Letter 205: Difference between revisions
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From the musical point of view, my trip did not afford me any new sensations. Of all that I heard, the most interesting thing was the festival in [[Mannheim]] to mark the [[Beethoven]] centenary (this was a week before the war). At this festival I heard the "Missa ''solemnis''" for the first time, in a magnificent performance (Lachner <ref name="note3"/> was the conductor). On the other hand, I greatly enjoyed nature in Switzerland and made many excursions to the mountains on foot, as a result of which I have lost some weight. I did almost no work at all, although, in keeping with the promise I gave you, I did revise the overture <ref name="note4"/>. However, due to the lack of music paper in Switzerland (I'm not joking), I couldn't orchestrate the revised passages. This is what I am working on now, and in three days' time I shall have finished. After that I will arrange for both the full score and the orchestral parts to be copied, and in three weeks or so you will have the overture. | From the musical point of view, my trip did not afford me any new sensations. Of all that I heard, the most interesting thing was the festival in [[Mannheim]] to mark the [[Beethoven]] centenary (this was a week before the war). At this festival I heard the "Missa ''solemnis''" for the first time, in a magnificent performance (Lachner <ref name="note3"/> was the conductor). On the other hand, I greatly enjoyed nature in Switzerland and made many excursions to the mountains on foot, as a result of which I have lost some weight. I did almost no work at all, although, in keeping with the promise I gave you, I did revise the overture <ref name="note4"/>. However, due to the lack of music paper in Switzerland (I'm not joking), I couldn't orchestrate the revised passages. This is what I am working on now, and in three days' time I shall have finished. After that I will arrange for both the full score and the orchestral parts to be copied, and in three weeks or so you will have the overture. | ||
I don't know whether you will be satisfied, but I really cannot make it any better. In my opinion the ending is now respectable; the introduction is new; the middle section almost entirely new, and the recapitulation of the second theme (in D major) has been completely reorchestrated. [[Nikolay Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] has asked me to tell you that he will write to you in a few days' time. When your playbills are ready, please do send me one <ref name="note5"/>. I embrace you and kindly ask you to give my regards to [[Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov|Korsinka]] and the whole company <ref name="note6"/>. | I don't know whether you will be satisfied, but I really cannot make it any better. In my opinion, the ending is now respectable; the introduction is new; the middle section almost entirely new, and the recapitulation of the second theme (in D major) has been completely reorchestrated. [[Nikolay Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] has asked me to tell you that he will write to you in a few days' time. When your playbills are ready, please do send me one <ref name="note5"/>. I embrace you and kindly ask you to give my regards to [[Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov|Korsinka]] and the whole company <ref name="note6"/>. | ||
---- | ---- | ||
{{centre|''Supplement'' <ref name="note7"/>}} | {{centre|''Supplement'' <ref name="note7"/>}} | ||
[[Nikolay Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] has just arrived and he requests me to let you know the following: | [[Nikolay Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] has just arrived and he requests me to let you know the following: | ||
:1) [[Laub]] is willing to come, but he cannot yet say when [[Nikolay Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] says you should write to him | :1) [[Laub]] is willing to come, but he cannot yet say when [[Nikolay Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] says you should write to him. | ||
:2) He recommends that you write to [[Anton Rubinstein]] yourself, although he will also write to him <ref name="note8"/>. ''His address'' is: ''Vyshny Volochyok'', village of ''Glubokoe''. | :2) He recommends that you write to [[Anton Rubinstein]] yourself, although he will also write to him <ref name="note8"/>. ''His address'' is: ''Vyshny Volochyok'', village of ''Glubokoe''. | ||
:3) He would like you to send the promised music. | :3) He would like you to send the promised music. | ||
| Line 48: | Line 48: | ||
<ref name="note6">i.e. the composers of the "Mighty Handful".</ref> | <ref name="note6">i.e. the composers of the "Mighty Handful".</ref> | ||
<ref name="note7">This "supplement" — incorrectly attached to [[Letter 156]] in {{bib|1959/50|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том V}} (1959) — consists of a reply to [[Balakirev]]'s letter to [[Nikolay Rubinstein]] of 3/15 September 1870, regarding plans for the participation of the violinist [[Ferdinand Laub]] in concerts of the Free Music School — note by Aleksandra Orlova in {{bibx|1962/71|Милий Алексеевич Балакирев. Воспоминания и письма}} (1962), p. 195.</ref> | <ref name="note7">This "supplement" — incorrectly attached to [[Letter 156]] in {{bib|1959/50|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том V}} (1959) — consists of a reply to [[Balakirev]]'s letter to [[Nikolay Rubinstein]] of 3/15 September 1870, regarding plans for the participation of the violinist [[Ferdinand Laub]] in concerts of the Free Music School — note by Aleksandra Orlova in {{bibx|1962/71|Милий Алексеевич Балакирев. Воспоминания и письма}} (1962), p. 195.</ref> | ||
<ref name="note8">[[Anton Rubinstein]] did not take part in any of the Free Music | <ref name="note8">[[Anton Rubinstein]] did not take part in any of the Free Music School's concerts — note by Aleksandra Orlova in {{bibx|1962/71|Милий Алексеевич Балакирев. Воспоминания и письма}} (1962), p. 195.</ref> | ||
</references> | </references> | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0205}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0205}} | ||
Latest revision as of 17:00, 15 February 2024
| Date | 6/18 September 1870 |
|---|---|
| Addressed to | Mily Balakirev |
| Where written | Moscow |
| Language | Russian |
| Autograph Location | Saint Petersburg (Russia): National Library of Russia (ф. 834, ед. хр. 11, л. 43–44) |
| Publication | Переписка М. А. Балакирева и П. И. Чайковского (1868-1891) [1912], p. 59–60 П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том V (1959), p. 230–231 (letter), p. 181 (supplement) Милий Алексеевич Балакирев. Воспоминания и письма (1962), p. 154–155 |
Text and Translation
| Russian text (original) |
English translation By Luis Sundkvist |
6 сентября 1870 г[ода] Москва Не застав Вас в Питере, дорогой и милый друг, я лелеял себя надеждой повидаться с Вами в Москве, и очень огорчился, узнав, что Вы последний город миновали. Путешествие моё затянулось неожиданно вследствие отчасти войны, а отчасти того обстоятельства, что доктор посоветовал мне для успокоения нерв прожить 6 недель в Интерлакене. Вот отчего я не мог, как думал, в июле вернуться в Москву. В музыкальном отношении путешествие моё не принесло мне никаких новых ощущений; самое интересное из всего, что я слышал, — это фестиваль в Мангейме по случаю годовщины Бетховена (за неделю до войны). В первый раз услышал я на этом празднике Миссу solemnis в превосходном исполнении (дирижировал Лахнер). Зато я много наслаждался природой в Швейцарии, много ходил пешком по горам, вследствие чего несколько похудел. Почти ничего не делал, но согласно данному обещанию переделал увертюру, хотя по неимению в Швейцарии партитурной бумаги (без шуток) не мог оркестровать переделанные места. Я занимаюсь этим теперь, и через дня три буду готов; затем отдам переписать как партитуру, так и партии, а недели через три увертюра будет у Вас. Не знаю, будете ли Вы довольны, но я решительно не в состоянии сделать лучше. Конец, мне кажется, теперь стал приличен; интродукция новая; средняя часть почти новая, а вторичное прохождение второй темы (в D-dur) совершенно переоркестрованно. Рубинштейн просит передать Вам, что он напишет Вам на днях. Пожалуйста, когда будут готовы Ваши афиши, пришлите мне одну. Обнимаю Вас и прошу кланяться Корсиньке и всей компании. Прибавление
Сейчас пришёл Рубинштейн и просит передать Вам следующее:
П. Чайковский |
6 September 1870 Moscow As I did not find you in Piter, dear and esteemed friend, I had cherished the hope of seeing you in Moscow, and so I was very saddened when I found out that you had passed by the latter city [1]. My trip was unexpectedly prolonged, partly as a result of the war [2], and partly due to the fact that my doctor advised me to spend six weeks in Interlaken in order to get my nerves to calm down. That is the reason why I was unable to return to Moscow in July, as I had hoped. From the musical point of view, my trip did not afford me any new sensations. Of all that I heard, the most interesting thing was the festival in Mannheim to mark the Beethoven centenary (this was a week before the war). At this festival I heard the "Missa solemnis" for the first time, in a magnificent performance (Lachner [3] was the conductor). On the other hand, I greatly enjoyed nature in Switzerland and made many excursions to the mountains on foot, as a result of which I have lost some weight. I did almost no work at all, although, in keeping with the promise I gave you, I did revise the overture [4]. However, due to the lack of music paper in Switzerland (I'm not joking), I couldn't orchestrate the revised passages. This is what I am working on now, and in three days' time I shall have finished. After that I will arrange for both the full score and the orchestral parts to be copied, and in three weeks or so you will have the overture. I don't know whether you will be satisfied, but I really cannot make it any better. In my opinion, the ending is now respectable; the introduction is new; the middle section almost entirely new, and the recapitulation of the second theme (in D major) has been completely reorchestrated. Rubinstein has asked me to tell you that he will write to you in a few days' time. When your playbills are ready, please do send me one [5]. I embrace you and kindly ask you to give my regards to Korsinka and the whole company [6]. Supplement [7]
Rubinstein has just arrived and he requests me to let you know the following:
P. Tchaikovsky |
Notes and References
- ↑ Balakirev was in Moscow in the summer of 1870 (when Tchaikovsky was abroad), but he returned to Saint Petersburg via Yaroslavl and Rybinsk at around the same time that Tchaikovsky made his way from Saint Petersburg to Moscow, so their paths didn't cross — note based on information provided by Aleksandra Orlova in Милий Алексеевич Балакирев. Воспоминания и письма (1962), p. 195.
- ↑ The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 which broke out that summer.
- ↑ Franz Lachner (1803–1890), German composer and conductor.
- ↑ Tchaikovsky revised the overture-fantasia Romeo and Juliet in the summer of 1870 at the urging of the work's dedicatee, Balakirev.
- ↑ i.e. the playbills listing all the scheduled concerts of the Free Music School during the coming 1870/71 season. Despite Balakirev's efforts, none of these concerts could eventually take place because of financial difficulties.
- ↑ i.e. the composers of the "Mighty Handful".
- ↑ This "supplement" — incorrectly attached to Letter 156 in П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том V (1959) — consists of a reply to Balakirev's letter to Nikolay Rubinstein of 3/15 September 1870, regarding plans for the participation of the violinist Ferdinand Laub in concerts of the Free Music School — note by Aleksandra Orlova in Милий Алексеевич Балакирев. Воспоминания и письма (1962), p. 195.
- ↑ Anton Rubinstein did not take part in any of the Free Music School's concerts — note by Aleksandra Orlova in Милий Алексеевич Балакирев. Воспоминания и письма (1962), p. 195.
