Letter 4224: Difference between revisions

Tchaikovsky Research
m (1 revision imported)
m (Text replacement - "objectionable" to "horrible")
 
Line 34: Line 34:


|Translated text={{right|''[[Tiflis]]''<br/>28 September}}
|Translated text={{right|''[[Tiflis]]''<br/>28 September}}
Returing to the incident of my receiving an invitation to a directors' meeting, I remind you that my resignation as a director was made long before the last general meeting, which took place on the previous occasion. You wrote to me then that ''[[Safonov]]'' did not dare to announce my resignation at this general meeting, for fear of the public response. This was a fresh act of impudence from [[Safonov]], and I have regarded all subsequent invitations to meetings (I received them in [[Florence]], and in [[Rome]], and at [[Frolovskoye]], and in [[Tiflis]]) as contemptible and insulting to. I'm now decidedly exasperated, because everything that compelled me to leave the directorate has already come to pass. However, my resentment is not, of course, directed at you, nor at [[Rukavishnikov]], nor to the directorate in general, but at [[Safonov]], who does whatever he pleases. I'm not in the least surprised that membership subscriptions are slack. Even at the start of last season, I was very worried about the current one, and, if you remember, I always argued that this season should be sacrificed to ''famous'' soloists, and despite the large financial expenditure, everything should be done to attract the biggest and most famous virtuosos to [[Moscow]]. To this end, I instructed Zet (with the directorate's permission) to enter into negotiations with all the bigwigs in the musical world. There ought to have been, as I expected, a mass of famous names to announce on the concert bills. Of course, no-one wants to come when Mr [[Safonov]] is the conductor. Why were my suggestions, approved by the directorate, not carried out? [[Safonov]] wants ''[[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]]'' to play again this season? But there is a big difference between [[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] the pianist and [[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] the conductor. And it would be better to keep [[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] for the future. Anyway, God grant that the combination with the charity concert will be a success. I'm exceedingly alarmed and worried that this year we'll fall to some five hundred members!!!! Surely this would be simply devastating! Even though I've left the directorate and [[Safonov]] is becoming more and more objectionable to me, it turns out that I still take the interests of the Moscow Musical Society as closely to my heart as before. For all my lack of rapport with [[Safonov]], I did have a great deal of confidence in his skill and deftness. If he ruins this season through his obsession with conducting and autocracy in general, then my loathing for him will know no bounds.  
Returing to the incident of my receiving an invitation to a directors' meeting, I remind you that my resignation as a director was made long before the last general meeting, which took place on the previous occasion. You wrote to me then that ''[[Safonov]]'' did not dare to announce my resignation at this general meeting, for fear of the public response. This was a fresh act of impudence from [[Safonov]], and I have regarded all subsequent invitations to meetings (I received them in [[Florence]], and in [[Rome]], and at [[Frolovskoye]], and in [[Tiflis]]) as contemptible and insulting to. I'm now decidedly exasperated, because everything that compelled me to leave the directorate has already come to pass. However, my resentment is not, of course, directed at you, nor at [[Rukavishnikov]], nor to the directorate in general, but at [[Safonov]], who does whatever he pleases. I'm not in the least surprised that membership subscriptions are slack. Even at the start of last season, I was very worried about the current one, and, if you remember, I always argued that this season should be sacrificed to ''famous'' soloists, and despite the large financial expenditure, everything should be done to attract the biggest and most famous virtuosos to [[Moscow]]. To this end, I instructed Zet (with the directorate's permission) to enter into negotiations with all the bigwigs in the musical world. There ought to have been, as I expected, a mass of famous names to announce on the concert bills. Of course, no-one wants to come when Mr [[Safonov]] is the conductor. Why were my suggestions, approved by the directorate, not carried out? [[Safonov]] wants ''[[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]]'' to play again this season? But there is a big difference between [[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] the pianist and [[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] the conductor. And it would be better to keep [[Anton Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] for the future. Anyway, God grant that the combination with the charity concert will be a success. I'm exceedingly alarmed and worried that this year we'll fall to some five hundred members!!!! Surely this would be simply devastating! Even though I've left the directorate and [[Safonov]] is becoming more and more horrible to me, it turns out that I still take the interests of the Moscow Musical Society as closely to my heart as before. For all my lack of rapport with [[Safonov]], I did have a great deal of confidence in his skill and deftness. If he ruins this season through his obsession with conducting and autocracy in general, then my loathing for him will know no bounds.  


You regret that I followed [[Hubert]]'s advice and didn't buy Khludov's estate 4 years ago. But you forget that I ''could'' not buy it, because besides the annual payment, ''Khludov'' demanded 10 thousand of the first instalment at the point of purchase, which was 10 thousand that I didn't have.  
You regret that I followed [[Hubert]]'s advice and didn't buy Khludov's estate 4 years ago. But you forget that I ''could'' not buy it, because besides the annual payment, ''Khludov'' demanded 10 thousand of the first instalment at the point of purchase, which was 10 thousand that I didn't have.  

Latest revision as of 17:35, 24 January 2024

Date 28 September/10 October 1890
Addressed to Pyotr Jurgenson
Where written Tiflis
Language Russian
Autograph Location Klin (Russia): Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve (a3, No. 2718)
Publication Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского, том 3 (1902), p. 402–403 (abridged)
П. И. Чайковский. Переписка с П. И. Юргенсоном, том 2 (1952), p. 180–182
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XV-Б (1977), p. 267–269

Text and Translation

Russian text
(original)
English translation
By Brett Langston
Тифлис
28 сент[ября]

Возвращаясь к инциденту с присылкой мне приглашения на заседание дирекции, скажу тебе, что мой отказ от директорства был сделан задолго до общего собрания, состоявшегося в последний раз. Ты писал мне тогда, что Сафонов не решился объявить на этом общем собрании мой отказ, боясь толков в публике. Этот поступок есть новая наглость Сафонова, и все последующие приглашения на заседания (я их получал и в Флоренции, и в Риме, и в Фроловском, и в Тифлисе) я рассматривал как пренебрежение и невнимание ко мне. Окончательно взорван же я был теперь, ибо все то, что заставило меня выйти из дирекции, уже вошло в силу и действие. Впрочем, обижаюсь я, конечно, не на тебя, и не на Рукавишникова, и вообще не на дирекцию, а на Сафонова, который делает все, что ему угодно. Меня нисколько не удивляет, что подписка на членские билеты идёт туго. Ещё в начале прошлого сезона я очень беспокоился о нынешнем и, если помнишь, всегда толковал, что этот сезон необходимо пожертвовать знаменитым солистам и, хотя бы с большими денежными затратами, привлечь в Москву все, что есть наиболее громкого и знаменитого по части виртуозности. С этой целью я поручил Цету (с разрешения дирекции) войти в сношение со всеми тузами музыкального мира. Следовало бы, как я и предполагал, при объявлении о концертах объявить и массу знаменитых имён. Конечно, дирижёрством г. Сафонова никого не привлечёшь. Почему мои предположения, одобренные дирекцией, не были приведены в исполнение? Сафонов хочет в нынешнем сезоне опять играть на Рубинштейне? Но между Рубинштейном-пианистом и Рубинштейном-дирижёром большая разница. Да и лучше бы было Рубинштейна при беречь для будущего. Впрочем, дай Бог, чтобы комбинация с фондовым концертом удалась. Меня необыкновенно пугает и беспокоит, что в нынешнем году мы съедем на какие-нибудь пятьсот членов!!!! Ведь это будет чистое разорение! Хотя я и ушёл из дирекции и Сафонов все более и более делается мне противен, но оказывается, что интересы Моск[овского] муз[ыкального] общ[ества] я принимаю к сердцу так же близко, как прежде. У меня была (при всем нерас-положении к Саф[онову]) большая уверенность в его умелости и ловкости. Если он погубит этот сезон своей манией дирижёрства и вообще единовластия, то я возненавижу его в невероятной степени.

Ты сожалеешь, что я последовал губертовскому совету и не купил хлудовского имения 4 года тому назад. Но ты забыл, что я не мог его купить, ибо, кроме ежегодной уплаты, Хлудов требовал 10 тысяч первого взноса при покупке, а у меня этих 10 тысяч не было.

Теперь сообщу тебе весьма для меня неприятную вещь. У меня отныне шестью тысячами в год будет меньше. На днях я получил от Н. Ф. фон Мекк письмо, в коем она сообщает, что, к крайнему своему прискорбию, вследствие запутанности дел и разорения почти полного принуждена прекратить выдачу ежегодной субсидии. Я перенёс этот удар философски, но тем не менее был неприятно поражён и удивлён. Она так много раз писала, что я обеспечен в отношении получения этой субсидии до последнего моего издыхания, что я в это уверовал и думал, что на сей предмет у неё устроена такая комбинация, что, несмотря ни на какие случайности, я не лишусь своего главного и, как я думал, самого верного дохода. Пришлось разочароваться. Теперь я должен совершенно иначе жить, по другому масштабу, и даже, вероятно, придётся искать какого-нибудь занятия в Петербурге, связанного с получением хорошего жалования. Очень, очень, очень обидно; именно обидно. Отношения мои к Н. Ф. фон М[екк] были такие, что я никогда н е тяготился её щедрой подачкой. Теперь я ретроспективно тягощусь; оскорблено моё самолюбие, обманута моя уверенность в её безграничную готовность материально поддерживать меня и приносить ради меня всяческие жертвы. Теперь мне бы хотелось, чтобы она окончательно разорилась, так, что. бы нуждалась в моей помощи. А то ведь я отлично знаю, что с нашей точки зрения она всё-таки страшно богата; словом, вышла какая-то банальная, глупая штука, от которой мне стыдно и тошно.

Мне ужасно досадно, что не пришлось быть на Сашиной свадьбе. Это не фраза; я ужасно люблю твою дочку. Теперь Бог знает, когда я её увижу.

Модест теперь, наверно, в Москве. Хотел бы ему написать, да не знаю, где он живёт. Пожалуйста, если он у тебя ещё не был, отыщи его (можно адрес узнать в Малом театре, где он присутствует на репетициях своей пиэсы) и сообщи ему содержание этого письма. Прибавь к этому, что Коля его совершенно здоров и очень доволен своим времяпровождением.

Так как я приехал в Тифлис ещё богатым человеком, то за жил здесь на широкую ногу. Вследствие того мне ещё нужно денег; пожалуйста, немедленно вышли мне 500 р[ублей].

Увидимся приблизительно через месяц. Я остановлюсь в Москве на один день и, кроме тебя, твоих. Баташи и Кашкина, никого не желаю видеть. Нужно будет нам собраться, и всего лучше у тебя.

Я сочиняю симфоническую поэму. Пролей несколько слез.

Ей-Богу, принёс бы большие жертвы ради того, чтобы Анна Васильевна, Функе и лёровская кухарка оказались правыми.

Обнимаю тебя.

П. Чайковский

Tiflis
28 September

Returing to the incident of my receiving an invitation to a directors' meeting, I remind you that my resignation as a director was made long before the last general meeting, which took place on the previous occasion. You wrote to me then that Safonov did not dare to announce my resignation at this general meeting, for fear of the public response. This was a fresh act of impudence from Safonov, and I have regarded all subsequent invitations to meetings (I received them in Florence, and in Rome, and at Frolovskoye, and in Tiflis) as contemptible and insulting to. I'm now decidedly exasperated, because everything that compelled me to leave the directorate has already come to pass. However, my resentment is not, of course, directed at you, nor at Rukavishnikov, nor to the directorate in general, but at Safonov, who does whatever he pleases. I'm not in the least surprised that membership subscriptions are slack. Even at the start of last season, I was very worried about the current one, and, if you remember, I always argued that this season should be sacrificed to famous soloists, and despite the large financial expenditure, everything should be done to attract the biggest and most famous virtuosos to Moscow. To this end, I instructed Zet (with the directorate's permission) to enter into negotiations with all the bigwigs in the musical world. There ought to have been, as I expected, a mass of famous names to announce on the concert bills. Of course, no-one wants to come when Mr Safonov is the conductor. Why were my suggestions, approved by the directorate, not carried out? Safonov wants Rubinstein to play again this season? But there is a big difference between Rubinstein the pianist and Rubinstein the conductor. And it would be better to keep Rubinstein for the future. Anyway, God grant that the combination with the charity concert will be a success. I'm exceedingly alarmed and worried that this year we'll fall to some five hundred members!!!! Surely this would be simply devastating! Even though I've left the directorate and Safonov is becoming more and more horrible to me, it turns out that I still take the interests of the Moscow Musical Society as closely to my heart as before. For all my lack of rapport with Safonov, I did have a great deal of confidence in his skill and deftness. If he ruins this season through his obsession with conducting and autocracy in general, then my loathing for him will know no bounds.

You regret that I followed Hubert's advice and didn't buy Khludov's estate 4 years ago. But you forget that I could not buy it, because besides the annual payment, Khludov demanded 10 thousand of the first instalment at the point of purchase, which was 10 thousand that I didn't have.

Now I shall tell you about something very unpleasant, for me. Henceforth, I will be worse off by six thousand a year. The other day I received a letter from N. F. von Meck in which she told me that, to her profound regret, due to confusion in her business affairs, and almost utter ruin, she is obliged to terminate the issuance of her annual subsidy. I bore this blow philosophically, but nevertheless I was unpleasantly surprised and astonished. She wrote so many times regarding this subsidy that I was guaranteed to receive it until my last breath, that I believed this, and I thought that in this respect she had arranged matters such that, any accidents notwithstanding, I would never lose my principal and, as I thought, most reliable income. I have reason to be disappointed. Now I must live completely differently, on a different scale, and I'll probably even have to look for some sort of employment in Petersburg, with the aim of obtaining a good salary. I am very, very, very offended; indeed insulted. My relationship with N. F. von Meck was such that I was never burdened by her generous hand out. Now I'm burdened in retrospect; my pride was injured, and my faith in her boundless readiness to support me materially and to make all manner of sacrifices for me was misplaced. Now I would like to see her utterly ruined, so that she would need my help. But really I know very well that our point of view she is still terribly rich; in a short, it's a banal and stupid thing, which shames and sickens me.

I'm terribly annoyed that I couldn't be at Sasha's wedding. These are not just words; I love your daughter terribly. Now God knows when I'll see her.

Modest must surely be in Moscow now. I should like to write to him, but I don't know where he's staying. If you haven't already done so, please find him (you can learn his address from the Maly Theatre, where he's attending the rehearsals of his plays) and inform him of the contents of this letter. Add to this that Kolya is completely well, and passing the time very contentedly.

Since I came to Tiflis still a rich man, I've lived here on a grand scale. Consequently, I am still in need of money;; please, send me 500 rubles immediately.

I'll be seeing you in around a month. I'll be staying in Moscow for one day and, apart from you, yours, Batasha and Kashkin, I don't want to see anyone. We must get together, preferably at yours.

I'm composing a symphonic poem. I shed a few tears.

My God, what I wouldn't have given for Anna Vasilyevna, Funke and Ler's cook to have turned out to be right.

I embrace you.

P. Tchaikovsky