Letter 524

Tchaikovsky Research

Text and Translation

Russian text
(original)
English translation
By Brett Langston
Милостивая государыня!
Надежда Филаретовна!

Искренно Вам благодарен за все любезное и лестное, что Вы изволите мне писать. Со своей стороны, я скажу, что для музыканта среди неудач и всякого рода препятствий утешительно думать, что есть небольшое меньшинство людей, к которому принадлежите и Вы, так искренно и тепло любящее наше искусство.

Искренно Вам преданный и уважающий,

П. Чайковский

Gracious Madam!
Nadezhda Filaretovna!

I am sincerely grateful for the kind and flattering words that you were good enough to write to me [2]. For my part, speaking as a musician, it is comforting to think that amidst failures and all manner of hurdles, there is a small minority of people, to which you belong, who truly and warmly love our art.

Sincerely yours, with devotion and respect,

P. Tchaikovsky

Notes and References

  1. Dated on the basis of Nadezhda von Meck's letter to Tchaikovsky of 18/30 December 1876, to which this is a reply.
  2. In her letter of 18/30 December 1876, Nadezhda von Meck had thanked the composer for providing her with violin-piano arrangements of the Andante funebre from String Quartet No. 3, and the Humoresque from the Two Pieces, Op. 10, and expressed her admiration for Tchaikovsky's music.