Robert Schumann and Letter 695: Difference between pages

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{{picture|file=Robert Schumann.jpg|caption='''Robert Schumann''' (1810-1856)}}
{{letterhead
German composer (b. 8 June 1810 at Zwickau, Saxony; d. 29 July 1856 in Bonn), born '''''Robert Alexander Schumann'''''.
|Date=20 December 1877/1 January 1878
|To=[[Anatoly Tchaikovsky]]
|Place=[[San Remo]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 1129)
|Publication={{bib|1940/210|П. И. Чайковский. Письма к родным ; том 1}} (1940), p. 337–338<br/>{{bib|1955/37|П. И. Чайковский. Письма к близким}} (1955), p. 134–135<br/>{{bib|1961/38|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том VI}} (1961), p. 314 (abridged)<br/>{{bib|1981/81| Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Letters to his family. An autobiography}} (1981), p. 132 (English translation)
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|{{datestyle|''San-Remo''|1 янв[аря] 1878|20 дек[абря] 1877|}}}}
{{centre|Толя!}}
Сегодня утром, вставши рано, пошёл искать помещение. Я мечтал было найти в какой-нибудь ''вилле'' один этаж, — но таковых не оказалось. Целые виллы отдаются за 2000, 3000 и т. д. Напал я на маленькую квартирку, которую один француз («''un refugie, Monsieur, un condamné a mort, Monsieur''» ужасно мне навязывал, но, слава Богу, отделался, а то чуть было не взял, а она так тесна, что нам четырём не поместиться бы ни за что. Наконец, попал в ''Pension Joly'', где нашёл помещение более или менее подходящее. Модест будет спать с Колей, я отдельно, Алёша тоже, и кроме того, будет общая комната. За всё это плата 38 франков{{*}} в день. По здешним ценам это не особенно дорого. Главное моё условие было, чтобы обедать не за ''table d'hôt'ом''. Нам будут подавать в нашей комнате завтрак в 1 час, а обед в 7. Если сравнить с ''Pension Richelieu'', то здесь ''гораздо хуже'', а еду даже нельзя вовсе сравнивать. Одно только хорошо: мы будем жить в верхнем этаже, где, кроме наших 4 комнат, ничего больше нет. Меблировка слабая, но чисто. Хозяева очень любезные.


==Tchaikovsky and Schumann==
Толя, мой милый! На меня сегодня опять напала сумасшедшая, ужасная тоска! Здешние пальмы, апельсинные и лимонные деревья не радуют меня! Мне страшно и грустно. Как мне в Россию хочется, — ты не можешь себе представить. Ну как это прожить целую зиму без холода и снегу? Сегодня было так тепло, как у нас в июле, — а ведь это конец декабря! Впрочем, может быть, все это пройдёт завтра. От Модеста телеграммы нет. Писем никаких не получил, — сегодня праздник и ''poste restante'' заперт.
Schumann was one of Tchaikovsky's favourite composers and exerted a very strong influence on his own music. [[Herman Laroche]] recalled in the ''Foreword'' to his 1898 edition of Tchaikovsky's feuilleton articles how as first-year Conservatory students in 1862 they had played through piano duet arrangements of Schumann's symphonies and overtures, as well as of the opera ''Genoveva ''and the oratorio ''Das Paradies und die Peri'' (Op. 50). In 1864 [[Anton Rubinstein]], like his brother [[Nikolay]] a fervent admirer of Schumann, set Tchaikovsky the task of orchestrating some variations from the ''Symphonische Etuden'' for piano (Op. 13), which resulted in the ''[[Symphonic Studies (Schumann)|Symphonic Studies]]''. It was also as a student at the [[Saint Petersburg]] Conservatory that Tchaikovsky caught a glimpse of Clara Schumann, when, during her tour of Russia in 1864, she visited the Conservatory and attended a musical soirée at which Tchaikovsky and other fellow students performed Friedrich Kuhlau's Quartet for Four Flutes <ref name="note1"/>. Unfortunately, it is not known whether Tchaikovsky was actually introduced to the great composer's widow.


While staying at the Davydovs' dacha near [[Peterhof]] in the summer of 1866, where he worked on his [[First Symphony]], Tchaikovsky in the evenings would often play through works by Schumann on the piano. As the composer's brother [[Modest]] later recalled: "The most pleasant moments of the whole day for me and for [[Vera Butakova|Vera Vasilyevna Davydova]], whose musical enlightener he continued to be, were when he sat down at the piano in the evenings and played for us almost invariably one of Schumann's symphonies (the first and fourth), or the same composer's ''Das Paradies und die Peri'', or [[Mendelssohn]]'s Italian Symphony. He was especially thrilled by ''Das Paradies und die Peri'' (only the first part): each time he played it he would express his delight and demand that we pay particular attention when the moment of the young hero's appearance before the grim tyrant came, and he would play with great emotion the chorus of angels singing the glory of the young martyr — he said that he knew nothing higher than this in all music. Despite being quite fickle in his musical predilections, so that very often he would start criticizing what not so long ago he had been enthusiastic about, he remained faithful to ''Das Paradies und die Peri'' until the end of his life, just as he was faithful to ''Don Giovanni'', ''A Life for the Tsar'', and ''Der Freischütz" <ref name="note2"/>.
''Адрес: Italie, San-Remo, Pension Joly''.


Significantly, at the start of his own career as a composer, Tchaikovsky translated into Russian Schumann's famous ''Musikalische Haus- und Lebensregeln'' which emphasize the commitment, modesty, and earnestness required by the musician's calling. Tchaikovsky's translation was published in 1868 as'' [[Rulebook for Young Musicians (Schumann)|Rulebook for Young Musicians]]'' [Жизненные правила для молодых музыкантов], TH 331.
Целую тебя нежно, крепко в глазки и губки.
{{right|Твой, П. Чайковский}}
------
{{*}} золотом.


In his music review articles during the 1870s, Tchaikovsky frequently had the opportunity to discuss Schumann's works and his overall significance — the most important references have been listed below. Whilst praising the warmth and passion of Schumann's symphonies, Tchaikovsky nevertheless criticized their orchestration, and in a conversation with his friend [[Ivan Klimenko]] around 1870-71 he confessed that "for a long time he had been cherishing the idea of orchestrating afresh all four of Schumann's symphonies" <ref name="note3"/>.
|Translated text={{right|{{datestyle|''[[San Remo]]''|1 January 1878|20 December 1877|}}}}
{{centre|[[Tolya]]!}}
This morning, rising early, I went in search of a room. I dreamed of finding one floor in some ''villa'', but there turned out to be no such thing. Whole villas go for 2000, 3000, etc. I came across a small apartment that was owned by a Frenchman "''un refugie, Monsieur, un condamné a mort, Monsieur''", who badgered me terribly, but, thank God, I managed to dodge him, otherwise I very nearly would have taken it, and it was so cramped that there was no way the four of us could have fitted in. Finally, I reached the ''Pension Joly'', where I found a more or less suitable room. [[Modest]] will be sleeping with [[Nikolay Konradi|Kolya]], I'll sleep separately, [[Alyosha]] too, and besides this we'll have a room in common. The fee for all this is 38 francs{{*}} per day. This isn't particularly expensive by local prices. My principal condition was that we shouldn't dine at the ''table d'hôte''. We'll be served lunch in our room at 1 o'clock, and dinner at 7. If you compare it with the ''Pension Richelieu'', it's ''far worse'' here, and the food doesn't even bear comparison. There's just one good thing: we'll be living on the top floor, where there's nothing else besides our 4 rooms. The furniture is sparse, but clean. The hosts are very kind.


In 1878, Tchaikovsky decided to compose a ''[[Children's Album]]'' of simple piano pieces for children inspired by the example of Schumann's ''Kinderszenen'' (Op. 15) <ref name="note4"/>. Such was his admiration for the great Romantic composer that in 1882 he hesitated to take up [[Balakirev]]'s suggestion of writing a ''[[Manfred]]'' symphony partly because Schumann's ''Manfred'' overture was so strongly embedded in his mind. In the last year of his life, when he received an invitation to conduct some concerts in [[Saint Petersburg]], Tchaikovsky wanted to dedicate a whole concert to Schumann's ''Das Paradies und die Peri'', which in his diary he once described as "a divine work" <ref name="note5"/>.
My dear [[Tolya]]! Today I've been seized by another attack of the most terrible, fervent homesickness! The local palms, orange and lemon trees don't make my happy! I'm awfully sad. You can't imagine how much I want to be in Russia. How is it possible to live through a whole winter without cold and snow? Today it was as warm here as our July — and this at the end of December! Anyway, perhaps all this will pass tomorrow. There's been no telegram from [[Modest]]. I haven't received any letters — today is a holiday, and the ''poste restante'' is shut.  


In his obituary of Tchaikovsky the music critic [[Josef Sittard]], who had spent a lot of time with the composer during his various visits to [[Hamburg]] from 1888 to 1893, recounted the following anecdote which testifies to the great esteem in which Tchaikovsky held Schumann:
''Address: Italie, San-Remo, Pension Joly''.


{{quote|I have rarely met an artist of such kindness of heart, personal selflessness, and genuine, unfeigned modesty [as Tchaikovsky]. How attractively he could chat about art and artists, and even if the conversation sometimes turned on artists and artistic tendencies which he found unsympathetic, his judgements were never harsh or unjust. Only once did I see him become angry. A young conductor who had attained quick renown and who swore only by the trinity of [[Berlioz]], [[Liszt]], and [[Wagner]], had permitted himself to make an unjustifiable observation about Schumann's artistic oeuvre. Tchaikovsky got up agitatedly and told the young hothead: 'As a Russian I am ashamed to see a German musician daring to insult the memory of one of Germany's greatest composers'. Thereupon he left the room <ref name="note6"/>.}}
I kiss you gently but firmly on your eyes and lips.
 
{{right|Yours, P. Tchaikovsky}}
==Arrangements by Tchaikovsky==
------
* ''[[Symphonic Studies (Schumann)|Symphonic Studies]]'' (1864) — arrangement for orchestra of two variations from Schumann's ''Etudes symphoniques'' for piano solo, Op. 13 (1852)
{{*}} gold.
* '' [[Ballade vom Haideknaben (Schumann)|Ballade vom Haideknaben]]'' (1874) — arrangement for orchestra of Schumann's declamation for narrator with piano, Op. 122, No. 1 (1852)
}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0695}}
==Translations by Tchaikovsky==
* ''[[Rules for Young Musicians (Schumann)|Rulebook for Young Musicians]]'' (1868) — a translation from German to Russian of the ''Musikalische Haus- und Lebensregeln'' ''für junge Musiker'' (1849)
* [[Notes to the "Studies", Op. 3 (Schumann)|Notes to the "Studies", Op. 3]] (1869) — a translation from German to Russian of Schumann's preface to his ''Six Studies on Caprices by Paganini'', Op. 3 (1832)
 
==General Reflections on Schumann==
Bold references indicate particularly detailed or interesting references.
 
===In Tchaikovsky's Music Review Articles===
* '''[[TH 261]]''' — Tchaikovsky asserts that the second half of the 19th century would go down into music history as the "Schumannesque period", and observes how Schumann's music tells us of "the mysteriously deep processes of our spiritual life" and of "the moments of doubt and despair" which beset man in his "striving for the ideal".
* [[TH 268]] — discusses Schumann as a critic and his discovery of [[Brahms]].
* '''[[TH 269]]''' — discusses certain flaws in Schumann's symphonic works, especially his inadequate orchestration.
* '''[[TH 297]]''' — criticizes Schumann's "thick and massive instrumentation"; emphasizes that his natural medium was always the piano.
* [[TH 306]] — emphasizes again that Schumann was above all a composer for the piano
* [[TH 316]] — during Tchaikovsky's concert tour stop in [[Leipzig]], in January 1888, [[Carl Reinecke]] shares with him recollections of Schumann.
 
==Views on Specific Works by Schumann==
Bold references indicate particularly detailed or interesting references.
 
===In Tchaikovsky's Music Review Articles===
* Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 (1850) — see '''[[TH 274]]''', '''[[TH 286]]'''
* ''Die Davidsbündler'', for piano solo, Op. 6 (1851) — see [[TH 303]]
* ''Fantasiestücke'', for piano solo Op. 12 (1837) — see [[TH 261]]
* ''Genoveva'', opera, Op. 81 (1847–48) — see [[TH 268]]
* ''Humoresque'' in B-flat major, for piano solo, Op. 20 (1838–39) — see [[ TH 276]]
* ''Manfred'', dramatic poem, Op. 115 (1848–49) — see '''[[TH 269]]'''
* ''Overture, Scherzo and Finale'', for orchestra, Op. 52 (1841) — see [[TH 287]]
* Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44 (1842) — see '''[[TH 306]]'''
* String Quartet in A major, Op. 41, No. 3 (1842) — see '''[[TH 294]]''', [[TH 313]]
* Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major, "Spring", Op. 38 (1841) — see '''[[TH 297]]'''
* Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61 (1845–46) — see '''[[TH 284]]'''
* Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, "Rhenish", Op. 97 (1850) — see '''[[TH 269]]'''
* Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 (1841) — see '''[[TH 312]]'''
* ''Toccata'' in C major, for piano solo, Op. 7 (1829–33) — see [[TH 303]]
 
==Bibliography==
* {{bib|1955/6}} (1955)
* {{bib|1973/11}} (1973)
* {{bib|1991/27}} (1991)
* {{bib|1995/92}} (1995)
* {{bib|1998/93}} (1998)
* {{bib|1999/60}} (1999)
* {{bib|2000/6}} (2000)
* {{bib|2013/16}} (2013)
* {{bib|2013/22}} (2013)
 
==External Links==
* [[wikipedia:Robert_Schumann|Wikipedia]]
* {{IMSLP|Schumann,_Robert}}
* [http://www.tchaikov.ru/schumann.html Belcanto] (in Russian)
 
==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">See  {{bib|1897/6}} (1897), included in {{bib|1980/24|Воспоминания о П. И. Чайковском}} (1980), p. 53. While at the Conservatory, Tchaikovsky studied the flute with the famous flutist Cesare Ciardi (1818-1877) and became sufficiently accomplished on this instrument to be able to take part in student concerts.</ref>
<ref name="note2">{{bib|1997/94|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 1}} (1997), p. 229–230.</ref>
<ref name="note3">As [[Ivan Klimenko]] recalled in a letter of 26 December 1894/7 January 1895 which he sent to the journal ''Russian Register'' (Русские ведомости). This letter was not published but it has been preserved in [[Nikolay Kashkin]]'s archive at the Tchaikovsky House-Museum in [[Klin]]. Quoted in {{bib|1940/107|Дни и годы П. И. Чайковского}} (1940), p. 73.</ref>
<ref name="note4">See [[Letter 820]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]], 30 April/12 May 1878.</ref>
<ref name="note5">See the diary entry for 10/22 September 1887 in {{bib|1973/106|The Diaries of Tchaikovsky}} (1973), p. 212.</ref>
<ref name="note6">[[Josef Sittard]]'s interesting obituary of Tchaikovsky in the 7 November 1893 {{NS}} issue of the ''Hamburgischer Correspondent'' is reprinted in {{bib|2006/6|Tschaikowsky in Hamburg: Eine Dokumentation}} (2006), p. 150.</ref>
</references>
[[Category:People|Schumann, Robert]]
[[Category:Composers|Schumann, Robert]]

Latest revision as of 13:12, 1 January 2024

Date 20 December 1877/1 January 1878
Addressed to Anatoly Tchaikovsky
Where written San Remo
Language Russian
Autograph Location Klin (Russia): Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve (a3, No. 1129)
Publication П. И. Чайковский. Письма к родным (1940), p. 337–338
П. И. Чайковский. Письма к близким. Избранное (1955), p. 134–135
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том VI (1961), p. 314 (abridged)
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Letters to his family. An autobiography (1981), p. 132 (English translation)

Text and Translation

Russian text
(original) 		English translation
By Brett Langston
San-Remo  1 янв[аря] 1878
20 дек[абря] 1877 		 

Толя!

Сегодня утром, вставши рано, пошёл искать помещение. Я мечтал было найти в какой-нибудь вилле один этаж, — но таковых не оказалось. Целые виллы отдаются за 2000, 3000 и т. д. Напал я на маленькую квартирку, которую один француз («un refugie, Monsieur, un condamné a mort, Monsieur» ужасно мне навязывал, но, слава Богу, отделался, а то чуть было не взял, а она так тесна, что нам четырём не поместиться бы ни за что. Наконец, попал в Pension Joly, где нашёл помещение более или менее подходящее. Модест будет спать с Колей, я отдельно, Алёша тоже, и кроме того, будет общая комната. За всё это плата 38 франков* в день. По здешним ценам это не особенно дорого. Главное моё условие было, чтобы обедать не за table d'hôt'ом. Нам будут подавать в нашей комнате завтрак в 1 час, а обед в 7. Если сравнить с Pension Richelieu, то здесь гораздо хуже, а еду даже нельзя вовсе сравнивать. Одно только хорошо: мы будем жить в верхнем этаже, где, кроме наших 4 комнат, ничего больше нет. Меблировка слабая, но чисто. Хозяева очень любезные.

Толя, мой милый! На меня сегодня опять напала сумасшедшая, ужасная тоска! Здешние пальмы, апельсинные и лимонные деревья не радуют меня! Мне страшно и грустно. Как мне в Россию хочется, — ты не можешь себе представить. Ну как это прожить целую зиму без холода и снегу? Сегодня было так тепло, как у нас в июле, — а ведь это конец декабря! Впрочем, может быть, все это пройдёт завтра. От Модеста телеграммы нет. Писем никаких не получил, — сегодня праздник и poste restante заперт.

Адрес: Italie, San-Remo, Pension Joly.

Целую тебя нежно, крепко в глазки и губки.

Твой, П. Чайковский

* золотом.

San Remo  1 January 1878
20 December 1877 		 

This morning, rising early, I went in search of a room. I dreamed of finding one floor in some villa, but there turned out to be no such thing. Whole villas go for 2000, 3000, etc. I came across a small apartment that was owned by a Frenchman "un refugie, Monsieur, un condamné a mort, Monsieur", who badgered me terribly, but, thank God, I managed to dodge him, otherwise I very nearly would have taken it, and it was so cramped that there was no way the four of us could have fitted in. Finally, I reached the Pension Joly, where I found a more or less suitable room. Modest will be sleeping with Kolya, I'll sleep separately, Alyosha too, and besides this we'll have a room in common. The fee for all this is 38 francs* per day. This isn't particularly expensive by local prices. My principal condition was that we shouldn't dine at the table d'hôte. We'll be served lunch in our room at 1 o'clock, and dinner at 7. If you compare it with the Pension Richelieu, it's far worse here, and the food doesn't even bear comparison. There's just one good thing: we'll be living on the top floor, where there's nothing else besides our 4 rooms. The furniture is sparse, but clean. The hosts are very kind.

My dear Tolya! Today I've been seized by another attack of the most terrible, fervent homesickness! The local palms, orange and lemon trees don't make my happy! I'm awfully sad. You can't imagine how much I want to be in Russia. How is it possible to live through a whole winter without cold and snow? Today it was as warm here as our July — and this at the end of December! Anyway, perhaps all this will pass tomorrow. There's been no telegram from Modest. I haven't received any letters — today is a holiday, and the poste restante is shut.

Address: Italie, San-Remo, Pension Joly.

I kiss you gently but firmly on your eyes and lips.

Yours, P. Tchaikovsky

* gold.

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