Letter 2722 - Revision history

Tony at 11:58, 20 January 2025

2025-01-20T11:58:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:58, 20 January 2025
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	I was very gladdened by your letter. I am glad that you are feeling well in yourself and in improving health for the forthcoming directorship. It's to my utmost regret that I'm to be deprived of the opportunity to see you and Bukhvostov as bold cavaliers. An excellent subject for a genre painting!		I was very gladdened by your letter. I am glad that you are feeling well in yourself and in improving health for the forthcoming directorship. It's to my utmost regret that I'm to be deprived of the opportunity to see you and Bukhvostov as bold cavaliers. An excellent subject for a genre painting!

	I have to disappoint you regarding my professorship. ''Aleskeyev'', on learning from brother [[Anatoly]] that I took the ~~conservatory~~ class, let it be known that under the precise meaning of page 49 (2nd note) of the Charter of the Imperial Russian Musical Society, I am not entitled to be a professor at the Conservatory while simultaneously being a director of the Musical Society. Of course I am not taking back my words, and leave it for you to decide which is better and more useful: for me to remain as a director of the Musical Society or for me to leave the Directorate and become a (somewhat fantastical) professor of the free composition class. I'll do whatever you decide. It seems to me that it would be better to remain as a director, but anyway, as you wish. In any case, I shall fulfil either obligation ''in good faith'', but with just one essential condition: so that my freedom will not be constrained, I must be able to leave whenever I please. I consider ''my freedom'' the greatest of all blessings, which I have earned through dogged hard work, and I've been accustomed to it for so long that I'm decidedly in no position to chain myself even to [[Moscow]], to which I'm deeply attached. I haven't the slightest ill-feeling towards the free composition class, and with a student like ''[[Georgy Konyus\|Konyus]]'' I would even find the task a great pleasure.		I have to disappoint you regarding my professorship. ''Aleskeyev'', on learning from brother [[Anatoly]] that I took the Conservatory class, let it be known that under the precise meaning of page 49 (2nd note) of the Charter of the Imperial Russian Musical Society, I am not entitled to be a professor at the Conservatory while simultaneously being a director of the Musical Society. Of course I am not taking back my words, and leave it for you to decide which is better and more useful: for me to remain as a director of the Musical Society or for me to leave the Directorate and become a (somewhat fantastical) professor of the free composition class. I'll do whatever you decide. It seems to me that it would be better to remain as a director, but anyway, as you wish. In any case, I shall fulfil either obligation ''in good faith'', but with just one essential condition: so that my freedom will not be constrained, I must be able to leave whenever I please. I consider ''my freedom'' the greatest of all blessings, which I have earned through dogged hard work, and I've been accustomed to it for so long that I'm decidedly in no position to chain myself even to [[Moscow]], to which I'm deeply attached. I haven't the slightest ill-feeling towards the free composition class, and with a student like ''[[Georgy Konyus\|Konyus]]'' I would even find the task a great pleasure.

	And so, my dear superior, you must decide my fate.		And so, my dear superior, you must decide my fate.

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:47:22Z

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Brett at 13:36, 23 April 2020

2020-04-23T13:36:21Z

New page

{{letterhead
|Date=13/25 June 1885
|To=[[Sergey Taneyev]]
|Place=[[Maydanovo]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Moscow]] (Russia): {{RUS-Mcl}} (ф. 880)
|Publication={{bib|1902/25|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 3}} (1902), p. 49–50 (abridged) {{bib|1916/16|Письма П. И. Чайковского и С. И. Танеева}} [1916], p. 128–129 {{bib|1951/48|П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма}} (1951), p. 124 {{bib|1971/89|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XIII}} (1971), p. 100–101
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|''с[ело] Майданово'' 13 июня 1885 г[ода]}}
{{centre|Милый Сергей Иванович!}}
Очень обрадован был письмом Вашим. Радуюсь, что Вы чувствуете себя хорошо и набираетесь здоровьем для предстоящего директорствования. Непомерно сожалею, что лишён буду возможности видеть Вас и Бухвостова в качестве смелых всадников. Сюжет для жанровой картины превосходный!

Я должен разочаровать Вас насчёт моей профессуры. ''Алексеев'', узнавши от брата Анатолия, что я взял на себя консерваторский класс, прислал мне сказать, что по точному смыслу стр[анице] 49, (примеч[ание] 2-ое) Устава императ[орского] Р[усского] муз[ыкального] общ[ества], я не имею права быть в одно и то же время директором муз[ыкального] общ[ества] и профессором Консерватории. Разумеется, я слова своего назад не беру и предоставляю Вам решить, что лучше и полезнее: чтобы я остался директором Муз[ыкальноrо] общ[ества] или чтобы я из состава Дирекции вышел и сделался профессором (несколько фантастическим) класса свободного сочинения. Как Вы решите, так я и поступлю. Мне кажется, что лучше остаться директором, а впрочем, как хотите. Во всяком случае и ту и другую обязанность буду исполнять ''добросовестно'', но лишь с одним непременным условием; чтобы я не был стеснён в моей свободе и чтобы я мог уезжать когда мне угодно. Я считаю ''свою свободу'' величайшим из всех благ, которых я достиг упорным трудом, и так давно пользуюсь ею, что решительно не в состоянии приковать себя хотя бы даже к Москве, к которой привязан глубоко. К классу свободного сочинения я не имею ни малейшей враждебности и с таким учеником, как ''Конюс'', нахожу даже большое удовольствие заниматься.

Итак, милый мой начальник, решайте мою судьбу.

После некоторого колебания я решился написать «''Манфреда''», ибо чувствую, что пока не исполню обещания неосторожно данного Балакиреву зимой, — не буду покоен. Не знаю, что выйдет, — но покамест я недоволен собой. Нет! в тысячу раз приятнее писать беспрограммно! Сочиняя программную симфонию, у меня такое ощущение, как будто я шарлатаню и надуваю публику; плачу ей не звонкой монетой, а дрянными кредитными бумажонками.

Будьте здоровы, милая жертва моего маккиавелизма. Пишите мне, голубчик!
{{right|Ваш П. Чайковский}}

|Translated text={{right|''[[Maydanovo]] village'' 13 June 1885}}
{{centre|Dear [[Sergey Ivanovich]]!}}
I was very gladdened by your letter. I am glad that you are feeling well in yourself and in improving health for the forthcoming directorship. It's to my utmost regret that I'm to be deprived of the opportunity to see you and Bukhvostov as bold cavaliers. An excellent subject for a genre painting!

I have to disappoint you regarding my professorship. ''Aleskeyev'', on learning from brother [[Anatoly]] that I took the conservatory class, let it be known that under the precise meaning of page 49 (2nd note) of the Charter of the Imperial Russian Musical Society, I am not entitled to be a professor at the Conservatory while simultaneously being a director of the Musical Society. Of course I am not taking back my words, and leave it for you to decide which is better and more useful: for me to remain as a director of the Musical Society or for me to leave the Directorate and become a (somewhat fantastical) professor of the free composition class. I'll do whatever you decide. It seems to me that it would be better to remain as a director, but anyway, as you wish. In any case, I shall fulfil either obligation ''in good faith'', but with just one essential condition: so that my freedom will not be constrained, I must be able to leave whenever I please. I consider ''my freedom'' the greatest of all blessings, which I have earned through dogged hard work, and I've been accustomed to it for so long that I'm decidedly in no position to chain myself even to [[Moscow]], to which I'm deeply attached. I haven't the slightest ill-feeling towards the free composition class, and with a student like ''[[Georgy Konyus|Konyus]]'' I would even find the task a great pleasure.

And so, my dear superior, you must decide my fate.

After some hesitation, I have decided to write "''[[Manfred]]''", for I feel that until I fulfil the promise I unwisely made to [[Balakirev]] in the winter, I shall have no peace. I don't know how it will come out — but at the moment I'm unhappy with myself. No! It's a thousand times more pleasant to write without a programme! In composing a programme symphony I feel like some sort of charlatan, swindling the public; I'm not paying them with ready money, but with worthless credit notes.

Keep well, dear victim of my Machiavellianism. Write to me, golubchik!
{{right|Yours P. Tchaikovsky}}
}}