Tony: /* Text and Translation */

2023-04-15T10:42:09Z

Text and Translation

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	Your letter and the manuscript of ''[[La Courtisane]]'' arrived here when I was away. Upon my return to [[Moscow]] after a brief trip to the provinces I received your letter there; as for the manuscript, it is only today that I have been able to familiarize myself with it, and I hasten to convey to you my most fervent gratitude to start with, and then to tell you what I felt while reading your scenario. I consider it to be perfect, and it is with the very greatest pleasure that I shall set it to music once you have versified the contents of this delightful skeleton of an opera.		Your letter and the manuscript of ''[[La Courtisane]]'' arrived here when I was away. Upon my return to [[Moscow]] after a brief trip to the provinces I received your letter there; as for the manuscript, it is only today that I have been able to familiarize myself with it, and I hasten to convey to you my most fervent gratitude to start with, and then to tell you what I felt while reading your scenario. I consider it to be perfect, and it is with the very greatest pleasure that I shall set it to music once you have versified the contents of this delightful skeleton of an opera.

	I have no instructions or observations to make to you. In my view the scenario has been put together perfectly well; it is exceedingly stage-worthy, poetic, and touching. I shall only take the liberty of telling you that your idea of including a feast of ''Russian gypsies'' in the second act is not at all to my liking. I must tell you, Monsieur, that ''Russian gypsies'' sing nothing but ''Russian'' ~~folk-songs~~, ''in their own way''. It is only their manner of singing which really is original, and I do not think that your proposed ''gypsy feast'', such as you have envisaged it (that is, musically illustrated by the singing of ''Russian gypsies''), could add anything to the charm of our future opera. It would be a dissonance, something that would ''jar'' with the rest. Pagodas, Buddhist beggar-monks, snake-charmers, bayaderes – and to have alongside all that Russian gypsies singing banal tunes, even if they are rendered not without a certain ''savage'' charm… No, there is no way these can go together!!!		I have no instructions or observations to make to you. In my view the scenario has been put together perfectly well; it is exceedingly stage-worthy, poetic, and touching. I shall only take the liberty of telling you that your idea of including a feast of ''Russian gypsies'' in the second act is not at all to my liking. I must tell you, Monsieur, that ''Russian gypsies'' sing nothing but ''Russian'' folksongs, ''in their own way''. It is only their manner of singing which really is original, and I do not think that your proposed ''gypsy feast'', such as you have envisaged it (that is, musically illustrated by the singing of ''Russian gypsies''), could add anything to the charm of our future opera. It would be a dissonance, something that would ''jar'' with the rest. Pagodas, Buddhist beggar-monks, snake-charmers, bayaderes – and to have alongside all that Russian gypsies singing banal tunes, even if they are rendered not without a certain ''savage'' charm… No, there is no way these can go together!!!

	It is completely impossible for our opera to be ready for the Exposition. The day after tomorrow I am leaving on a long journey! I have two concerts to conduct in [[Petersburg]]; immediately after that I have an opera to stage in [[Prague]], and then there is an endless succession of concerts I have to conduct in Germany, Sweden, and England! I will not be able to set to work in earnest until after half a year's time, and, moreover, I have several tasks to fulfil before devoting all my time to our opera. ''I hope to be able to deliver the score in time for the start of the 1890–1891 season''.		It is completely impossible for our opera to be ready for the Exposition. The day after tomorrow I am leaving on a long journey! I have two concerts to conduct in [[Petersburg]]; immediately after that I have an opera to stage in [[Prague]], and then there is an endless succession of concerts I have to conduct in Germany, Sweden, and England! I will not be able to set to work in earnest until after half a year's time, and, moreover, I have several tasks to fulfil before devoting all my time to our opera. ''I hope to be able to deliver the score in time for the start of the 1890–1891 season''.

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:43:55Z

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Brett at 22:12, 2 December 2019

2019-12-02T22:12:25Z

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{{letterhead
|Date=28 October/9 November 1888
|To=[[Léonce Détroyat]]
|Place=[[Frolovskoye]]
|Language=French
|Autograph={{locunknown}} <ref name="note1"/>
|Publication={{bib|2011/14|Tchaikovsky Research Bulletin No. 2}} (April 2011), p. 34-35 (with English translation, p. 35-36)<br/>{{bibx|2013/36|Чайковский. Новые материалы к творческой биографии}} (2013), p. 370-372 (with Russian translation, p. 372-374)
|Notes=
}}

==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=French
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist
|Original text={{right|''Kline près Moscou''<br/>Le 28 Octobre/{{sic|10|9}} Novembre 1888}}
{{centre|Cher et très respecté Monsieur!}}
Votre lettre et le {{sic|manuscript|manuscrit}} de ''„La Courtisane“'' sont {{sic|arrivé|arrivés}} ici quand je n'y {{sic|etais|étais}} pas. Rentré à Moscou après une petite excursion en province, j'y ai reçu Votre lettre et quant au {{sic|manuscript|manuscrit}}, c'est aujourd'hui seulement que j'en ai fait connaissance et je m'empresse de Vous adresser mes {{sic|remerciments|remerciements}} les plus chaleureux d'abord et ensuite de Vous dire ce que j'ai ressenti en lisant Votre scénario. Je le trouve parfait et c'est avec le plus grand plaisir que j'en ferai la musique, dès que Vous aurez mis en vers le contenu de cette délicieuse carcasse d'{{sic|opera|opéra}}.

Je n'ai aucunes indications, {{sic|aucune|aucunes}} observations à Vous faire. Je trouve le {{sic|scenario|scénario}} parfaitement bien combiné, excessivement {{sic|scènique|scénique}}, poétique et touchant. Seulement je me permettrai de Vous dire que l'idée que Vous avez d'introduire une {{sic|fète|fête}} de ''{{sic|Bohèmiens|Bohémiens}} russes'' au deuxième acte n'est pas tout à fait de mon goût. Il faut Vous dire, Monsieur, que les '' {{sic|Bohèmiens|Bohémiens}} russes'' ne chantent que des chansons nationales '' russes à leur façon''. Il n'y a que leur manière de chanter qui est vraiment originale et je ne crois pas que la ''{{sic|fète bohèmienne|fête bohémienne}}'' que Vous projetez, telle que Vous Vous l'{{sic|immaginez|imaginez}} (c'est à dire musicalement illustrée par des chants ''{{sic|bohèmiens|bohémiens}} russes'') ajoute quelquechose au charme de notre futur {{sic|opera|opéra}}. Ce serait une dissonance, quelque chose qui '' clocherait'' avec tout le reste. Des pagodes, des mendiants-bouddhistes, des charmeurs de serpents, des bayadères – et avec tout cela des {{sic|bohèmiens|bohémiens}} russes, chantant des {{sic|mélodes|mélodies}} banales, quoique rendues ave non sans un certain charme ''sauvage'', – non, cela ne va pas ensemble!!!

Il est tout à fait impossible que notre {{sic|opera|opéra}} soit {{sic|prét|prêt}} pour l'Exposition. {{sic|Après demain|Après-demain}} je pars pour un grand voyage! J'ai deux concerts à {{sic|Petersbourg|Pétersbourg}} à conduire; ensuite un {{sic|opera|opéra}} à Prague à mettre en scène et puis une suite interminable de concerts à conduire en Allemagne, en Suède, en Angleterre! Je ne pourrai me mettre sérieusement au travail que dans une demi-année et encore, ai-je {{sic|plusieurs|plusieures}} tâches à remplir avant de consacrer tout mon temps à notre {{sic|opera|opéra}}. '' J'espère pouvoir livrer la partition pour le commencement de la saison 1890–1891''.

Ne croyez Vous pas, cher et bon M[onsieu]r Detroyat, que le titre de ''„La Courtisane“'' soit capable de nous attirer {{sic|les|le}} reproche de n'avoir pas assez ménagé la décence? Du moins en russe ce titre-là est tout à fait impossible. On pourrait inventer un autre titre, n'est-ce pas?

''Sadia'', ''Mahra'', ''Jourya'', ''Joury'': tous ces {{sic|noms-la|noms-là}}, sont ils vraiment des noms Hindous? '' Joury'' est un nom masculin '' russe'' et chez nous on ne le prendrait jamais pour un nom ''hindou''. Je Vous adresse cette question en titre de renseignement, non pas comme reproche ou critique.

{{sic|Voila|Voilà}} cher Monsieur tout ce que je puis Vous dire maintenant. Résumons. Avant tout, laissez <moi> Vous remercier encore et encore et Vous dire que je suis on ne peut plus touché de Votre bonté pour moi et de l'honneur que Vous me faites de vouloir bien collaborer avec Votre '' humble serviteur''. Veuillez bien transmettre à M[onsieu]r Gallet l'expression de ma grande reconnaissance. Ensuite je dis encore que je ne demande pas mieux que de faire un {{sic|opera|opéra}} sur votre {{sic|scenario|scénario}}, mais je il ne {{sic|peut étre|peut-être}} {{sic|prèt|prêt}} avant la saison 1890–1891.

Pour les détails, la {{sic|versifications|versification}}, la forme – je Vous donne carte blanche. Tout {{sic|ceque|ce que}} Vous ferez sera mis par moi en musique, j'ai pleine confiance en Votre {{sic|éxperience|expérience}} et Votre savoir-faire. Le difficile {{sic|etait|était}} de se trouver d'accord sur le choix de sujet. Maintenant que le choix est fait il s'agit seulement d'attendre que les vers soient faits et puis de se mettre à l'œuvre dès que cela sera possible.

Attendu que je vais maintenant constamment changer de place, veuillez, cher et bon Monsieur m'adresser Vos lettres à ''Moscou 10, Neglinnaïa P. Jurgenson''. Ce dernier est mon éditeur et mon chargé d'affaires; il est toujours au courant de mes pérégrinations et m'enverra toute ma {{sic|correspondence|correspondance}}. Il est tout probable que je serai '' à Paris'' pendant l'hiver. Comme ce serait bien de Vous voir, de Vous dire de vive voix combien je Vous suis reconnaissant et combien j'ai de {{sic|simpathie|sympathie}} et de vive affection pour Vous!

Au revoir, cher Monsieur Détroyat! Merci, merci encore!

Votre bien dévoué,
{{right|P. Tchaïkovsky}}

|Translated text={{right|''[[Klin]], near [[Moscow]]''<br/>28 October/9 November 1888}}
{{centre|Dear and most respected Sir!}}
Your letter and the manuscript of ''[[La Courtisane]]'' arrived here when I was away. Upon my return to [[Moscow]] after a brief trip to the provinces I received your letter there; as for the manuscript, it is only today that I have been able to familiarize myself with it, and I hasten to convey to you my most fervent gratitude to start with, and then to tell you what I felt while reading your scenario. I consider it to be perfect, and it is with the very greatest pleasure that I shall set it to music once you have versified the contents of this delightful skeleton of an opera.

I have no instructions or observations to make to you. In my view the scenario has been put together perfectly well; it is exceedingly stage-worthy, poetic, and touching. I shall only take the liberty of telling you that your idea of including a feast of ''Russian gypsies'' in the second act is not at all to my liking. I must tell you, Monsieur, that ''Russian gypsies'' sing nothing but ''Russian'' folk-songs, ''in their own way''. It is only their manner of singing which really is original, and I do not think that your proposed ''gypsy feast'', such as you have envisaged it (that is, musically illustrated by the singing of ''Russian gypsies''), could add anything to the charm of our future opera. It would be a dissonance, something that would ''jar'' with the rest. Pagodas, Buddhist beggar-monks, snake-charmers, bayaderes – and to have alongside all that Russian gypsies singing banal tunes, even if they are rendered not without a certain ''savage'' charm… No, there is no way these can go together!!!

It is completely impossible for our opera to be ready for the Exposition. The day after tomorrow I am leaving on a long journey! I have two concerts to conduct in [[Petersburg]]; immediately after that I have an opera to stage in [[Prague]], and then there is an endless succession of concerts I have to conduct in Germany, Sweden, and England! I will not be able to set to work in earnest until after half a year's time, and, moreover, I have several tasks to fulfil before devoting all my time to our opera. ''I hope to be able to deliver the score in time for the start of the 1890–1891 season''.

Do you not think, dear and kind Monsieur [[Détroyat]], that the title of ''[[La Courtisane]]'' is liable to expose us to the reproach that we have not given sufficient heed to propriety? In Russian at least this title is utterly out of the question. We could come up with another title, don't you think so?

''Sadia'', ''Mahra'', ''Jurya'', ''Jury'': are all these names really Hindu names? ''Jury'' in ''Russian'' is a man's name, and in our country it could never be taken to be a ''Hindu'' one. I put this question to you merely by way of enquiry, not as a reproach or a criticism.

There, Monsieur, you have everything that I can say to you for now. Let us sum up. Before anything else, allow me to thank you yet again and to tell you that I am tremendously touched by your kindness towards me and by the honour which you do me in wishing to collaborate with your ''humble servant''. Could you please convey to Monsieur [[Gallet]] the assurance of my vast gratitude. Then I should like to say again that I could not ask for anything better than to create an opera based on your scenario, but that it cannot be ready before the 1890–1891 season.

With regard to the details, the versification and form, I give you carte blanche. Everything that you write shall be set to music by me, for I have complete confidence in your experience and know-how. The difficult step was to come to an agreement regarding the choice of subject. Now that this choice has been made, it is a question merely of waiting for the verses to be written, and after that to set to work as soon as that is possible.

Given that I am now going to be on the move constantly, could you please, dear and kind Monsieur, address your letters to: ''[[Moscow]]'', ''10 Neglinnaya Street, [[P. Jurgenson]]''. The latter is my publisher and my authorized agent; he is always informed about my wanderings and will forward all my correspondence to me. It is very likely that I shall come to ''[[Paris]]'' during the winter. How nice it would be to see you, to tell you in person how grateful I am to you and how much sympathy and keen affection I feel towards you!

Until we meet, dear Monsieur [[Détroyat]]! Thank you again and again!

Your most devoted,
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}
}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">The autograph was auctioned in 1992 in [[Paris]] in 1992 — see ''Vente à Paris – Drouot-Richelieu. Mercredi 8 avril 1992, salle no. 7'' (Paris, 1992), lot no. 131. A photocopy of the original letter was kindly provided to us by Thierry Bodin, the manuscript expert consulted when the letter was auctioned.</ref>
</references>

Letter 3712a - Revision history

Tony: /* Text and Translation */

Brett: 1 revision imported

Brett at 22:12, 2 December 2019