Vera Butakova and Letter 3180: Difference between pages

Tchaikovsky Research
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{{picture|file=Vera_Butakova.jpg|caption='''Vera Butakova''' (1843–1923)}}
{{letterhead
Sister-in-law of the composer (b. 1843; d. 1923), born '''''Vera Vasilyevna Davydova''''' (Вера Васильевна Давыдова); known after her marriage as '''''Vera Vasilyevna Butakova''''' (Вера Васильевна Бутакова).
|Date=12/24 February 1887
|To=[[Anna Merkling]]
|Place=[[Maydanovo]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph={{locunknown}}
|Publication={{bib|1951/49|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 229<br/>{{bib|1974/53|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XIV}} (1974), p. 47
|Notes=Manuscript copy in [[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (signature omitted)
}}
==Text and Translation==
Based on a handwritten copy in the {{RUS-KLč}} at [[Klin]], which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter.
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|12 февраля 1887 г[ода]}}
Аня, голубушка! Не сердись на меня. Ей-Богу, мне теперь невозможно писать письма. Боже, до чего я работаю, и до чего я устал! Скоро увидимся. 5-го марта состоится в Петербурге большой концерт из моих сочинений, коим я сам дирижирую. Приеду я 23-го февраля и останусь 2 недели.


Vera was the sister of Tchaikovsky's brother-in-law [[Lev Davydov]], and she became attached to Tchaikovsky during a family holiday at [[Hapsal]] [now [[Haapsalu]]] in Estonia in 1867. The composer dedicated the cycle of piano pieces he was writing at the time — ''[[Souvenir de Hapsal]]'', Op. 2 to Vera.
Ужасно буду рад тебя повидать. Привезу карточки; они у меня, да не стоит посылать. Ничего не пишу; не стоит скоро увидимся.


Although it appears that Vera had romantic feelings for Tchaikovsky during the late 1860s, these were not reciprocated, and in 1871 she married a much older man — Vice-Admiral Ivan Ivanovich Butakov (1822–1882), commander of the Russian Mediterranean fleet, and they had four sons — Grigory (1873–1960); Ivan (1874–1879); Stepan (1879–1927); and Aleksandr (1882–1914).
Я немножко сердит на тебя за то, что ты не приехала на «''Черевички''» и церемонилась принять от меня средства на путешествие.


==Dedications==
Целую ручки.
Tchaikovsky dedicated two of his compositions to Vera Butakova:
* ''[[Souvenir de Hapsal]]'', for piano, Op. 2 (1867) — "à V. V. Davidoff".
* ''Sleep — ''No. 4 of the [[Six Romances, Op. 57]] (1884)


==Correspondence with Tchaikovsky==
|Translated text={{right|12 February 1887}}
Although no letters from the composer to Vera Butakova have known to have survived, 5 letters from Vera to Tchaikovsky, dating from around 1886 to 1893, are preserved in the {{RUS-KLč}} at [[Klin]] (a{{sup|4}}, Nos. 361–365).
[[Anya]], golubushka! Don't be angry with me. My God, it's currently impossible for me to write letters. God, there's so much work <ref name="note1"/>, and I'm so tired! I'll see you soon. On 5th March a grand concert of my works will be taking place in [[Petersburg]], which I'm conducting myself. I'm coming on 23rd February and staying for 2 weeks.


[[Category:People|Butakova, Vera]]
I'll be terribly glad to see you. I'll be bringing cards <ref name="note2"/>; they are mine, but I don't give them out. There's nothing worth writing about — I'll see you soon.
[[Category:Dedicatees|Butakova, Vera]]
 
[[Category:People|Butakova, Vera]]
I'm a little angry with you for not coming to "''[[Cherevichki]]''" after you made a big show about accepting money from me for the trip <ref name="note3"/>.
[[Category:Correspondents|Butakova, Vera]]
 
I kiss your hands.
}}
==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">Tchaikovsky was rushing to complete the piano reduction of his new opera ''[[The Enchantress]]'', which was required urgently by the Imperial Theatres in [[Saint Petersburg]].</ref>
<ref name="note2">Tchaikovsky is referring here to small photograph cards showing his portrait.</ref>
<ref name="note3">The composer had conducted the premiere of his opera ''[[Cherevichki]]'' at the Bolshoi Theatre in [[Moscow]] on 19/31 January 1887, as well as two subsequent performances.</ref>
</references>

Revision as of 17:30, 23 September 2023

Date 12/24 February 1887
Addressed to Anna Merkling
Where written Maydanovo
Language Russian
Autograph Location unknown
Publication П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма (1951), p. 229
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XIV (1974), p. 47
Notes Manuscript copy in Klin (Russia): Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve (signature omitted)

Text and Translation

Based on a handwritten copy in the Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve at Klin, which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter.

Russian text
(original)
English translation
By Brett Langston
12 февраля 1887 г[ода]

Аня, голубушка! Не сердись на меня. Ей-Богу, мне теперь невозможно писать письма. Боже, до чего я работаю, и до чего я устал! Скоро увидимся. 5-го марта состоится в Петербурге большой концерт из моих сочинений, коим я сам дирижирую. Приеду я 23-го февраля и останусь 2 недели.

Ужасно буду рад тебя повидать. Привезу карточки; они у меня, да не стоит посылать. Ничего не пишу; не стоит — скоро увидимся.

Я немножко сердит на тебя за то, что ты не приехала на «Черевички» и церемонилась принять от меня средства на путешествие.

Целую ручки.

12 February 1887

Anya, golubushka! Don't be angry with me. My God, it's currently impossible for me to write letters. God, there's so much work [1], and I'm so tired! I'll see you soon. On 5th March a grand concert of my works will be taking place in Petersburg, which I'm conducting myself. I'm coming on 23rd February and staying for 2 weeks.

I'll be terribly glad to see you. I'll be bringing cards [2]; they are mine, but I don't give them out. There's nothing worth writing about — I'll see you soon.

I'm a little angry with you for not coming to "Cherevichki" after you made a big show about accepting money from me for the trip [3].

I kiss your hands.

Notes and References

  1. Tchaikovsky was rushing to complete the piano reduction of his new opera The Enchantress, which was required urgently by the Imperial Theatres in Saint Petersburg.
  2. Tchaikovsky is referring here to small photograph cards showing his portrait.
  3. The composer had conducted the premiere of his opera Cherevichki at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on 19/31 January 1887, as well as two subsequent performances.