated. My sister won't be back for a long time yet. For this reason I shall be heading abroad in four days' time: I shall go straight to [[Vichy]], where I intend to go through a course of treatment, and at the end of July I shall get away to ''[[Bayreuth]]''. Upon receipt of this epistle of mine, please be good enough to sit down and write me a letter with a detailed account of everything that has happened to you since I left [[Moscow]]. Address your letter as follows: France, [[Vichy]], poste restante, Monsieur Pierre de Tschaïkovsky. The particle ''de'' is written in my passport, and so, in order to uphold my aristocratic dignity, please do not leave it out.

All that I can say about myself is that I have not yet been able to rid myself of the fever which began bothering me while I was still in [[Moscow]]. I have had a few paroxysms here, too. You would of course like to know whether I am engaged in creative work. No, esteemed colleague, I am not creating anything whatsoever, and this is by no means because I do not feel like doing so, but rather because my head is empty and I can't squeeze anything out of it. What it will be like later on, I don't know. But now, when one young lady who lives here plays one of my pieces, I cannot believe that I am the author (that is, of the piece, not of the young lady). I simply do not understand how there can be people who are still capable of composing.

I hope, [[Sergey Ivanovich]], that you, in contrast, are fraught with musical thoughts and are assiduously setting them out on paper. How is the piano concerto going?<ref name="note2"/> You must without fail set about composing this work. Similarly, would it not be a good idea if you were to write something symphonic?

If you turn up in [[Moscow]] empty-handed, I shall take revenge on you in the most implacable fashion.

I shake your hand most firmly. Be so kind as to convey my profound respect to [[Varvara Maslova|Varvara Ivanovna]], [[Anna Maslova|Anna Ivanovna]], and Katerina Ivanovna, as well as to dearest [[Fyodor Maslov|Fyodor Ivanovich]]

Your sincerely affectionate,
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}
}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">Tchaikovsky stayed with his friend [[Nikolay Kondratyev]] at [[Nizy]] in [[Kharkov]] province.</ref>
<ref name="note2">[[Sergey Taneyev]] began writing a Piano Concerto in E-flat major in the summer of 1876 and worked on it until mid/late September, but he did not complete it.</ref>
</references>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0472}}