Letter 4713
| Date | 22 June/4 July 1892 |
|---|---|
| Addressed to | Mojmir Urbánek |
| Where written | Vichy |
| Language | French |
| Autograph Location | Prague (Czechia): Národní muzeum, České muzeum hudby, hudebně-historické oddělení |
| Publication | П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XVI-Б (1979), p. 118 |
Text and Translation
| French text (original) |
English translation By Brett Langston |
4 Juillet [18]92 Cher Monsieur!
Je suis bien flatté de l'honneur que Vous voulez bien me faire. Malheureusement je n'ai pas sous la main un portrait et je n'ai plus le temps d'en faire venir un de Pétersbourg, parce que dans quelques jours je quitte Vichy. Mais dans un mois je serai rentre et je Vous promets de Vous envoyer ma photographie avec inscription, tout de suite après mon arrivée. En attendant veuillez agréer l'expression de ma vive reconnaissance pour l'attention que Vous voulez bien me témoigner. Bien à Vous, P. Tschaïkovsky Je Vous ai promis un morceau de piano et jusqu'à présent je n'ai pas rempli ma promesse, mais soyez certain que ma parole n'est pas un vain mot. Bientôt je commencerai une série de morceaux pour piano dont un sera pour Vous. |
4 July 1892 Dear Sir!
I am most honoured by the honour that you wish to afford me [1]. Unfortunately I do not have a portrait to hand and I do not have sufficient time to bring one to Petersburg, because in a few days I shall be leaving Vichy. But in a month I will have returned, and I promise to send you my photograph with an inscription immediately after my arrival [2]. In the meantime please accept this expression of my gratitude for the attention you wish to show me. Yours ever, P. Tchaikovsky I have promised you a piano piece [3], and so far I have yet to fulfil this promise, but be assured that these were not merely empty words. Soon I will be starting a series of piano pieces, one of which shall be for you. |
Notes and References
- ↑ Tchaikovsky was replying to Mojmir Urbánek's letter of 12/24 June 1892, in which he requested a photograph for publication.
- ↑ A photograph of Tchaikovsky was duly published in Kalendar českych hudebniku na rok 1893 [Czech musicians' calendar for 1893], but without an inscription. However, as the editors of П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XVI-Б (1979) pointed out (p. 118), the reverse side may have contained the inscription.
- ↑ Mojmir Urbánek's brother, Velebín, had also written to Tchaikovsky on 12/24 June, requesting a piece to be included in the Christmas 1892 edition of his collection Piano-forte. The composer's reply to Velebín Urbánek has not survived, but on 26 October/7 November 1892 he sent him the manuscript of the piano piece Moment lyrique (see Letter 4790a). After Tchaikovsky's death the following year, Sergey Taneyev discovered some sketches for the piece, which he completed and prepared for publication under the title Momento lirico (subtitled Impromptu), unaware that the composition had already appeared in print.
