Letter 1776 - Revision history

Tony: Inserted question mark for clarity of meaning

2024-08-24T11:45:32Z

Inserted question mark for clarity of meaning

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	Thank you for the various commissions. In the meantime I've been busy with the "''[[All-Night Vigil]]''". When I've finished that, I'll start on the ''[[Sixteen Songs for Children\|children's songs]]'', whereupon, provided I have sufficient freedom and inspiration, I'll set about an ''opera''. This is now the singular compositional form capable of summoning my inspiration. I have in my hands a very decent libretto, which I received from [[Karl Davydov\|K. Yu. Davydov]], who himself started to write an opera on it, but then abandoned it for lack of time. The libretto is based on [[Pushkin]]'s "''Poltava''" and was compiled by [[Burenin]]. Therefore, if I'm to write something substantial, it will be an opera. I won't say anything about the choruses for the moment. I've no desire to write them, although I've been promising [[Karlusha]] for ages that I'll set about them. Next week I'll be sending you ''part'' of the debt, but, alas, only a ''part''!!! I'm not destined to honourably fulfil my financial obligations towards you. I could, perhaps, send you the whole ''850'' rubles with the greatest of pleasure, but then a week later I would be obliged to turn to you again, and you most likely wouldn't refuse me. Consequently, this would be farcical. I'll ''probably'' send you five hundred rubles.		Thank you for the various commissions. In the meantime I've been busy with the "''[[All-Night Vigil]]''". When I've finished that, I'll start on the ''[[Sixteen Songs for Children\|children's songs]]'', whereupon, provided I have sufficient freedom and inspiration, I'll set about an ''opera''. This is now the singular compositional form capable of summoning my inspiration. I have in my hands a very decent libretto, which I received from [[Karl Davydov\|K. Yu. Davydov]], who himself started to write an opera on it, but then abandoned it for lack of time. The libretto is based on [[Pushkin]]'s "''Poltava''" and was compiled by [[Burenin]]. Therefore, if I'm to write something substantial, it will be an opera. I won't say anything about the choruses for the moment. I've no desire to write them, although I've been promising [[Karlusha]] for ages that I'll set about them. Next week I'll be sending you ''part'' of the debt, but, alas, only a ''part''!!! I'm not destined to honourably fulfil my financial obligations towards you. I could, perhaps, send you the whole ''850'' rubles with the greatest of pleasure, but then a week later I would be obliged to turn to you again, and you most likely wouldn't refuse me. Consequently, this would be farcical. I'll ''probably'' send you five hundred rubles.

	When you commissioned the choruses from me, what did you mean to say about the ''octave''. I've been racking my brains in vain, but I absolutely don't understand.		When you commissioned the choruses from me, what did you mean to say about the ''octave''? I've been racking my brains in vain, but I absolutely don't understand.

	Circumstances have conspired to make it very difficult ''to write'' anything of my own; but the [[Vigil]] is more of an arrangement from ancient melodies than a composition, and I've enjoyed working on it.		Circumstances have conspired to make it very difficult ''to write'' anything of my own; but the [[Vigil]] is more of an arrangement from ancient melodies than a composition, and I've enjoyed working on it.

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:25:43Z

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Brett at 22:54, 13 February 2021

2021-02-13T22:54:25Z

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{{letterhead
|Date=4/16 June 1881
|To=[[Pyotr Jurgenson]]
|Place=[[Kamenka]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 2337)
|Publication={{bib|1901/24|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 2}} (1901), p. 472 (abridged)<br/>{{bib|1938/40|П. И. Чайковский. Переписка с П. И. Юргенсоном ; том 1}} (1938), p. 193–194<br/>{{bib|1966/44|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том X}} (1966), p. 132
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|''Каменка''<br/>4 июня}}
{{centre|Милый друг!}}
Спасибо тебе за разные заказы. Покамест я занят «''Всенощной''». Когда кончу, хочу заняться ''детскими песнями'', а засим, если хватит охоты и вдохновения, примусь за ''оперу''. Это теперь единственная форма сочинительства, способная вызвать во мне увлечение. У меня есть в руках очень порядочное либретто, полученное мною от К. Ю. Давыдова, который сам начал писать на него оперу, но потом бросил за недосугом. Либретто основано на «''Полтаве''» Пушкина и составлено Бурениным. Итак, знай, что если буду писать что-нибудь большое, то это будет опера. Об хорах пока ничего не скажу. Нет охоты писать их, хотя уже давно я обещал Карлуше заняться ими. На будущей неделе я вышлю тебе ''часть'' долга, но, увы, только ''часть''!!! Не суждено мне быть относительно тебя честным исполнителем своих долговых обязательств. С величайшим [удовольствием] я мог бы, пожалуй, выслать тебе все ''850'' р[ублей], но ведь через неделю после того я бы снова принуждён был обратиться к тебе, и ты бы, наверное, не отказал. Следовательно, это была бы излишняя комедия. ''Вероятно'', я вышлю тебе рублей пятьсот.

Что ты хотел сказать, говоря при заказывании мне хоров, об ''октаве''? Я тщетно ломал себе голову, — но решительно ничего не понял.

Обстоятельства слагаются так, что мне очень трудно ''писать'' что-нибудь своё; но всенощная есть более переложение с древних напевов, чем сочинение, и работал я с удовольствием.

Жду ''Бортнянского'', дабы тотчас же заняться и этим.

Обнимаю тебя!
{{right|П. Чайковский}}

|Translated text={{right|''[[Kamenka]]''<br/>4 June}}
{{centre|Dear friend!}}
Thank you for the various commissions. In the meantime I've been busy with the "''[[All-Night Vigil]]''". When I've finished that, I'll start on the ''[[Sixteen Songs for Children|children's songs]]'', whereupon, provided I have sufficient freedom and inspiration, I'll set about an ''opera''. This is now the singular compositional form capable of summoning my inspiration. I have in my hands a very decent libretto, which I received from [[Karl Davydov|K. Yu. Davydov]], who himself started to write an opera on it, but then abandoned it for lack of time. The libretto is based on [[Pushkin]]'s "''Poltava''" and was compiled by [[Burenin]]. Therefore, if I'm to write something substantial, it will be an opera. I won't say anything about the choruses for the moment. I've no desire to write them, although I've been promising [[Karlusha]] for ages that I'll set about them. Next week I'll be sending you ''part'' of the debt, but, alas, only a ''part''!!! I'm not destined to honourably fulfil my financial obligations towards you. I could, perhaps, send you the whole ''850'' rubles with the greatest of pleasure, but then a week later I would be obliged to turn to you again, and you most likely wouldn't refuse me. Consequently, this would be farcical. I'll ''probably'' send you five hundred rubles.

When you commissioned the choruses from me, what did you mean to say about the ''octave''. I've been racking my brains in vain, but I absolutely don't understand.

Circumstances have conspired to make it very difficult ''to write'' anything of my own; but the [[Vigil]] is more of an arrangement from ancient melodies than a composition, and I've enjoyed working on it.

I'm awaiting the ''[[Bortnyansky]]'', in order that I can set about it immediately.

I embrace you!
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}
}}