Letter 3834

Tchaikovsky Research
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.
Date 8/20 April 1889
Addressed to Félix Mackar
Where written Constantinople
Language French
Autograph Location Paris (France): Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département de la Musique
Publication Revue de musicologie, tom 64 (1968), no. 1, p. 74
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XV-А (1976), p. 92

Text and Translation

French text
(original)
English translation
By Brett Langston
Constantinpole
à bord du Camboadge

Mon cher ami!

Je t'écris ces quelques lignes de Constantinople pour te demander pardon, 1-mo) de ce que dans la précipitation de mon départ j'ai oublié de te donner des nouvelles de mon concert à Londres et, 2-de) de ce que j'ai oublié de t'envoyer les parties de la Marche miniature. Je te les enverrai plus tard. Le concert a été très bien ; la marche bissée. Sapellnikoff a eu un succès monstre; on nous a rappelé tous les deux plusieurs fois et criblé d'applaudissements. La traversée magnifique. Je n'ai que le temps de t'écrire ces lignes.

Mille choses à M[ada]me Mackar; salut a Noël. J't'embrasse!

P. Tschaïkovsky

Constantinople
on board the Camboadge

My dear friend!

I write these few lines in Constantinople in order to beg your forgiveness that, 1) in the haste of my departure I forgot to give you news about my concert in London and, 2) I forgot to send you the parts of the Marche miniature. I will send them to you later. The concert went very well; the march was encored. Sapelnikov had a succès monstre [1]; we were both called back several times and engulfed by applause. It was a traversée magnifique [2]. I only have time to write you these lines.

A thousand greetings to Madame Mackar; regards to Noël. I embrace you!

P. Tchaikovsky

Notes and References

  1. French: 'enormous success'.
  2. French: 'magnificent crossing', i.e. smooth sailing on Tchaikovsky's voyage between Marseille and Constantinople.