Letter 3629
| Date | late July/early August 1888 |
|---|---|
| Addressed to | Lidiya Genke |
| Where written | Frolovskoye |
| Language | Russian |
| Autograph Location | Moscow (Russia): Russian State Archive of Literature and Art (ф. 905) |
| Publication | П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XIV (1974), p. 494–495 |
Text and Translation
| Russian text (original) |
English translation By Brett Langston |
Г[ород] Клин, с[ело] Фроловское Дорогая Лида!
Получив твоё письмо, я немедленно написал П. И. Юргенсону; ответ его придёт дня через 2 или 3, и я тебе тотчас его сообщу; надеюсь, что он согласится. Ты спрашиваешь, отчего я к тебе не заезжал, но ведь всю прошлую зиму я путешествовал, а в начале зимы был в Москве так поглощён своими делами, что просто минуты не нашлось. Но, впрочем, конечно я перед тобой очень виноват, что так давно не бывал, и обещаюсь в течение будущей зимы по возможности часто навещать тебя. Очень радуюсь, что, слава Богу, ты не терпишь нужды и что ты с твёрдостью перенесла несчастие. У меня какое-то предчувствие, что твой маленький пансион будет процветать и что впоследствии он обратится в большой. Вот увидишь! Был я в Петербурге 2 недели тому назад и навестил Аню. Речь шла в тот день о месте управляющего домом для Петра Ивановича, но чем кончилось — не знаю. У них мне было очень приятно. Итак, голубушка Лида, жди от меня письмеца на сих днях. Детям передай мои приветствия; целую твои ручки. Твой, П. Чайковский |
Town of Klin, Frolovskoye village Dear Lida!
On receiving your letter [1], I immediately wrote to P. I. Jurgenson; his reply will come in 2 or 3 days [2], and I shall inform you at once; I hope that he will agree. You ask why I didn't call on you, but as you know I was travelling the whole of last winter, and at the start of winter I was so overwhelmed by business in Moscow that I simply did not have a moment to myself [3]. Be that as it may, I stand contrite before you for not having visited in so long, and I promise to call on you as often as possible over the coming winter. I am very glad that, thank God, you have not suffered privation or endured the misfortunes of hardship. I have a premonition that your little boarding house shall prosper, and will eventually turn into a large one [4]. You'll see! I was in Petersburg 2 weeks ago and called on Anna. It was the same day that they were deciding on the position of house manager for Pyotr Ivanovich [5], but I don't know how that turned out. They were very kind to me. And so, golubchik Lida, expect a note from me in a few days. Convey my greetings to the children; I kiss your hands. Yours, P. Tchaikovsky |
Notes and References
- ↑ Letter from Lidiya Genke to Tchaikovsky, dated 25 July/6 August 1888, in which she asked the composer if she might purchase a piano from Pyotr Jurgenson's firm on credit.
- ↑ Pyotr Jurgenson's reply has not survived.
- ↑ The composer had been in Moscow between 8/20 and 17/29 November 1887 to rehearse and conduct two concerts, and then toured through western Europe from 15/27 December 1887 until 16/28 March 1888.
- ↑ Lidiya Genke's husband, Emil Yakovlevich Genke (1828-1888), had passed away earlier in the year, leaving her in potentially difficult financial circumstances.
- ↑ Pyotr Ivanovich Merkling, husband of the composer's cousin Anna Merkling.
