Yekaterina Peresleni
Older sister of the composer's brother-in-law, Lev Davydov (b. 1822; d. 1898), born Yekaterina Vasilyevna Davydova (Екатерина Васильевна Давыдова); known after her marriage as Yekaterina Vasilyevna Peresleni (Екатерина Васильевна Переслени).
Yekaterina was the third child of Vasily Lvovich Davydov (1792–1855) and his wife Aleksandra Ivanovna (b. Potapova, 1802–1895), and an older sister of the composer's brother-in-law, Lev Davydov (1837–1896). She married Vladimir Mikhaylovich Peresleni, and had five children: Aleksandra (1862–1937); Vadim; Yevgeny (1860-1942); Nikolay (d. 1914); and Sofya.
Tchaikovsky often visited Yekaterina and her family when he lived in Moscow during the 1870s, and remained friendly with them throughout his life.
Correspondence with Tchaikovsky
7 letters from Tchaikovsky to Yekaterina Peresleni have survived, dating from 1875 to 1886, all of which have been translated into English on this website:
- Letter 428 – 19/31 December 1875, from Moscow
- Letter 433 – early 1870s, from Moscow
- Letter 540 – between January and May 1877, from Moscow
- Letter 544 – after 25 February/9 March 1877, from Moscow
- Letter 1138 – 20 March/1 April 1879, from Saint Petersburg
- Letter 2892a – 19 February/3 March 1886, from Maydanovo
