Letter 2023 - Revision history

Tony: Inserted full stop and commas

2024-12-13T11:17:49Z

Inserted full stop and commas

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:17, 13 December 2024
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	I could perhaps lump the blame on [[Modest]], who for a long time wasn't able to pick anything suitable, and who then, after I left, having entrusted your commission to him, failed to carry it out, partly out of absentmindedness, but partly also because he was in financial straits and it was too late for him to ask me for help. However, it's better if I take the whole blame upon myself, because I really ought to have chosen something for you myself (with [[Modest]]'s assistance) and then sent it to you.		I could perhaps lump the blame on [[Modest]], who for a long time wasn't able to pick anything suitable, and who then, after I left, having entrusted your commission to him, failed to carry it out, partly out of absentmindedness, but partly also because he was in financial straits and it was too late for him to ask me for help. However, it's better if I take the whole blame upon myself, because I really ought to have chosen something for you myself (with [[Modest]]'s assistance) and then sent it to you.

	All I can do now is to fall on my knees before you and beg your forgiveness. And so forgive me, forgive me, forgive me! Where are you? How are things with you? Do send me word of yourself, my dear. As for myself, I shall briefly state the following. At the end of March I arrived in [[Moscow]] to attend [[Anatoly]]'s wedding and put up with the tormenting bustle of [[Moscow]] life for 3 weeks. Now, though, I have been living in [[Kamenka]] for about a month — in my cosy little corner <ref name="note2"/>. [[Sasha]] is still in [[Kiev]] with part of the family, and she won't be coming here until after a few days, once the children's exams are over. So for the time being the only ones living here apart from me are [[Lev Vasilyevich]] and my niece [[Vera]], who is pregnant and will stay in her parents' house until she has been delivered of her child. [[Anatoly]] is travelling in Italy with [[Praskovya Tchaikovskaya\|his [wife]] and is having the saddest imaginable honeymoon, because his poor wife is constantly sick, and in every Italian city they arrive at, all they ever do is send for a doctor and then sit in their room without going anywhere. A great change has taken place in all the circumstances of [[Modest]]'s life. The father of his pupil died suddenly, leaving behind not only a fortune, but also all his paternal obligations and responsibilities, which have now devolved entirely upon [[Modest]]. It's still not clear how and where they are going to live, but I cherish the hope that I shall again be able to spend the winter with them in Italy, which I love more and more		All I can do now is to fall on my knees before you and beg your forgiveness. And so forgive me, forgive me, forgive me! Where are you? How are things with you? Do send me word of yourself, my dear. As for myself, I shall briefly state the following. At the end of March, I arrived in [[Moscow]] to attend [[Anatoly]]'s wedding and put up with the tormenting bustle of [[Moscow]] life for 3 weeks. Now, though, I have been living in [[Kamenka]] for about a month — in my cosy little corner <ref name="note2"/>. [[Sasha]] is still in [[Kiev]] with part of the family, and she won't be coming here until after a few days, once the children's exams are over. So for the time being, the only ones living here apart from me are [[Lev Vasilyevich]] and my niece [[Vera]], who is pregnant and will stay in her parents' house until she has been delivered of her child. [[Anatoly]] is travelling in Italy with [[Praskovya Tchaikovskaya\|his [wife]] and is having the saddest imaginable honeymoon, because his poor wife is constantly sick, and in every Italian city they arrive at, all they ever do is send for a doctor and then sit in their room without going anywhere. A great change has taken place in all the circumstances of [[Modest]]'s life. The father of his pupil died suddenly, leaving behind not only a fortune, but also all his paternal obligations and responsibilities, which have now devolved entirely upon [[Modest]]. It's still not clear how and where they are going to live, but I cherish the hope that I shall again be able to spend the winter with them in Italy, which I love more and more.

	I couldn't find your letter with the address, and so I am addressing this to [[Lidiya Genke\|Lida]]. I kiss your hands warmly.		I couldn't find your letter with the address, and so I am addressing this to [[Lidiya Genke\|Lida]]. I kiss your hands warmly.
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	==Notes and References==		==Notes and References==
	<references>		<references>
	<ref name="note1">In [[Letter 1935]] to [[Anna Merkling]] from [[Rome]] (15/27 January 1882) Tchaikovsky had promised that he would bring her a miniature replica of Bernini's marble group ''The Rape of Proserpina'', or, if he couldn't find one, a copy of some classical statue.</ref>		<ref name="note1">In [[Letter 1935]] to [[Anna Merkling]] from [[Rome]] (15/27 January 1882), Tchaikovsky had promised that he would bring her a miniature replica of Bernini's marble group ''The Rape of Proserpina'', or, if he couldn't find one, a copy of some classical statue.</ref>
	<ref name="note2">Tchaikovsky had his own little cottage at [[Kamenka]], at some distance from the Davydovs' main house. In this cottage, or "hut", he could work in peace. See {{bib\|1993/186\|Tchaikovsky. The quest for the inner man}} (1993), p. 297–298.</ref>		<ref name="note2">Tchaikovsky had his own little cottage at [[Kamenka]], at some distance from the Davydovs' main house. In this cottage, or "hut", he could work in peace. See {{bib\|1993/186\|Tchaikovsky. The quest for the inner man}} (1993), p. 297–298.</ref>
	</references>		</references>

Brett: Text replacement - "in the Klin House-Museum Archive" to "in the {{RUS-KLč}} at Klin"

2023-09-23T15:29:39Z

Text replacement - "in the Klin House-Museum Archive" to "in the {{RUS-KLč}} at Klin"

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:29, 23 September 2023
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	==Text and Translation==		==Text and Translation==
	Based on a handwritten copy in the [[Klin]] ~~House-Museum Archive~~, which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter.		Based on a handwritten copy in the {{RUS-KLč}} at [[Klin]], which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter.
	{{Lettertext		{{Lettertext
	\|Language=Russian		\|Language=Russian

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-14T20:31:09Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 22:31, 14 July 2022
(No difference)

Brett at 13:22, 9 February 2020

2020-02-09T13:22:24Z

New page

{{letterhead
|Date=17/29 May 1882
|To=[[Anna Merkling]]
|Place=[[Kamenka]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph={{locunknown}}
|Publication={{bib|1951/49|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 212–213 (abridged)<br/>{{bib|1966/43|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XI}} (1966), p. 122–123
|Notes=Manuscript copy in [[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (signature omitted)
}}

==Text and Translation==
Based on a handwritten copy in the [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive, which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter.
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist
|Original text={{right|''Каменка''<br/>17-го мая 1882 г[ода]}}
Голубушка Аня! Я иначе об тебе не думаю, как имея лицо, покрытое багровою краскою стыда! Более бессовестно тебя обмануть, чем я это сделал, — невозможно. Ведь обещание моё привезти или послать статуэтку улетело на ветер.

Я мог бы, пожалуй, вину свалить на Модеста, который долго не мог ничего выбрать подходящего, а потом, когда я уехал, поручив ему исполнить твою комиссию, — не сделал этого отчасти по рассеянности, отчасти потому, что был в стеснённом денежном положении, а ко мне обращаться уж было поздно, но уж лучше всю вину приму на себя, ибо я должен был во что бы то ни стало сам с помощью Модеста выбрать вещь и послать её тебе.

Могу только теперь пасть перед тобой на колена и молить о прощении. Итак, прости, прости и прости! Где ты? Как и что? Отзовись, милая моя. Про себя вкратце скажу следующее. В конце марта приехал в Москву к свадьбе Анатолия, промучился в московской суете 3 недели и теперь уже около месяца живу в Каменке, в своём уютном уголке. Саша с частью семейства ещё в Киеве и переезжает сюда только через несколько дней, когда кончатся экзамены детей. Здесь покамест живёт только Лев Васильевич и племянница Вера, которая беременна и до своего разрешения останется в родительском доме. Анатолий путешествует с женой по Италии и приводит самый грустный медовый месяц, так как бедная жена его постоянно больна и в каждый итальянский город они приезжают только для того, чтобы посылать за докторами, в аптеку и затем сидеть безвыходно в комнате. У Модеста большая перемена во всех условиях жизни. Отец его воспитанника внезапно умер, и теперь вместе с состоянием, которое осталось от отца, — остались также и все отцовские обязанности и ответственность, лёгшие безраздельно на Модеста. Ещё неизвестно, как и где они устроятся, — но я питаю надежду, что зиму опять с ним проведу в Италии, которую люблю всё больше и больше.

Не мог найти твоего письма с адресом и поэтому адресую на имя Лиды. Целую крепко твои ручки.
{{right|Твой,}}

|Translated text={{right|''[[Kamenka]]''<br/>17th May 1882}}
Golubushka [[Anya]]! I cannot think of you without my face becoming covered by the crimson colour of shame! To deceive you in a more shameless manner than I have done is impossible. I mean, my promise to bring or send you a statuette has simply evaporated into thin air <ref name="note1"/>.

I could perhaps lump the blame on [[Modest]], who for a long time wasn't able to pick anything suitable, and who then, after I left, having entrusted your commission to him, failed to carry it out, partly out of absentmindedness, but partly also because he was in financial straits and it was too late for him to ask me for help. However, it's better if I take the whole blame upon myself, because I really ought to have chosen something for you myself (with [[Modest]]'s assistance) and then sent it to you.

All I can do now is to fall on my knees before you and beg your forgiveness. And so forgive me, forgive me, forgive me! Where are you? How are things with you? Do send me word of yourself, my dear. As for myself, I shall briefly state the following. At the end of March I arrived in [[Moscow]] to attend [[Anatoly]]'s wedding and put up with the tormenting bustle of [[Moscow]] life for 3 weeks. Now, though, I have been living in [[Kamenka]] for about a month — in my cosy little corner <ref name="note2"/>. [[Sasha]] is still in [[Kiev]] with part of the family, and she won't be coming here until after a few days, once the children's exams are over. So for the time being the only ones living here apart from me are [[Lev Vasilyevich]] and my niece [[Vera]], who is pregnant and will stay in her parents' house until she has been delivered of her child. [[Anatoly]] is travelling in Italy with [[Praskovya Tchaikovskaya|his [wife]] and is having the saddest imaginable honeymoon, because his poor wife is constantly sick, and in every Italian city they arrive at, all they ever do is send for a doctor and then sit in their room without going anywhere. A great change has taken place in all the circumstances of [[Modest]]'s life. The father of his pupil died suddenly, leaving behind not only a fortune, but also all his paternal obligations and responsibilities, which have now devolved entirely upon [[Modest]]. It's still not clear how and where they are going to live, but I cherish the hope that I shall again be able to spend the winter with them in Italy, which I love more and more

I couldn't find your letter with the address, and so I am addressing this to [[Lidiya Genke|Lida]]. I kiss your hands warmly.
{{right|Yours,}}
}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">In [[Letter 1935]] to [[Anna Merkling]] from [[Rome]] (15/27 January 1882) Tchaikovsky had promised that he would bring her a miniature replica of Bernini's marble group ''The Rape of Proserpina'', or, if he couldn't find one, a copy of some classical statue.</ref>
<ref name="note2">Tchaikovsky had his own little cottage at [[Kamenka]], at some distance from the Davydovs' main house. In this cottage, or "hut", he could work in peace. See {{bib|1993/186|Tchaikovsky. The quest for the inner man}} (1993), p. 297–298.</ref>
</references>