Letter 4612: Difference between revisions

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Date 1/13 February 1892
Addressed to Daniël de Lange
Where written Maydanovo
Language French
Autograph Location Amsterdam (The Netherlands): Openbare Bibliotheek, Toonkunst-Bibliotheek
Publication Revue de musicologie, tom 64 (1968), no. 1, p. 89
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XVI-Б (1979), p. 34.

Text and Translation

French text
(original)
English translation
By Ronald de Vet
1/13 Février 1892
Kline, près Moscou

Monsieur!

Je suis on ne peut plus flatté de l'honneur que «la Maatschappij tot Bevorderin der Toonkunst» a bien voulu me faire, en me nommant Membre correspondant de cette illustre Société.

Veuillez, Monsieur[,] transmettre à Mr le Président et au Directeurs de la Société ma vive et profonde reconnaissance. J'espère dans la saison prochaine avoir l'occasion de Vous exprimer de vive voix l'expression des sentiments les plus distingués avec lesquels j'ai l'honneur d'être Votre dévoué serviteur.

P. Tschaïkovsky

1/13 February 1892
Klin, near Moscow

Sir!

I am as flattered as can be by the honour that "the Maatschappij tot bevordering der Toonkunst" [1] has been kind enough to do to me, by appointing me a corresponding member of this illustrious Society [2].

Would you please, Sir, convey to the chairman [3] and to the members of the board of the Society my great and profound gratitude. Next season I hope I shall have the opportunity [4] to express to you by word of mouth the most noble feelings with which I have the honour of being your devoted servant.

P. Tchaikovsky

Notes and References

  1. The "Society for the advancement of music", which in previous years had bestowed a similar honour on Schumann (1844), Wagner (1854), Bruckner and Verdi (both 1887).
  2. The certificate Tchaikovsky had received was accompanied by a letter, dated July 1891 and signed by de Lange and the acting chairman Frans Coenen. This letter is cited in Чайковский и зарубежные музыканты, p. 76.
  3. Frans Coenen (1826–1904) was co-founder of the Amsterdam Conservatory, and its director from 1883 until 1895. At the time Tchaikovsky wrote his answering letter cited here, Coenen was no longer chairman of the Society; from 1891 until 1894 the chairman was J. N. van Hall (1840–1918).
  4. Two days before, 11 February 1892, Tchaikovsky would have conducted some of his works with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. He cancelled this appearance, because he would have had to stay in Paris too long, and he suffered from homesickness — this is probably what he alluded to by blaming "circumstances against his will" in his cancellation letter. According to an Amsterdam newspaper, his cancellation caused a big disappointment. He promised the orchestra's conductor, Willem Kes, on 19/31 October 1893 to come and conduct the orchestra in March 1894 (Letter 5063).