Paul Collin
French writer and translator (b. 12 July 1843 [N.S.] in Conches; d. 5 February 1915 [N.S.] in Paris).
Correspondence with Tchaikovsky
One letter from Tchaikovsky to Paul Collin has survived, dating from 1892, which has been translated into English on this website:
- Letter 4810 – 24 November/6 December 1892, from Saint Petersburg
One letter from Collin to the composer, dating from 1893, is preserved in the Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve at Klin.
Tchaikovsky's Settings of Works by Collin
When composing his Six French Songs, Op. 65 in 1888, Tchaikovsky set three poems from Collin's cycle Melodies, published in 1878: Déception (No. 2 in the set of songs), Sérénade (No. 3) and Rondel (No. 6). The text of Qu'importe que l'hiver (No. 4) comes from the untitled fourth poem in Collin's cycle Poème d'Octobre, also published in 1878.
The composer's sketches show that he also considered, but ultimately rejected, six other poems by Collin – Prière, Rondel à Madame I. Triery, Rondel d'automne, À la mémoire de Madame Marie ***, Lamento, and Mai. Short musical sketches exist for the two last poems.
Bibliography
- Письма Чайковского зарубежным музыкантам (1960)
- Massenet, Tchaïkovski et Paul Collin. Deux adaptations musicales de Qu'importe que l'hiver du Poème d octobre (2013)
