Letter 4073 and Letter 3031: Difference between pages

Tchaikovsky Research
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{{letterhead
{{letterhead
|Date=19/31 March 1890
|Date=18/30 August 1886
|To=[[Pyotr Jurgenson]]
|To=[[Félix Mackar]]
|Place=[[Florence]]
|Place=[[Maydanovo]]
|Language=Russian
|Language=French
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 2681)
|Autograph=[[Paris]] (France): {{F-Pn}}
|Publication={{bib|1902/25|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 3}} (1902), p. 359–360 (abridged)<br/>{{bib|1952/58|П. И. Чайковский. Переписка с П. И. Юргенсоном ; том 2}} (1952), p. 148–149<br/>{{bib|1977/40|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XV-Б}} (1977), p. 104–105
|Publication={{bibx|1968/16|Revue de musicologie}}, tome 64 (1968), no. 1, p. 56<br/>''{{bibx|1970/8|Советская музыка}}'' (1970), No. 9, p. 64 (Russian translation)<br/>{{bib|1971/89|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XIII}} (1971), p. 435. }}
}}
 
 
==Text and Translation==
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Language=French
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist
|Original text={{right|''Флор[енция]''<br/>31/19 марта}}
|Original text={{right|''Maïdanowo''<br/>18/30 Août 1886}}
Мне целые две недели очень нездоровилось, я очень ослаб, и потому прости, что пишу лишь записочку в ответ на твоё письмо от 12-го. Завтра пошлю официальное письмо в дирекцию. Само собой разумеется, что предыдущее было совершенно частное. Пусть как хотят меня считают — ''выбывающим или имеющим'' выбыть, но пусть знают, что приглашение кого-нибудь, кроме ''Брандукова'', не может состояться, пока я считаюсь директором. Оно может совершиться, когда я уйду, и если моё заявление не будет принято к сведению, то я буду
{{centre|Mon cher ami!}}
считать себя оскорблённым.
Je V[ou]s avais {{sic|ecrit|écrit}} que j'avais commencé les traductions de mes romances et effectivement il y en avait deux toutes faites. Mais ensuite, voyant que l'opéra m'absorbait trop et qu'il se passerait beaucoup de temps avant que le tout soit prêt, — je me suis adressé à une pauvre jeune fille qui justement me demandait un travail quelconque à faire et lui ai confié la tâche de traduire tout ce dont V[ou]s avez besoin. Le travail est prêt et demain je V[ou]s l'expédie. On ne peut pas dire que la traduction soit parfaite et que cette demoiselle manie le français comme une vraie française ; —  mais enfin le poète que V[ou]s chargerez de mettre cela en vers aura une traduction très juste et très {{sic|conscientieusement|consciencieusement}} faite, et c'est, il me semble, tout ce qu'il faut.
 
J'ai passé un été assez triste car j'ai été souvent malade. Mais du reste, il n'y a rien de grave, —  ce {{sic|n'était|n'était}} que des {{sic|refroidissement|refroidissements}} perpétuels que j'attrapais {{sic|tantôt|tantôt}} en restant trop longtemps dans l'eau de la rivière, tantôt à cause à cause de courant d'airs dont je ne me garantissais pas assez. Maintenant cela va tout à fait bien.  
 
J'espère, mon cher ami, que V[ou]s allez bien et que Madame Mackar se porte bien aussi. Saluez la bien de ma part, ainsi que les Condemines quand V[ou]s les verrez.
 
Je V[ou]s serre bien cordialement la main.  


Завтра я высылаю тебе 2-ое действие оперы. Спасибо за обещание денег. Я тебе в своё время дам знать, куда их выслать. Ты спрашиваешь, скучно ли мне читать твои письма? Помилуй, они полны глубокого интереса!
Votre dévoué ami,
{{right|Твой, П. Чайковский}}
{{right|P. Tschaïkovsky}}
Ратер прислал мне превосходные аранжементы Кирхнера из балета. Жаль, что они не у тебя.
En parcourant la traduction j'ai remarqué bien de fautes d'orthographe. Ce n'est rien, n'est-ce pas ?


|Translated text={{right|''[[Florence]]''<br/>31/19 March}}
|Translated text={{right|''[[Maydanovo]]''<br/>18/30 August 1886}}
I've been very unwell for two whole weeks, I am very week, and therefore forgive me for writing only a brief note in reply to your letter of the 12th <ref name="note1"/>. Tomorrow I'll be sending an official letter to the directorate <ref name="note2"/>. It goes without saying that the previous one was completely private. Let them consider whether they wish my leaving to be ''resigning or retiring'', but let them know that inviting someone other than ''[[Brandukov]]'' cannot happen while I am to be counted as a director. That can happen when I have left, and if my petition is not to be taken into account, then I will be considering this an insult.
{{centre|My dear friend!}}
I wrote to you last time <ref name="note1"/> that I had started work on translating my romances, and right enough I had by then done two of them. But then, seeing that I was becoming so engrossed in my opera and that it would take a long time before everything was ready, I got in touch with a poor young girl who had just happened to ask me for work of some kind that she could do, and I entrusted her with the task of translating everything that you need <ref name="note2"/>. The job is now complete, and tomorrow I'll send it to you. It can't be said that her translation is perfect or that this young lady has a command of French equal to that of a true Frenchwoman, but, still, the poet whom you engage to turn this into verse will have a very precise and very conscientiously done translation to work from, and that, as I see it, is all that is required <ref name="note3"/>.  


Today I'm sending you the 2nd act of the opera <ref name="note3"/>. Thank you for the promised money. In time I'll let you know where to send it. You ask whether I consider your letters tedious? I beg your pardon, they are entirely fascinating!
I have had a rather sad summer, because I have been frequently ill. I should add, though, that it was nothing serious: it was simply that I kept catching some perpetual chills, be it because I'd stay in the river too long when bathing, be it because of draughts which I failed to take sufficient precautions against when indoors. Now I am perfectly fine, however.
{{right|Yours, P. Tchaikovsky}}
 
[[Rahter]] has sent me Kirchner's outstanding arrangements from the ballet  <ref name="note4"/>. A pity you don't have them.
I hope, my dear friend, that you are all right, and that Madame Mackar <ref name="note4"/> is also well. Give her my regards, and likewise to the Condemines <ref name="note5"/> when you see them.
 
I shake your hand most cordially.
 
Your devoted friend,
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}
While looking through the translation I noticed quite a lot of spelling mistakes. That doesn't matter, isn't that so?
}}
}}
==Notes and References==
==Notes and References==
<references>
<references>
<ref name="note1">Letter from [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] to Tchaikovsky dated 12/24 February 1890.</ref>
<ref name="note1">This letter to [[Mackar]] has not come to light.</ref>
<ref name="note2">This letter to the directors of the Russian Musical Society in [[Moscow]] has not survived. Tchaikovsky's recommendation that [[Anatoly Brandukov]] be appointed to the vacant position of cello professor at the [[Moscow]] Conservatory had been over-ruled by the director of that institution, [[Vasily Safonov]], causing Tchaikovsky to offer his resignation.</ref>
<ref name="note2">Tchaikovsky entrusted the task of producing a prose translation into French of his various sets of songs to a certain Nina Valeryanovna Kondratyeva, who worked as a proofreader for [[Jurgenson]]'s firm.</ref>
<ref name="note3">The vocal-piano reduction of the opera ''[[The Queen of Spades]]''.</ref>
<ref name="note3">[[Mackar]] would eventually engage the poet [[Paul Collin]] to turn these prose translations of Tchaikovsky's romances into verse, but the publisher was not happy with the final product, as he himself informed Tchaikovsky in a letter from [[Paris]] on 15/27 October 1888. [[Collin]]'s free translations of the texts of some of Tchaikovsky's songs have survived in the archives at [[Klin]]. It seems that these translations were mismatched with the music. Nevertheless,[[Mackar]] did publish a few of Tchaikovsky's songs as translated by [[Collin]] (though the poet seems to have had to revise his original versions). See {{bib|1970/6|Чайковский и зарубежные музыканты}} (1970), p. 160 and p. 165, note 28.</ref>  
<ref name="note4">The German composer and pianist Theodor Kirchner (1823-1903) had arranged several numbers from ''[[The Sleeping Beauty]]'' for solo piano. No copies of [[Daniel Rahter]]'s edition of these arrangements have come to light, but they was printed by [[Jurgenson]] between August and October 1890.</ref>
<ref name="note4">[[Mackar]]'s wife, Valérie. In 1888, Tchaikovsky would dedicate to her one of the prints made by the [[Hamburg]] photographer E. Bieber on 6/18 January 1888. He wrote on it the following inscription: "Madame Valérie Mackar souvenir affectueux" and sketched three bars from the ''Andante cantabile'' of his [[String Quartet No. 1]] — see {{bibx|1968/16|Revue de musicologie}}, tome 64 (1968), no. 1, p. 94. The portrait in question appears as [[:File:Photo060.jpg|Photo 60]] in our [[Photographs|Catalogue of Photographs]].</ref>
<ref name="note5">The brothers Henri and Charles Condemine who were friends of [[Mackar]]'s. Tchaikovsky had met the pianist Henri Condemine at [[Mackar]]'s house in [[Paris]] earlier that summer.</ref>
</references>
</references>

Latest revision as of 21:31, 14 July 2022

Date 18/30 August 1886
Addressed to Félix Mackar
Where written Maydanovo
Language French
Autograph Location Paris (France): Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département de la Musique
Publication Revue de musicologie, tome 64 (1968), no. 1, p. 56
Советская музыка (1970), No. 9, p. 64 (Russian translation)
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XIII (1971), p. 435.


Text and Translation

French text
(original)
English translation
By Luis Sundkvist
Maïdanowo
18/30 Août 1886

Mon cher ami!

Je V[ou]s avais ecrit que j'avais commencé les traductions de mes romances et effectivement il y en avait deux toutes faites. Mais ensuite, voyant que l'opéra m'absorbait trop et qu'il se passerait beaucoup de temps avant que le tout soit prêt, — je me suis adressé à une pauvre jeune fille qui justement me demandait un travail quelconque à faire et lui ai confié la tâche de traduire tout ce dont V[ou]s avez besoin. Le travail est prêt et demain je V[ou]s l'expédie. On ne peut pas dire que la traduction soit parfaite et que cette demoiselle manie le français comme une vraie française ; — mais enfin le poète que V[ou]s chargerez de mettre cela en vers aura une traduction très juste et très conscientieusement faite, et c'est, il me semble, tout ce qu'il faut.

J'ai passé un été assez triste car j'ai été souvent malade. Mais du reste, il n'y a rien de grave, — ce n'était que des refroidissement perpétuels que j'attrapais tantôt en restant trop longtemps dans l'eau de la rivière, tantôt à cause à cause de courant d'airs dont je ne me garantissais pas assez. Maintenant cela va tout à fait bien.

J'espère, mon cher ami, que V[ou]s allez bien et que Madame Mackar se porte bien aussi. Saluez la bien de ma part, ainsi que les Condemines quand V[ou]s les verrez.

Je V[ou]s serre bien cordialement la main.

Votre dévoué ami,

P. Tschaïkovsky

En parcourant la traduction j'ai remarqué bien de fautes d'orthographe. Ce n'est rien, n'est-ce pas ?

Maydanovo
18/30 August 1886

My dear friend!

I wrote to you last time [1] that I had started work on translating my romances, and right enough I had by then done two of them. But then, seeing that I was becoming so engrossed in my opera and that it would take a long time before everything was ready, I got in touch with a poor young girl who had just happened to ask me for work of some kind that she could do, and I entrusted her with the task of translating everything that you need [2]. The job is now complete, and tomorrow I'll send it to you. It can't be said that her translation is perfect or that this young lady has a command of French equal to that of a true Frenchwoman, but, still, the poet whom you engage to turn this into verse will have a very precise and very conscientiously done translation to work from, and that, as I see it, is all that is required [3].

I have had a rather sad summer, because I have been frequently ill. I should add, though, that it was nothing serious: it was simply that I kept catching some perpetual chills, be it because I'd stay in the river too long when bathing, be it because of draughts which I failed to take sufficient precautions against when indoors. Now I am perfectly fine, however.

I hope, my dear friend, that you are all right, and that Madame Mackar [4] is also well. Give her my regards, and likewise to the Condemines [5] when you see them.

I shake your hand most cordially.

Your devoted friend,

P. Tchaikovsky

While looking through the translation I noticed quite a lot of spelling mistakes. That doesn't matter, isn't that so?

Notes and References

  1. This letter to Mackar has not come to light.
  2. Tchaikovsky entrusted the task of producing a prose translation into French of his various sets of songs to a certain Nina Valeryanovna Kondratyeva, who worked as a proofreader for Jurgenson's firm.
  3. Mackar would eventually engage the poet Paul Collin to turn these prose translations of Tchaikovsky's romances into verse, but the publisher was not happy with the final product, as he himself informed Tchaikovsky in a letter from Paris on 15/27 October 1888. Collin's free translations of the texts of some of Tchaikovsky's songs have survived in the archives at Klin. It seems that these translations were mismatched with the music. Nevertheless,Mackar did publish a few of Tchaikovsky's songs as translated by Collin (though the poet seems to have had to revise his original versions). See Чайковский и зарубежные музыканты (1970), p. 160 and p. 165, note 28.
  4. Mackar's wife, Valérie. In 1888, Tchaikovsky would dedicate to her one of the prints made by the Hamburg photographer E. Bieber on 6/18 January 1888. He wrote on it the following inscription: "Madame Valérie Mackar souvenir affectueux" and sketched three bars from the Andante cantabile of his String Quartet No. 1 — see Revue de musicologie, tome 64 (1968), no. 1, p. 94. The portrait in question appears as Photo 60 in our Catalogue of Photographs.
  5. The brothers Henri and Charles Condemine who were friends of Mackar's. Tchaikovsky had met the pianist Henri Condemine at Mackar's house in Paris earlier that summer.