Letter 1894 - Revision history

Tony at 13:26, 4 December 2024

2024-12-04T13:26:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:26, 4 December 2024
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	\|Translated text={{right\|[[Venice]]<br/>16/28 November}}		\|Translated text={{right\|[[Venice]]<br/>16/28 November}}
	{{centre\|Dear friend!}}		{{centre\|Dear friend!}}
	I've taken it into my head to write an opera on the subject of "''[[Vanka the Steward]]''". I feel that I can make fine and animated music from this straightforward subject. Having read Antropov's play that you sent me, I feel unable to fashion the libretto adequately myself; I require assistance. And then I had the idea of asking ''[[Averkiyev]]'' himself to write the libretto for me. I wanted to write to him myself — but I don't know where he is? Be so good, golubchik, as to learn where he's to be found from [[Hubert]], and write to him, in the capacity of the publisher of a future opera, to enquire whether he would like to make me a libretto in return for a respectable fee. I'll give him half of my fee with the greatest of pleasure, and so you may offer him 500 rubles right away. This will be the most facile work for him. I afford him complete freedom to write such verses he sees fit, i.e. to whatever extent. Regarding the scenario, I'll make only one comment. In Antropov's nocturnal love scene, in the garden, I don't like it that ''Dashutka'' sits in his hut the whole time. In order for their outpourings of love to be reproduced properly and entirely fittingly in music, it's necessary not only that the lovers themselves imagine themselves to be alone, but that the audience doesn't see a third person. Yes, the joke can reveal itself at the end of the scene. ''Otherwise this will embarrass and inhibit me''. Meanwhile, this nocturnal scene is the most important musically, it's the whole point; this is rather like "''[[Romeo and Juliet (projected opera)\|Romeo and Juliet]]''", and I feel that I can show my best side, provided Dashutka isn't in the way. Therefore, my dear chap, for God's sake see to this business for me. The music is simply ''bursting'' from me, and if "''[[Vanka the Steward]]''" is to fare well in my hands, I shall excel myself. If [[Averkiyev]] refuses, then why not ask [[Pleshcheyev]]? As a last resort, entrust this to ''[[Lishin]]''. And even then, would you consider approaching [[Lishin]] right away? He will do it quickly. Well, in short, however you please, just find me a libretto for "''[[Vanka the Steward]]''". [[Averkiyev]]'s story, from which Antropov made his play, is called "''Drunken Night''".		I've taken it into my head to write an opera on the subject of "''[[Vanka the Steward]]''". I feel that I can make fine and animated music from this straightforward subject. Having read Antropov's play that you sent me, I feel unable to fashion the libretto adequately myself; I require assistance. And then I had the idea of asking ''[[Averkiyev]]'' himself to write the libretto for me. I wanted to write to him myself — but I don't know where he is. Be so good, golubchik, as to learn where he's to be found from [[Hubert]], and write to him, in the capacity of the publisher of a future opera, to enquire whether he would like to make me a libretto in return for a respectable fee. I'll give him half of my fee with the greatest of pleasure, and so you may offer him 500 rubles right away. This will be the most facile work for him. I afford him complete freedom to write such verses as he sees fit, i.e. to whatever extent. Regarding the scenario, I'll make only one comment. In Antropov's nocturnal love scene, in the garden, I don't like it that ''Dashutka'' sits in his hut the whole time. In order for their outpourings of love to be reproduced properly and entirely fittingly in music, it's necessary not only that the lovers themselves imagine themselves to be alone, but that the audience doesn't see a third person. Yes, the joke can reveal itself at the end of the scene. ''Otherwise, this will embarrass and inhibit me''. Meanwhile, this nocturnal scene is the most important musically, it's the whole point; this is rather like "''[[Romeo and Juliet (projected opera)\|Romeo and Juliet]]''", and I feel that I can show my best side, provided Dashutka isn't in the way. Therefore, my dear chap, for God's sake see to this business for me. The music is simply ''bursting'' from me, and if "''[[Vanka the Steward]]''" is to fare well in my hands, I shall excel myself. If [[Averkiyev]] refuses, then why not ask [[Pleshcheyev]]? As a last resort, entrust this to ''[[Lishin]]''. And even then, would you consider approaching [[Lishin]] right away? He will do it quickly. Well, in short, however you please, just find me a libretto for "''[[Vanka the Steward]]''". [[Averkiyev]]'s story, from which Antropov made his play, is called "''Drunken Night''".

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

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:39:33Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 13:39, 12 July 2022
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Brett at 14:16, 8 April 2021

2021-04-08T14:16:51Z

New page

{{letterhead
|Date=16/28 November 1881
|To=[[Pyotr Jurgenson]]
|Place=[[Venice]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 2359)
|Publication={{bib|1901/24|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 2}} (1901), p. 493–494 (abridged)<br/>{{bib|1938/40|П. И. Чайковский. Переписка с П. И. Юргенсоном ; том 1}} (1938), p. 215–216<br/>{{bib|1966/44|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том X}} (1966), p. 269–270
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|Венеция<br/>16/28 ноября}}
{{centre|Милый друг!}}
У меня засела в голове мысль написать оперу на сюжет «''Ваньки-Ключника''». Чувствую, что на этот незатейливый сюжет я могу сделать хорошую прочувствованную музыку. Прочёл я пиэсу Антропова, которую ты мне прислал, и чувствую, что ''сам'' не могу смастерить либретто как следует; мне необходима помощь. И вот мне пришла мысль попросить ''Аверкиева'' самого написать мне либретто. Хотел писать к нему сам, — но не знаю, где он? Будь так добр, голубчик, узнай у Губерта, где он находится, и напиши ему, в качестве издателя будущей оперы, не хочет ли он за приличный гонорарий сделать мне либретто. Я с величайшим удовольствием уступлю ему половину своего гонорария, и, следовательно, ты прямо можешь предложить ему 500 р[ублей] сер[ебром]. Ему это самый пустой труд. Я предоставляю ему полную свободу писать какими угодно стихами, т. е. каким хочет размером. Относительно сценария имею сделать только одно замечание. Мне не нравится, что у Антропова в сцене любви ночью, в саду, ''Дашутка'' все время сидит в своём шалаше. Для того чтобы любовные излияния получили надлежащее и вполне соответствующее музыкальное воспроизведение, нужно, чтобы не только любовники предполагали себя одинокими, но чтобы и зрители не видели третьего лица. Да шутка может подкрасться в конце сцены. ''Иначе она будет стеснять и охлаждать меня''. Между тем, эта ночная сцена — самая важная для музыки, в ней вся суть; это нечто вроде «''Ромео и Юлии''», и я чувствую, что могу показать себя с хорошей стороны, если Дашутка не будет мешать. Итак, душка моя, устрой мне, ради Бога, это дело. Музыка просто ''прёт'' из меня, и если «''Ванька ключник''», хорошо сделанный, будет в моих руках, я отличусь. Если Аверкиев откажет, то не попросишь ли Плещеева! В крайнем случае поручи это ''Лишину''. И даже вот что: не рассудишь ли прямо к Лишину обратиться? Он это сделает скоро. Ну словом, как хочешь, только подавай мне либретто: «''Ванька-ключник''». Повесть Аверкиева, из которой сделана пиэса Антропова, называется ''«Хмелевая ночь''».

Обнимаю.
{{right|П. Чайковский}}

|Translated text={{right|[[Venice]]<br/>16/28 November}}
{{centre|Dear friend!}}
I've taken it into my head to write an opera on the subject of "''[[Vanka the Steward]]''". I feel that I can make fine and animated music from this straightforward subject. Having read Antropov's play that you sent me, I feel unable to fashion the libretto adequately myself; I require assistance. And then I had the idea of asking ''[[Averkiyev]]'' himself to write the libretto for me. I wanted to write to him myself — but I don't know where he is? Be so good, golubchik, as to learn where he's to be found from [[Hubert]], and write to him, in the capacity of the publisher of a future opera, to enquire whether he would like to make me a libretto in return for a respectable fee. I'll give him half of my fee with the greatest of pleasure, and so you may offer him 500 rubles right away. This will be the most facile work for him. I afford him complete freedom to write such verses he sees fit, i.e. to whatever extent. Regarding the scenario, I'll make only one comment. In Antropov's nocturnal love scene, in the garden, I don't like it that ''Dashutka'' sits in his hut the whole time. In order for their outpourings of love to be reproduced properly and entirely fittingly in music, it's necessary not only that the lovers themselves imagine themselves to be alone, but that the audience doesn't see a third person. Yes, the joke can reveal itself at the end of the scene. ''Otherwise this will embarrass and inhibit me''. Meanwhile, this nocturnal scene is the most important musically, it's the whole point; this is rather like "''[[Romeo and Juliet (projected opera)|Romeo and Juliet]]''", and I feel that I can show my best side, provided Dashutka isn't in the way. Therefore, my dear chap, for God's sake see to this business for me. The music is simply ''bursting'' from me, and if "''[[Vanka the Steward]]''" is to fare well in my hands, I shall excel myself. If [[Averkiyev]] refuses, then why not ask [[Pleshcheyev]]? As a last resort, entrust this to ''[[Lishin]]''. And even then, would you consider approaching [[Lishin]] right away? He will do it quickly. Well, in short, however you please, just find me a libretto for "''[[Vanka the Steward]]''". [[Averkiyev]]'s story, from which Antropov made his play, is called "''Drunken Night''".

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