Letter 792

Tchaikovsky Research
Date 17/29 March 1878
Addressed to Varvara Taneyeva
Where written Clarens
Language Russian
Autograph Location Moscow: Russian State Archive of Literature and Art (ф. 880)
Publication П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма (1951), p. 30
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том VII (1962), p. 184

Text and Translation

Russian text
(original)
English translation
By Luis Sundkvist
Clarens
29/17 марта 1878 г[ода]

Многоуважаемая Варвара Павловна!

На-днях я получил письмо от брата, который сообщает мне, что Серёжа, бывший проездом в Петербурге и видевшийся с ним, очень беспокоится об участи своей партитуры, присланной ко мне в Сан-Ремо. Я бы хотел ему написать, чтобы успокоить его, но не знаю, куда адресовать письмо, так как он теперь в Остзейском крае. Поэтому покорнейше прошу Вас сообщить ему, что симфония получена мною уже здесь, в Швейцарии, весьма недавно. Ей пришлось порядочно долго гоняться за мной и везде опаздывать. Только здесь она наконец настигла меня. Ко времени возвращения Серёжи в Москву я ему пришлю подробный отчёт о впечатлении, произведённом на меня его новым сочинением. А пока потрудитесь, добрейшая Варвара Павловна, передать ему, что я весьма благодарю его за присылку этой вещи.

Свидетельствуя своё почтение Ивану Ильичу и Вам, остаюсь

Вам преданный,

П. Чайковский

Масловым тысячу приветствий.

Clarens
29/17 March 1878

Much esteemed Varvara Pavlovna!

The other day I received a letter from my brother, who tells me that Serezha met up with him while passing through Petersburg, and that he is very worried about the fate of his score, which he sent to me in San Remo [1]. I would like to write to him to reassure him, but I don't know where to address my letter, as he is now in the Baltic provinces [2]. I therefore ask you most humbly to let him know that I have very recently received his symphony here, in Switzerland. It had to chase after me quite a long way, and was delayed en route everywhere. Only here did it finally catch up with me. When Serezha has returned to Moscow I shall send him a detailed report of the impression which his new composition has made on me [3]. But for the time being, would you be so kind, my good Varvara Pavlovna, as to tell him that I thank him very much for having sent me this piece.

At the same time as paying my respects to Ivan Ilyich [4] and to you, I remain,

Your devoted,

P. Tchaikovsky

A thousand greetings tor the Maslovs.

Notes and References

  1. It seems that Anatoly Tchaikovsky informed his brother of this in his letter to him of 10/22 March 1878 (only the first part of this letter has survived in the archives, but Taneyev is not mentioned there). Taneyev had sent the score of the first movement of his Symphony No. 2 in B-flat minor (which ultimately remained unfinished) to Tchaikovsky — note by Vladimir Zhdanov in П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма (1951), p. 30.
  2. As Taneyev himself would inform Tchaikovsky in a letter of 18/30 March–22 March/3 April 1878 he had gone to the Baltic in order to give a recital in Riga.
  3. See Letter 807 to Taneyev, 4/16 April 1878.
  4. Varvara Taneyeva's husband, Ivan Ilyich Taneyev (1796–1879), a music-lover and amateur man of letters.