Letter 748 - Revision history

Tony: "apologize" to "apologise" for consistency / Omitted commas for consistency with UK style

2024-05-04T10:59:31Z

"apologize" to "apologise" for consistency / Omitted commas for consistency with UK style

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:47:43Z

1 revision imported

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Brett at 15:17, 9 November 2019

2019-11-09T15:17:57Z

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{{letterhead
|Date=3/15 February 1878
|To=[[Karl Albrecht]]
|Place=[[San Remo]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Moscow]] (Russia): {{RUS-Mcm}} (ф. 37, No. 29)
|Publication={{bibx|1940/228|Чайковский на Московской сцене}} (1940), p. 275–276 <br/>{{bib|1962/102|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том VII}} (1962), p. 92–93
}}

==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist
|Original text={{right|''Сан-Ремо'', 3/15 ф[евраля] 1878}}
{{centre|Милый мой Карлуша!}}
Вчера я выслал на имя Н[иколая] Гр[игорьевича] остальные части моей оперы, т. е.
:1) микроскопическую интродукцию перед первым актом,
:2) вторую картину 2-го акта,
:3) третий акт.
Прошу у тебя следующее:
:1) Просмотреть, не напутал ли я в нумерах?
:2) Отдать переписать клавираусцуг,
:3) Выставить как в этих новых частях оперы, так и в старых, в клавираусцуге, все сценические отметки, которые находятся на партитуре,
:4) Попросить ''Самарина'' прочесть внимательно либретто. Теперь, когда уже партитура готова, я не могу ничего изменить ''в сущности'' хода действия; но я убедительно прошу милого моего Ивана Васильевича поправить в сценических отметках всё, что ему покажется глупо, неудобно, неловко и т. д. Я прошу его также обратить особенное внимание на последний стих. Я принуждён был ради музыкальных и сценических требований сильно драматизировать сцену объяснения Татьяны с Онегиным. В конце у меня появляется муж Татьяны и жестом повелевает Онегину удалиться. При этом мне нужно было, чтобы ''Онегин'' сказал что-нибудь, и я вложил в его уста следующий стих: «О смерть, о смерть! Иду искать тебя!». Мне кажется всё, что это глупо, что ему надо сказать что-нибудь другое, а что? не могу придумать. Вот я и прошу И[вана] В[асильевича], чтобы он оказал мне неоценённую услугу и выручил из этого затруднения.
:5) Так как Юргенсон собирается по моей просьбе печатать оперу, то нужно сделать копию с клавираусцуга полную
:6) Попросить ''Танеева'' переделать в клавираусцуге всё, что нефортепьянно, неудобно и трудно. Я даю ему полную свободу изменять, дополнять или урезывать (т. е. фортепьянное изложение, а не самую музыку) как ему угодно. Ему это тем легче, что, так много раз аккомпанировавши оперу, он, вероятно, сыграет её не так, как она у меня написана, а как удобнее. Ведь я с сентября мес[яца] ни разу не прикасался к фортепьяно.
:7) Седьмой пункт относится непосредственно к ''Онегину''. Просто я хочу тебя попросить написать мне, когда будет свободная минуточка. Ты не знаешь, Карлуша, какой для меня праздник твои письма с их совершенно особенным складом, с этими изобретёнными тобой оборотами, с этим прелестным сочетанием самых коренных русских речей, поговорок и увёрток с немецкими длинными периодами, ну, словом, с неподражаемою ''Карлушинскою'' прелестью. Целую тебя нежно. Целую ручку Ан[не] Леонтьевне и лобызаю детей, Женю особенно нежною

Во вторник 7/19 февраля я уезжаю отсюда во ''Флоренцию'' и несколько времени пробуду там. Пиши мне туда по следующему адресу: ''Italia Firenze (или Florence), Hôtel Citta di Milano, Via Cerretani''

Пожалуйста, извинись за меня перед Кашкиным, что давно не пишу ему. Но и он хорош, обещал меня постоянно уведомлять о всём, что творится у Вас, и хоть бы единый раз уведомил
Что Губерт? Что M[ada]me Губерт? Я ничего про них не знаю. Кланяйся им очень от меня. Целую тебя

|Translated text={{right|''[[San Remo]]'', 3/15 February 1878}}
{{centre|My dear [[Karlusha]]!}}
Yesterday I sent the remaining sections of my opera <ref name="note1"/> to [[Nikolay Grigoryevich]]'s address, that is:
:1) a microscopic introduction to come before Act I
:2) Scene 2 of Act II;
:3) Act III.
I would like to ask you to do the following:
:1) Check whether I have mixed up any of the numbers;
:2) Arrange for the piano reduction to be copied;
:3) Write the stage directions which are in the score into the piano reduction—both in these new sections of the opera and in the old ones;
:4) Ask ''[[Samarin]]'' to read through the libretto carefully. Now that the score is ready, I cannot alter anything as far as the ''essence'' of the plot is concerned, but I would very much like my dear [[Ivan Samarin|Ivan Vasilyevich]] to correct in the stage directions anything that he considers to be silly, inconvenient, awkward etc. I also want him to pay particular attention to the final verse. For the sake of musical and theatrical demands I was forced to dramatize rather strongly the scene of Tatyana's discussion with Onegin. At the end, as I have it, Tatyana's husband appears and with a gesture orders Onegin away. While this happens I had to have ''Onegin'' say something, and so I put the following verse into his mouth: "O death, o death! I go to seek thee out!" I cannot help thinking all the time that this is silly and that he ought to be saying something else. But I just can't think up what. That's why I'm asking [[Ivan Samarin|Ivan Vasilyevich]] to do me an inestimable service and help me out of this difficulty <ref name="note2"/>;
:5) Since [[Jurgenson]], at my request, is going to publish the opera, it is necessary to make a full copy of the piano reduction;
:6) Ask ''[[Taneyev]]'' to alter anything in the piano reduction that strikes him as un-piano like, inconvenient or difficult to play; I give him full discretionary power to modify, expand, or abridge it (that is, the piano transcription, not the music as such) as he sees fit. This is all the easier for him, because, having accompanied the opera so many times <ref name="note3"/>, he will probably play the transcription not as I wrote it, but as it is most convenient. After all, since September I have not once touched a piano;
:7) The seventh point bears a direct relation to ''[[Onegin]]''. I simply want to ask you to write to me when you have a minute to spare. You don't realize, [[Karlusha]], what joy I derive from your letters, with their utterly distinctive manner—I mean those turns of phrase you manage to invent, that charming combination of the most vernacular Russian figures of speech, idioms, and wiles with long German periods: in short, all their inimitable ''Karlushian'' charm. I kiss you affectionately. I kiss Anna Leontyevna's hand and also the children, with particular tenderness for Zhenya.

On Tuesday, 7/19 February, I am leaving for ''[[Florence]]'', where I shall be spending some time. Write to me there using the following address: ''Italy [[Florence|Firenze]] (or [[Florence]]), Hôtel Citta di Milano, Via Cerretani''.

Please would you apologize to [[Kashkin]] on my behalf for not having written to him in such a long time. He's a fine one, though, to be making reproaches: he promised to keep me regularly informed about everything that is going on in [[Moscow]], but I'm still waiting for his first bulletin!

How is [[Hubert]]? How is [[Aleksandra Hubert|Madame Hubert]]? I haven't heard anything about them. Give them my very warm regards. I kiss you.
}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">On 20 January/1 February 1878, while staying at [[San Remo]], Tchaikovsky completed the full score of ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]'', and as we learn from this letter, on 2/14 February he sent the second half of the opera to [[Moscow]].</ref>
<ref name="note2">The opera ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]'' originally ended with the appearance onstage of Tatyana's husband, who, with a commanding gesture, ordered Onegin away. For the first professional production of the opera, which took place at the [[Moscow]] Bolshoi Theatre on 11/23 January 1881, Tchaikovsky modified the ending and had Onegin cry out instead: "Disgrace! Anguish! O how pitiable is my fate!".</ref>
<ref name="note3">During the winter of 1877–78 a group of students at the [[Moscow]] Conservatory under the guidance of [[Nikolay Rubinstein]] had been rehearsing Act I of ''[[Onegin]]'', and [[Taneyev]] had provided the accompaniment at these rehearsals.</ref>
</references>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0748}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:59, 4 May 2024
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	:1) Check whether I have mixed up any of the numbers;		:1) Check whether I have mixed up any of the numbers;
	:2) Arrange for the piano reduction to be copied;		:2) Arrange for the piano reduction to be copied;
	:3) Write the stage directions which are in the score into the piano ~~reduction—both~~ in these new sections of the opera and in the old ones;		:3) Write the stage directions which are in the score into the piano reduction — both in these new sections of the opera and in the old ones;
	:4) Ask ''[[Samarin]]'' to read through the libretto carefully. Now that the score is ready, I cannot alter anything as far as the ''essence'' of the plot is concerned, but I would very much like my dear [[Ivan Samarin\|Ivan Vasilyevich]] to correct in the stage directions anything that he considers to be silly, inconvenient, awkward etc. I also want him to pay particular attention to the final verse. For the sake of musical and theatrical demands I was forced to ~~dramatize~~ rather strongly the scene of Tatyana's discussion with Onegin. At the end, as I have it, Tatyana's husband appears and with a gesture orders Onegin away. While this happens I had to have ''Onegin'' say something, and so I put the following verse into his mouth: "O death, o death! I go to seek thee out!" I cannot help thinking all the time that this is silly and that he ought to be saying something else. But I just can't think up what. That's why I'm asking [[Ivan Samarin\|Ivan Vasilyevich]] to do me an inestimable service and help me out of this difficulty <ref name="note2"/>;		:4) Ask ''[[Samarin]]'' to read through the libretto carefully. Now that the score is ready, I cannot alter anything as far as the ''essence'' of the plot is concerned, but I would very much like my dear [[Ivan Samarin\|Ivan Vasilyevich]] to correct in the stage directions anything that he considers to be silly, inconvenient, awkward, etc. I also want him to pay particular attention to the final verse. For the sake of musical and theatrical demands I was forced to dramatise rather strongly the scene of Tatyana's discussion with Onegin. At the end, as I have it, Tatyana's husband appears and with a gesture orders Onegin away. While this happens I had to have ''Onegin'' say something, and so I put the following verse into his mouth: "O death, o death! I go to seek thee out!" I cannot help thinking all the time that this is silly and that he ought to be saying something else. But I just can't think up what. That's why I'm asking [[Ivan Samarin\|Ivan Vasilyevich]] to do me an inestimable service and help me out of this difficulty <ref name="note2"/>;
	:5) Since [[Jurgenson]], at my request, is going to publish the opera, it is necessary to make a full copy of the piano reduction;		:5) Since [[Jurgenson]], at my request, is going to publish the opera, it is necessary to make a full copy of the piano reduction;
	:6) Ask ''[[Taneyev]]'' to alter anything in the piano reduction that strikes him as un-piano like, inconvenient or difficult to play; I give him full discretionary power to modify, expand, or abridge it (that is, the piano transcription, not the music as such) as he sees fit. This is all the easier for him, because, having accompanied the opera so many times <ref name="note3"/>, he will probably play the transcription not as I wrote it, but as it is most convenient. After all, since September I have not once touched a piano;		:6) Ask ''[[Taneyev]]'' to alter anything in the piano reduction that strikes him as un-piano like, inconvenient or difficult to play; I give him full discretionary power to modify, expand or abridge it (that is, the piano transcription, not the music as such) as he sees fit. This is all the easier for him, because, having accompanied the opera so many times <ref name="note3"/>, he will probably play the transcription not as I wrote it, but as it is most convenient. After all, since September I have not once touched a piano;
	:7) The seventh point bears a direct relation to ''[[Onegin]]''. I simply want to ask you to write to me when you have a minute to spare. You don't realize, [[Karlusha]], what joy I derive from your letters, with their utterly distinctive ~~manner—I~~ mean those turns of phrase you manage to invent, that charming combination of the most vernacular Russian figures of speech, idioms, and wiles with long German periods: in short, all their inimitable ''Karlushian'' charm. I kiss you affectionately. I kiss Anna Leontyevna's hand and also the children, with particular tenderness for Zhenya.		:7) The seventh point bears a direct relation to ''[[Onegin]]''. I simply want to ask you to write to me when you have a minute to spare. You don't realize, [[Karlusha]], what joy I derive from your letters, with their utterly distinctive manner — I mean those turns of phrase you manage to invent, that charming combination of the most vernacular Russian figures of speech, idioms and wiles with long German periods: in short, all their inimitable ''Karlushian'' charm. I kiss you affectionately. I kiss Anna Leontyevna's hand and also the children, with particular tenderness for Zhenya.

	On Tuesday, 7/19 February, I am leaving for ''[[Florence]]'', where I shall be spending some time. Write to me there using the following address: ''Italy [[Florence\|Firenze]] (or [[Florence]]), Hôtel Citta di Milano, Via Cerretani''.		On Tuesday, 7/19 February, I am leaving for ''[[Florence]]'', where I shall be spending some time. Write to me there using the following address: ''Italy [[Florence\|Firenze]] (or [[Florence]]), Hôtel Citta di Milano, Via Cerretani''.

	Please would you ~~apologize~~ to [[Kashkin]] on my behalf for not having written to him in such a long time. He's a fine one, though, to be making reproaches: he promised to keep me regularly informed about everything that is going on in [[Moscow]], but I'm still waiting for his first bulletin!		Please would you apologise to [[Kashkin]] on my behalf for not having written to him in such a long time. He's a fine one, though, to be making reproaches: he promised to keep me regularly informed about everything that is going on in [[Moscow]], but I'm still waiting for his first bulletin!

	How is [[Hubert]]? How is [[Aleksandra Hubert\|Madame Hubert]]? I haven't heard anything about them. Give them my very warm regards. I kiss you.		How is [[Hubert]]? How is [[Aleksandra Hubert\|Madame Hubert]]? I haven't heard anything about them. Give them my very warm regards. I kiss you.
Line 57:		Line 57:
	<references>		<references>
	<ref name="note1">On 20 January/1 February 1878, while staying at [[San Remo]], Tchaikovsky completed the full score of ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]'', and as we learn from this letter, on 2/14 February he sent the second half of the opera to [[Moscow]].</ref>		<ref name="note1">On 20 January/1 February 1878, while staying at [[San Remo]], Tchaikovsky completed the full score of ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]'', and as we learn from this letter, on 2/14 February he sent the second half of the opera to [[Moscow]].</ref>
	<ref name="note2">The opera ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]'' originally ended with the appearance onstage of Tatyana's husband, who, with a commanding gesture, ordered Onegin away. For the first professional production of the opera, which took place at the [[Moscow]] Bolshoi Theatre on 11/23 January 1881, Tchaikovsky modified the ending and had Onegin cry out instead: "Disgrace! Anguish! O how pitiable is my fate!".</ref>		<ref name="note2">The opera [[Yevgeny Onegin]] originally ended with the appearance onstage of Tatyana's husband, who, with a commanding gesture, ordered Onegin away. For the first professional production of the opera, which took place at the [[Moscow]] Bolshoi Theatre on 11/23 January 1881, Tchaikovsky modified the ending and had Onegin cry out instead: "Disgrace! Anguish! O how pitiable is my fate!".</ref>
	<ref name="note3">During the winter of 1877–78 a group of students at the [[Moscow]] Conservatory under the guidance of [[Nikolay Rubinstein]] had been rehearsing Act I of ''[[Onegin]]'', and [[Taneyev]] had provided the accompaniment at these rehearsals.</ref>		<ref name="note3">During the winter of 1877–78, a group of students at the [[Moscow]] Conservatory under the guidance of [[Nikolay Rubinstein]] had been rehearsing Act I of [[Onegin]], and [[Taneyev]] had provided the accompaniment at these rehearsals.</ref>
	</references>		</references>
	{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0748}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0748}}