Letter 3898 and Letter 8: Difference between pages

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{{letterhead
{{letterhead  
|Date=9/21 July 1889
|Date=2/14 May 1850
|To=[[Adolph Brodsky]]
|To=[[Fanny Dürbach]]  
|Place=[[Frolovskoye]]
|Place=[[Alapayevsk]]  
|Language=Russian
|Language=French
|Autograph=Manchester (England): {{GB-Mcm}}
|Autograph={{locunknown}}  
|Publication={{bib|1976/64|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XV–А}} (1976), p. 149<br/>{{bib|2006/51|Анна Бродская (Скадовская). Воспоминания о русском доме}} (2006), p. 130–131
|Publication={{bib|1900/35|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 1}} (1900), p. 56–57 <br/>{{bib|1959/50|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том V}} (1959), p. 11 (French text with Russian translation, p. 12)<br/>{{bib|1995/134|П. И. Чайковский. Забытое и новое}} (1995), p. 48 (Russian translation)
|Notes=Manuscript copy in: [[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}}
}}
}}
==Text and Translation==
==Text and Translation==
Based on a manuscript copy in the [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive made by [[Modest Tchaikovsky]], which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter. Spelling and punctuation errors in the French text have not been indicated.
{{Lettertext
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Language=French
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist
|Original text={{right|9 июля [18]89 г[ода]}}
|Original text={{right|Alapaeff<br/>2 Mai 1850}}
{{centre|Милый друг мой!}}
{{centre|Chère et bonne M[ademois]elle Fanny!}}
Я должен просить у тебя прощения за то, что страшно напутал в деле о приглашении твоего квартета. Сейчас у меня был Сафонов (новый директор консерватории), и из беседы с ним оказывается следующее. Когда в дирекции шёл разговор о приглашении вас, то я сказал, что вы дадите ''четыре сеанса''. Тут же было решено, что на каждый из них будет приглашён один из наших четырёх пианистов. Если теперь одному из них отказать, то произойдёт обида, неприятности, ссоры.  
C'est avec une grande joie que j'ai appris la nouvelle que Vous avez un élève si bon et si diligent. Je crois que vous êtes contente de lui parceque une docilité comme celle de votre élève peut contenter une gouvernante dans chaque temps et la consoler dans la douleur. Je veux aussi vous apprendre, ma chère M[ademois]elle Fanny, une nouvelle qui peut etre vous rejouira un peu; c'est la naissance de mes frères qui sont jume a ux (la nuit du premier Mai).
 
Je les ai déjà vus plusieurs fois; mais chaque fois que je les vois je crois que ce sont des Anges qui ont descendu sur la terre. Vous me demandez, chère M[ademois]elle Fanny qu'est ce que j'apprends: je vous citerai les sciences dont ma chère gouvernante m'enseigne: la grammaire Française, russe et allemande. La geographie, l'histoire universelle, aussi l'histoire sainte et l'Arithmetique; je traduis, j'analyse en français, en russe et en allemand et bien souvent la conjugaison.
 
«Le Voyage autour du monde» et «1-ier 'histoire d'Ermac» sont mes lectures. Le 1'ier ma gouvernante m'a fait cadeau, le second M[ada]me Lubarsky pour le souvenir de notre examen, quand il était pendant les fêtes de Noël.
 
Sachinka et Polinka vous saluent et vous baisent bien tendrement. Caroline vous présente ses respects.


Итак, если это возможно, согласись, ради Бога, играть четыре раза. Так как в протоколе заседания дирекции сказано (вследствие моей ошибки), что дирекция обеспечивает вам по 500 р[ублей] за четыре, а не за три сеанса — то изменить это теперь уже очень трудно. Но так как я нисколько не сомневаюсь, что успех ваш будет громадный, то вы, во всяком случае, получите излишек против гарантированной суммы. Сафонов (очень практический человек) ручается за большой сбор. Итак, ради Бога, не отказывайся и прости, что я напутал. Дни, в которые вы будете играть, уже назначены. Итак,
Adieu ma bien bonne et bienaimée M[ademois]elle Fanny; je vous souhaite tout le bonheur possibles.
:I) 28 окт[ября] ты играешь в концерте,
:II) 1-й сеанс 31 окт[ября]/12 ноября, вторник,
::2-й сеанс 3/15 ноября, пятница,
::3-й сеанс 7/19 ноября, вторник,
::4-й 10/22 ноября, пятница.


Таким образом, всего ''квартету'' придётся быть в Москве две недели, а ''тебе'' самому несколько больше (одной репетиции для концерта мало, и потому тебе нужно быть на репетиции 26-го, в четверг, утром).
Votre reconnaissant éleve,
{{right|Pierre}}


Засим вам остаётся целая неделя для Петербурга. Если хочешь, я напишу, а то ты сам напиши Альбрехту, что вы у него можете играть между 12/24 и 18/30 ноября.
|Translated text={{right|[[Alapayevsk]]<br/>2 May 1850}}
{{centre|Dear and good Mademoiselle [[Fanny]]!}}
It is with great joy that I learnt the news that you have a pupil who is so good and hard-working <ref name="note1"/>. I think that you must be satisfied with him, because such good behaviour as that of your pupil can satisfy a governess at all times and console her in her grief. I, too, want to tell you some news, my dear Mademoiselle [[Fanny]], that perhaps will gladden you a little — namely, the birth of my twin brothers (on the night of the first of May).


Прости, что неудобочитаемо написал, очень тороплюсь!
I have already seen them several times, but each time that I see them it seems to me that they are Angels who have descended on earth. You ask me, dear Mademoiselle [[Fanny]], what it is that I am studying. I shall list for you the subjects which my dear governess <ref name="note2"/> is teaching me: French, Russian, and German grammar, geography, universal history, and also sacred history and arithmetic. I translate and analyse texts in French, Russian and German, and quite often I conjugate verbs.
{{right|Твой П. Чайковский}}


|Translated text={{right|9 July 1889}}
"Le voyage autour du monde" <ref name="note3"/> and the story of Ermak <ref name="note4"/> are the books I am reading. The first was given to me as a present by my governess, the second was given to me by Mrs Lyubarskaya as a souvenir of our exam, which took place during the Christmas holidays.  
{{centre|My dear friend!}}
I must beg your forgiveness for having made such an awful mess of the invitation for your quartet <ref name="note1"/>. [[Safonov]] (the Conservatory's new director) has just been to see me, and this is what emerged from my conversation with him. When the board of directors discussed the possibility of inviting you, I said that you would be giving ''four performances''. It was also then that the decision was taken to invite one of our four pianists to take part in each one of these concerts. If we now have to turn away one of them, then the result will be hurt feelings and unpleasant quarrels <ref name="note2"/>.  


Therefore, if it is possible, please do agree, for God's sake, to play four times. Since in the minutes of the board of directors' meeting it says (due to my mistake) that the board is guaranteeing to each one of you 500 rubles for four performances rather than three, it would be very difficult to alter this now. However, as I have not the least doubt that your success will be tremendous, you will in any case receive a surplus as against the guaranteed sum. [[Safonov]] (a very practical-minded person) vouches for the box-office returns being very good. And so, for God's sake, don't refuse and forgive me for having muddled things up. The dates on which you are to play have already been fixed. Thus, 
[[Aleksandra Davydova|Sashinka]] and [[Nikolay Tchaikovsky|Polinka]] send you their greetings and kiss you very affectionately. Caroline <ref name="note5"/> sends you her compliments.
:I) On 28 October, you are playing in the concert,
:II) the 1st [quartet] performance is on Tuesday, 31 October/12 November,
::the 2nd performance is on Friday, 3/15 November,
::the 3rd performance is on Tuesday, 7/19 November,
::the 4th is on Friday, 10/22 November.
This means that your ''quartet'' would have to be in [[Moscow]] for just two weeks, though ''you'' would have to be there a bit longer (one rehearsal for the concert isn't enough, and so you'll have to attend the rehearsal on the morning of Thursday the 26th).


After that you have a whole week left for [[Petersburg]]. If you wish, I can write to [[Eugen Albrecht|Albrecht]] (or you can write to him yourself) to tell him that you can play there any day between 12/24 and 18/30 November.
Goodbye, my very kind and much-loved Mademoiselle [[Fanny]]. I wish you every possible happiness.


Forgive me for having written this in such unreadable fashion—I am in a great hurry!
Your grateful pupil,
{{right|Yours, P. Tchaikovsky}}
{{right|Pyotr}}
}}
}}


==Notes and References==
==Notes and References==
<references>
<references>
<ref name="note1">[[Adolph Brodsky]] had set up his own string quartet in [[Leipzig]] a few years earlier (this ensemble was known as the "Leipzig Quartet"). At the time of this letter its grouping included the following players: [[Brodsky]] (first violin), Hans Becker (second violin), Ottokar Nováček (viola), and Julius Klengel (cello). The quartet had been invited by the Russian Musical Society to give a number of performances in [[Moscow]] during the forthcoming concert season.</ref>
<ref name="note1">[[Fanny Dürbach]] was then working as a governess in Sarapul, a small city in the Western Urals area, some 70 km to the south of [[Votkinsk]]. [[Alapayevsk]], where the Tchaikovsky family was living at the time, was in the Eastern Urals area.</ref>
<ref name="note2">As his letter to Tchaikovsky from [[Leipzig]] on 6/18 June 1889 shows, [[Brodsky]] was assuming that he and his quartet had been invited to play at three chamber music soirées in [[Moscow]], and he accordingly suggested a number of possible dates which he hoped to fit around his own solo appearance in [[Moscow]] scheduled for 28 October/9 November, at which he intended to play Tchaikovsky's [[Violin Concerto]]. He also intended to perform with the "Leipzig Quartet" at a chamber music soirée in [[Saint Petersburg]]. [[Brodsky]]'s letter has been published in {{bib|2006/51}} (2006), p. 128.</ref>
<ref name="note2">Pyotr's new governess was Anastasya Petrovna Petrova (1824–1893).</ref>
<ref name="note3">The famous travel book by the French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811).</ref>
<ref name="note4">Ermak was a famous Cossack who led the Russian colonisation of Siberia in the sixteenth century. There exist many historical accounts and literary works celebrating his exploits.</ref>
<ref name="note5">Caroline (or in Russian spelling, "Karolina") was the nanny in charge of the composer's younger siblings [[Aleksandra Davydova|Aleksandra]] and [[Ippolit]].</ref>
</references>
</references>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0008}}

Revision as of 15:06, 6 January 2024

Date 2/14 May 1850
Addressed to Fanny Dürbach
Where written Alapayevsk
Language French
Autograph Location unknown
Publication Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского, том 1 (1900), p. 56–57
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том V (1959), p. 11 (French text with Russian translation, p. 12)
Из семейных воспоминаний (1995), p. 48 (Russian translation)
Notes Manuscript copy in: Klin (Russia): Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve

Text and Translation

Based on a manuscript copy in the Klin House-Museum Archive made by Modest Tchaikovsky, which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter. Spelling and punctuation errors in the French text have not been indicated.

French text
(original)
English translation
By Luis Sundkvist
Alapaeff
2 Mai 1850

Chère et bonne M[ademois]elle Fanny!

C'est avec une grande joie que j'ai appris la nouvelle que Vous avez un élève si bon et si diligent. Je crois que vous êtes contente de lui parceque une docilité comme celle de votre élève peut contenter une gouvernante dans chaque temps et la consoler dans la douleur. Je veux aussi vous apprendre, ma chère M[ademois]elle Fanny, une nouvelle qui peut etre vous rejouira un peu; c'est la naissance de mes frères qui sont jume a ux (la nuit du premier Mai).

Je les ai déjà vus plusieurs fois; mais chaque fois que je les vois je crois que ce sont des Anges qui ont descendu sur la terre. Vous me demandez, chère M[ademois]elle Fanny qu'est ce que j'apprends: je vous citerai les sciences dont ma chère gouvernante m'enseigne: la grammaire Française, russe et allemande. La geographie, l'histoire universelle, aussi l'histoire sainte et l'Arithmetique; je traduis, j'analyse en français, en russe et en allemand et bien souvent la conjugaison.

«Le Voyage autour du monde» et «1-ier 'histoire d'Ermac» sont mes lectures. Le 1'ier ma gouvernante m'a fait cadeau, le second M[ada]me Lubarsky pour le souvenir de notre examen, quand il était pendant les fêtes de Noël.

Sachinka et Polinka vous saluent et vous baisent bien tendrement. Caroline vous présente ses respects.

Adieu ma bien bonne et bienaimée M[ademois]elle Fanny; je vous souhaite tout le bonheur possibles.

Votre reconnaissant éleve,

Pierre

Alapayevsk
2 May 1850

Dear and good Mademoiselle Fanny!

It is with great joy that I learnt the news that you have a pupil who is so good and hard-working [1]. I think that you must be satisfied with him, because such good behaviour as that of your pupil can satisfy a governess at all times and console her in her grief. I, too, want to tell you some news, my dear Mademoiselle Fanny, that perhaps will gladden you a little — namely, the birth of my twin brothers (on the night of the first of May).

I have already seen them several times, but each time that I see them it seems to me that they are Angels who have descended on earth. You ask me, dear Mademoiselle Fanny, what it is that I am studying. I shall list for you the subjects which my dear governess [2] is teaching me: French, Russian, and German grammar, geography, universal history, and also sacred history and arithmetic. I translate and analyse texts in French, Russian and German, and quite often I conjugate verbs.

"Le voyage autour du monde" [3] and the story of Ermak [4] are the books I am reading. The first was given to me as a present by my governess, the second was given to me by Mrs Lyubarskaya as a souvenir of our exam, which took place during the Christmas holidays.

Sashinka and Polinka send you their greetings and kiss you very affectionately. Caroline [5] sends you her compliments.

Goodbye, my very kind and much-loved Mademoiselle Fanny. I wish you every possible happiness.

Your grateful pupil,

Pyotr

Notes and References

  1. Fanny Dürbach was then working as a governess in Sarapul, a small city in the Western Urals area, some 70 km to the south of Votkinsk. Alapayevsk, where the Tchaikovsky family was living at the time, was in the Eastern Urals area.
  2. Pyotr's new governess was Anastasya Petrovna Petrova (1824–1893).
  3. The famous travel book by the French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville (1729-1811).
  4. Ermak was a famous Cossack who led the Russian colonisation of Siberia in the sixteenth century. There exist many historical accounts and literary works celebrating his exploits.
  5. Caroline (or in Russian spelling, "Karolina") was the nanny in charge of the composer's younger siblings Aleksandra and Ippolit.