Letter 2459 - Revision history

Tony: "-ize" to "ise" for consistency / Added commas for ease of reading

2025-01-08T14:38:23Z

"-ize" to "ise" for consistency / Added commas for ease of reading

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:38, 8 January 2025
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	I can satisfy your cupidity only partially <ref name="note1"/>. When one is leading the kind of aimlessly bustling, yet at the same time revoltingly grubby life which I am forced to lead here, can one possibly write a letter capable of giving anyone pleasure? I shall restrict myself to pointing out some facts which are of interest to you.		I can satisfy your cupidity only partially <ref name="note1"/>. When one is leading the kind of aimlessly bustling, yet at the same time revoltingly grubby life which I am forced to lead here, can one possibly write a letter capable of giving anyone pleasure? I shall restrict myself to pointing out some facts which are of interest to you.

	"''The Magic Flute''" went very well <ref name="note2"/>. Of course, one could, as all the [[Moscow]] critics like to do, ~~agonize~~ oneself over the fact that we have ''no voices'', but this is quite pointless. Those voices which were available on the given occasion did their job splendidly. The staging was lavish; the singers' acting astonished everyone, so skilful and flowing was it; the ensemble was impeccable, and I was floating in a sea of pleasure thanks to [[Mozart]]'s music. I must confess to you that I was not very familiar with "''The Magic Flute''", which is why I liked it less than [[Mozart]]'s other operas, and I am awfully glad about this opportunity as a result of which it, too, has become one of my favourites. After the performance there was a supper, at which [[Anton Arensky\|Antosha]] proposed your health, which toast was enthusiastically received by everyone. [[Nápravník]] came over [to [[Moscow]]] to hear "''The Flute''" and was very satisfied.		"''The Magic Flute''" went very well <ref name="note2"/>. Of course, one could, as all the [[Moscow]] critics like to do, agonise oneself over the fact that we have ''no voices'', but this is quite pointless. Those voices which were available on the given occasion did their job splendidly. The staging was lavish; the singers' acting astonished everyone, so skilful and flowing was it; the ensemble was impeccable, and I was floating in a sea of pleasure thanks to [[Mozart]]'s music. I must confess to you that I was not very familiar with "''The Magic Flute''", which is why I liked it less than [[Mozart]]'s other operas, and I am awfully glad about this opportunity as a result of which it, too, has become one of my favourites. After the performance there was a supper, at which [[Anton Arensky\|Antosha]] proposed your health, which toast was enthusiastically received by everyone. [[Nápravník]] came over [to [[Moscow]]] to hear "''The Flute''" and was very satisfied.

	Before that there was a big musical soirée at ''[[Sergey Tretyakov\|Tretyakov]]'s''. The most remarkable thing at this soirée was the dinner, although the music, too, wasn't bad ([[Ziloti]] and [[Klimentova]]).		Before that, there was a big musical soirée at ''[[Sergey Tretyakov\|Tretyakov]]'s''. The most remarkable thing at this soirée was the dinner, although the music, too, wasn't bad ([[Ziloti]] and [[Klimentova]]).

	I have been unwell all this time. For two weeks now I have been suffering unceasingly from ''diarrhoea'', and in general from the foul state of my stomach and bowels. As a result of this and also of my fatigue, I am constantly in very low spirits. Today in fact I am feeling so horrendously ill that I have declined invitations to the banquet which [[Karlusha]] is putting on for [[Nápravník]], and to a soirée at [[Usatov]]'s <ref name="note3"/>. I am sitting at home and am terribly mad at, and envious of, you. Your letter, in spite of its brevity, positively ''exhales'' the pleasure which you are getting from being in the remote countryside in spring-time... The Russian provinces, the Russian spring — that is the culmination of everything that I love!		I have been unwell all this time. For two weeks now, I have been suffering unceasingly from ''diarrhoea'', and in general from the foul state of my stomach and bowels. As a result of this and also of my fatigue, I am constantly in very low spirits. Today in fact, I am feeling so horrendously ill that I have declined invitations to the banquet which [[Karlusha]] is putting on for [[Nápravník]], and to a soirée at [[Usatov]]'s <ref name="note3"/>. I am sitting at home and am terribly mad at, and envious of, you. Your letter, in spite of its brevity, positively ''exhales'' the pleasure which you are getting from being in the remote countryside in spring-time... The Russian provinces, the Russian spring — that is the culmination of everything that I love!

	I have made three important changes in ''[[Mazepa]]''. One of them you will be upset about — but I ''had'' to do this to for the sake of the ''staging'' <ref name="note4"/>. Yesterday I dropped in on the Maslovs. I haven't been to see [[Varvara Taneyeva\|Varvara Pavlovna]] yet, but I will definitely do so. I am leaving on Wednesday.		I have made three important changes in ''[[Mazepa]]''. One of them you will be upset about — but I ''had'' to do this to for the sake of the ''staging'' <ref name="note4"/>. Yesterday I dropped in on the Maslovs. I haven't been to see [[Varvara Taneyeva\|Varvara Pavlovna]] yet, but I will definitely do so. I am leaving on Wednesday.
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	<references>		<references>
	<ref name="note1">Towards the end of his brief letter of 28 March/9 April 1884 to Tchaikovsky from Selishche (the estate in Oryol Province belonging to [[Fyodor Maslov]] and his three sisters, where [[Taneyev]] was then staying on his own), [[Taneyev]] had written jestingly: "Everything that I am writing to you is of no interest whatsoever, but I am writing with a selfish purpose: I want to receive a letter from you". [[Taneyev]]'s letter has been published in {{bib\|1951/48\|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 100–101.</ref>		<ref name="note1">Towards the end of his brief letter of 28 March/9 April 1884 to Tchaikovsky from Selishche (the estate in Oryol Province belonging to [[Fyodor Maslov]] and his three sisters, where [[Taneyev]] was then staying on his own), [[Taneyev]] had written jestingly: "Everything that I am writing to you is of no interest whatsoever, but I am writing with a selfish purpose: I want to receive a letter from you". [[Taneyev]]'s letter has been published in {{bib\|1951/48\|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 100–101.</ref>
	<ref name="note2">On 29 March/10 April 1884 a performance of [[Mozart]]'s ''The Magic Flute ''by students of the [[Moscow]] Conservatory, conducted by [[Karl Albrecht]], had taken place at the Bolshoi Theatre.</ref>		<ref name="note2">On 29 March/10 April 1884, a performance of [[Mozart]]'s ''The Magic Flute ''by students of the [[Moscow]] Conservatory, conducted by [[Karl Albrecht]], had taken place at the Bolshoi Theatre.</ref>
	<ref name="note3">[[Dmitry Usatov]] (1847–1913), Russian tenor; he joined the [[Moscow]] Bolshoi Theatre in 1880.</ref>		<ref name="note3">[[Dmitry Usatov]] (1847–1913), Russian tenor; he joined the [[Moscow]] Bolshoi Theatre in 1880.</ref>
	<ref name="note4">The three changes which Tchaikovsky made in ''[[Mazepa]] ''(less than two months after the opera's premiere in [[Moscow]]) are outlined in [[Letter 2458]] to [[Eduard Nápravník]], and the one which the composer (rightly) feared would upset [[Taneyev]] concerned the opera's finale: Tchaikovsky had now decided not to end the opera with Mariya's suicide, but with the lullaby which she sings over Andrey's corpse, and he had extended that lullaby accordingly. See [[Taneyev]]'s letter to Tchaikovsky of 22 June/4 July 1884 in {{bib\|1951/48\|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 107.</ref>		<ref name="note4">The three changes which Tchaikovsky made in [[Mazepa]] (less than two months after the opera's premiere in [[Moscow]]) are outlined in [[Letter 2458]] to [[Eduard Nápravník]], and the one which the composer (rightly) feared would upset [[Taneyev]] concerned the opera's finale: Tchaikovsky had now decided not to end the opera with Mariya's suicide, but with the lullaby which she sings over Andrey's corpse, and he had extended that lullaby accordingly. See [[Taneyev]]'s letter to Tchaikovsky of 22 June/4 July 1884 in {{bib\|1951/48\|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 107.</ref>
	</references>		</references>

Brett at 13:13, 16 September 2023

2023-09-16T13:13:13Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:13, 16 September 2023
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	Before that there was a big musical soirée at ''[[Sergey Tretyakov\|Tretyakov]]'s''. The most remarkable thing at this soirée was the dinner, although the music, too, wasn't bad ([[Ziloti]] and [[Klimentova]]).		Before that there was a big musical soirée at ''[[Sergey Tretyakov\|Tretyakov]]'s''. The most remarkable thing at this soirée was the dinner, although the music, too, wasn't bad ([[Ziloti]] and [[Klimentova]]).

	I have been unwell all this time. For two weeks now I have been suffering unceasingly from ''diarrhoea'', and in general from the foul state of my stomach and bowels. As a result of this and also of my fatigue, I am constantly in very low spirits. Today in fact I am feeling so horrendously ill that I have declined invitations to the banquet which [[Karlusha]] is putting on for [[Nápravník]], and to a soirée at Usatov's <ref name="note3"/>. I am sitting at home and am terribly mad at, and envious of, you. Your letter, in spite of its brevity, positively ''exhales'' the pleasure which you are getting from being in the remote countryside in spring-time... The Russian provinces, the Russian spring — that is the culmination of everything that I love!		I have been unwell all this time. For two weeks now I have been suffering unceasingly from ''diarrhoea'', and in general from the foul state of my stomach and bowels. As a result of this and also of my fatigue, I am constantly in very low spirits. Today in fact I am feeling so horrendously ill that I have declined invitations to the banquet which [[Karlusha]] is putting on for [[Nápravník]], and to a soirée at [[Usatov]]'s <ref name="note3"/>. I am sitting at home and am terribly mad at, and envious of, you. Your letter, in spite of its brevity, positively ''exhales'' the pleasure which you are getting from being in the remote countryside in spring-time... The Russian provinces, the Russian spring — that is the culmination of everything that I love!

	I have made three important changes in ''[[Mazepa]]''. One of them you will be upset about — but I ''had'' to do this to for the sake of the ''staging'' <ref name="note4"/>. Yesterday I dropped in on the Maslovs. I haven't been to see [[Varvara Taneyeva\|Varvara Pavlovna]] yet, but I will definitely do so. I am leaving on Wednesday.		I have made three important changes in ''[[Mazepa]]''. One of them you will be upset about — but I ''had'' to do this to for the sake of the ''staging'' <ref name="note4"/>. Yesterday I dropped in on the Maslovs. I haven't been to see [[Varvara Taneyeva\|Varvara Pavlovna]] yet, but I will definitely do so. I am leaving on Wednesday.
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	<ref name="note1">Towards the end of his brief letter of 28 March/9 April 1884 to Tchaikovsky from Selishche (the estate in Oryol Province belonging to [[Fyodor Maslov]] and his three sisters, where [[Taneyev]] was then staying on his own), [[Taneyev]] had written jestingly: "Everything that I am writing to you is of no interest whatsoever, but I am writing with a selfish purpose: I want to receive a letter from you". [[Taneyev]]'s letter has been published in {{bib\|1951/48\|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 100–101.</ref>		<ref name="note1">Towards the end of his brief letter of 28 March/9 April 1884 to Tchaikovsky from Selishche (the estate in Oryol Province belonging to [[Fyodor Maslov]] and his three sisters, where [[Taneyev]] was then staying on his own), [[Taneyev]] had written jestingly: "Everything that I am writing to you is of no interest whatsoever, but I am writing with a selfish purpose: I want to receive a letter from you". [[Taneyev]]'s letter has been published in {{bib\|1951/48\|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 100–101.</ref>
	<ref name="note2">On 29 March/10 April 1884 a performance of [[Mozart]]'s ''The Magic Flute ''by students of the [[Moscow]] Conservatory, conducted by [[Karl Albrecht]], had taken place at the Bolshoi Theatre.</ref>		<ref name="note2">On 29 March/10 April 1884 a performance of [[Mozart]]'s ''The Magic Flute ''by students of the [[Moscow]] Conservatory, conducted by [[Karl Albrecht]], had taken place at the Bolshoi Theatre.</ref>
	<ref name="note3">Dmitry ~~Andreyevich~~ Usatov (1847–1913), Russian tenor; he joined the [[Moscow]] Bolshoi Theatre in ~~1882~~.</ref>		<ref name="note3">[[Dmitry Usatov]] (1847–1913), Russian tenor; he joined the [[Moscow]] Bolshoi Theatre in 1880.</ref>
	<ref name="note4">The three changes which Tchaikovsky made in ''[[Mazepa]] ''(less than two months after the opera's premiere in [[Moscow]]) are outlined in [[Letter 2458]] to [[Eduard Nápravník]], and the one which the composer (rightly) feared would upset [[Taneyev]] concerned the opera's finale: Tchaikovsky had now decided not to end the opera with Mariya's suicide, but with the lullaby which she sings over Andrey's corpse, and he had extended that lullaby accordingly. See [[Taneyev]]'s letter to Tchaikovsky of 22 June/4 July 1884 in {{bib\|1951/48\|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 107.</ref>		<ref name="note4">The three changes which Tchaikovsky made in ''[[Mazepa]] ''(less than two months after the opera's premiere in [[Moscow]]) are outlined in [[Letter 2458]] to [[Eduard Nápravník]], and the one which the composer (rightly) feared would upset [[Taneyev]] concerned the opera's finale: Tchaikovsky had now decided not to end the opera with Mariya's suicide, but with the lullaby which she sings over Andrey's corpse, and he had extended that lullaby accordingly. See [[Taneyev]]'s letter to Tchaikovsky of 22 June/4 July 1884 in {{bib\|1951/48\|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 107.</ref>
	</references>		</references>

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:43:42Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 14:43, 12 July 2022
(No difference)

Brett at 14:05, 12 March 2020

2020-03-12T14:05:50Z

New page

{{letterhead
|Date=1/13 April 1884
|To=[[Sergey Taneyev]]
|Place=[[Moscow]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Moscow]] (Russia): {{RUS-Mcl}} (ф. 880)
|Publication={{bib|1901/24|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 2}} (1901), p. 632–633 (abridged)<br/>{{bib|1916/16|Письма П. И. Чайковского и С. И. Танеева}} [1916], p. 105–106<br/>{{bib|1951/48|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 101–102<br/>{{bib|1970/86|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XII}} (1970), p. 341 }}

==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist
|Original text={{right|''1 апреля'' 1884 г[ода]}}
{{centre|Милый Сергей Иванович!}}
Корысть Вашу я могу удовлетворить лишь отчасти. Когда живёшь той бессмысленно-суетливой, но вместе с тем и до гадости грязной жизнью, какую я принуждён здесь вести, — то возможно ли написать письмо, способное доставить удовольствие? Ограничусь только указанием на интересующие Вас факты.

«''Волшебная флейта''» прошла очень хорошо. Конечно, можно, подобно тому, как это делают все московские рецензенты, убиваться о том, что ''нет голосов'', — но это ни к чему не ведёт. Те голоса, которые в данном случае имелись, исполнили своё дело отлично. Постановка была роскошная; игра исполнителей поразила всех умелостью и развязностью, ансамбль был безупречный, и я плавал в море наслаждения от музыки Моцарта. Нужно Вам сказать, что «''Волшебн[ую] фл[ейту]''» я знал мало, а поэтому и любил меньше других опер Моц[арта], и я ужасно рад случаю, благодаря коему и она теперь сделалась одной из моих фавориток. После представления был ужин, на коём Антоша провозгласил Ваш тост, восторженно принятый всеми. Направник приезжал слушать «Флейту» и остался очень доволен.

Перед тем был большой музыкальный вечер ''у Третьякова''. Всего замечательнее на этом вечере был ''ужин''; однакож, и музыка была недурна (Зилоти и Климентова).

Я всё время недомогаю; у меня вот уже две недели не прекращается ''понос'' и вообще — скверное состояние желудка и кишек. Вследствие сего, а также утомления, я всё время очень не в духе. Сегодня же чувствую себя столь мерзко, что отказался от торжественного обеда, который Карлуша даёт Направнику, и от вечера у Усатова. Сижу дома и злюсь и завидую Вам страшно. Письмо Ваше, несмотря на всю краткость, ''дышит'' испытываемым Вами наслаждением быть в глуши весной. Русская глушь, русская весна!!!... это верх всего, что я люблю!

Я сделал три капитальных изменения в «''Мазепе''». За одно из них Вы будете сердиться, — но я ''должен'' был это сделать в виду ''сценичности''. Вчера заходил к Масловым. У Варв[ары] Павловны до сих пор не был, но буду непременно. Уеду в среду.

Будьте здоровы, милый человек!
{{right|Ваш П. Чайковский}}
Как жаль, что столь мало удалось видеть Вас!

|Translated text={{right|''1 April'' 1884}}
{{centre|Dear [[Sergey Ivanovich]]!}}
I can satisfy your cupidity only partially <ref name="note1"/>. When one is leading the kind of aimlessly bustling, yet at the same time revoltingly grubby life which I am forced to lead here, can one possibly write a letter capable of giving anyone pleasure? I shall restrict myself to pointing out some facts which are of interest to you.

"''The Magic Flute''" went very well <ref name="note2"/>. Of course, one could, as all the [[Moscow]] critics like to do, agonize oneself over the fact that we have ''no voices'', but this is quite pointless. Those voices which were available on the given occasion did their job splendidly. The staging was lavish; the singers' acting astonished everyone, so skilful and flowing was it; the ensemble was impeccable, and I was floating in a sea of pleasure thanks to [[Mozart]]'s music. I must confess to you that I was not very familiar with "''The Magic Flute''", which is why I liked it less than [[Mozart]]'s other operas, and I am awfully glad about this opportunity as a result of which it, too, has become one of my favourites. After the performance there was a supper, at which [[Anton Arensky|Antosha]] proposed your health, which toast was enthusiastically received by everyone. [[Nápravník]] came over [to [[Moscow]]] to hear "''The Flute''" and was very satisfied.

Before that there was a big musical soirée at ''[[Sergey Tretyakov|Tretyakov]]'s''. The most remarkable thing at this soirée was the dinner, although the music, too, wasn't bad ([[Ziloti]] and [[Klimentova]]).

I have been unwell all this time. For two weeks now I have been suffering unceasingly from ''diarrhoea'', and in general from the foul state of my stomach and bowels. As a result of this and also of my fatigue, I am constantly in very low spirits. Today in fact I am feeling so horrendously ill that I have declined invitations to the banquet which [[Karlusha]] is putting on for [[Nápravník]], and to a soirée at Usatov's <ref name="note3"/>. I am sitting at home and am terribly mad at, and envious of, you. Your letter, in spite of its brevity, positively ''exhales'' the pleasure which you are getting from being in the remote countryside in spring-time... The Russian provinces, the Russian spring — that is the culmination of everything that I love!

I have made three important changes in ''[[Mazepa]]''. One of them you will be upset about — but I ''had'' to do this to for the sake of the ''staging'' <ref name="note4"/>. Yesterday I dropped in on the Maslovs. I haven't been to see [[Varvara Taneyeva|Varvara Pavlovna]] yet, but I will definitely do so. I am leaving on Wednesday.

Keep well, dear fellow!
{{right|Yours, P. Tchaikovsky }}
What a pity that I managed to see so little of you!
}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">Towards the end of his brief letter of 28 March/9 April 1884 to Tchaikovsky from Selishche (the estate in Oryol Province belonging to [[Fyodor Maslov]] and his three sisters, where [[Taneyev]] was then staying on his own), [[Taneyev]] had written jestingly: "Everything that I am writing to you is of no interest whatsoever, but I am writing with a selfish purpose: I want to receive a letter from you". [[Taneyev]]'s letter has been published in {{bib|1951/48|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 100–101.</ref>
<ref name="note2">On 29 March/10 April 1884 a performance of [[Mozart]]'s ''The Magic Flute ''by students of the [[Moscow]] Conservatory, conducted by [[Karl Albrecht]], had taken place at the Bolshoi Theatre.</ref>
<ref name="note3">Dmitry Andreyevich Usatov (1847–1913), Russian tenor; he joined the [[Moscow]] Bolshoi Theatre in 1882.</ref>
<ref name="note4">The three changes which Tchaikovsky made in ''[[Mazepa]] ''(less than two months after the opera's premiere in [[Moscow]]) are outlined in [[Letter 2458]] to [[Eduard Nápravník]], and the one which the composer (rightly) feared would upset [[Taneyev]] concerned the opera's finale: Tchaikovsky had now decided not to end the opera with Mariya's suicide, but with the lullaby which she sings over Andrey's corpse, and he had extended that lullaby accordingly. See [[Taneyev]]'s letter to Tchaikovsky of 22 June/4 July 1884 in {{bib|1951/48|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 107.</ref>
</references>