Mandragora and Letter 3798: Difference between pages

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Tchaikovsky began his opera '''''Mandragora''''' (Мандрагора) ([[TH]] 207 ; [[ČW]] 441) in December 1869. However, only one scene — the ''[[Chorus of Flowers and Insects]]'' — was composed before he abandoned work the following month.
{{letterhead
|Date=16/28 February 1889?
|To=[[František Šubert]]
|Place=[[Berlin]]
|Language=German
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 466)
|Publication={{bib|1976/64|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XV–А}} (1976), p. 53
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=German
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|28 Febr[uar] [18]89}}
{{centre|Hochgeehrter Herr Schubert!}}
Ich empfehle Ihnen eine von unseren besten Sängerinen ''Frau Swiatlowsky-Miller''. Ich wäre sehr glücklich und froh, wenn sie könnte in ''Divadlo'' einige Male singen!


==History==
Ergebenster,
[[Nikolay Kashkin]]'s reminiscences of Tchaikovsky contain a detailed account of the origins and initial stages of work on ''Mandragora'', which he dated imprecisely to the autumn of 1869 or 1870. A more precise date is given in a letter from the composer himself to [[Modest Tchaikovsky]] of 13/25 January 1870. In this letter, he reported: "... I've also written a ''chorus'' of insects for the opera ''Mandragora'', the story of which I think you know; [[Rachinsky]] did it. I'd made up my mind to start working on his libretto, bur my friends dissuaded me, arguing that the opera was unsuited to the stage" <ref name="note1"/>.
{{right|P. Tschaikovsky}}


And so Tchaikovsky did not write the opera. [[Nikolay Kashkin]] blamed himself, since after listening to the ''Chorus of Insects'' for the opera, [[Kashkin]] expressed the view that the subject would be more suited to a ballet, rather than an opera. "A protracted argument ensued", wrote [[Kashkin]], "then suddenly I noticed that Pyotr Ilyich's expression had changed, and almost in tears he told me I had convinced him that he could not possibly write an opera on this subject, but he was so upset by this that in future he would never again tell me about his intentions" <ref name="note2"/>.
|Translated text={{right|28 February 1889}}
 
{{centre|Most respected Herr [[Šubert]]!}}
==Subject==
I recommend to you one of our best singers, ''Frau [[Aleksandra Svyatlovskaya|Svyatovsky-Müller]]''. I should be most happy and grateful if she had occasion to sing at the ''Divadlo''!<ref name="note1"/>
The score of the only scene to be sketched — the 'Chorus of Insects' mentioned above — is dated 27 December 1869 {{OS}}. Tchaikovsky later orchestrated this number as an independent piece, under the title ''[[Chorus of Flowers and Insects]]''.
 
[[Modest Tchaikovsky]]'s archive contains a letter from [[Sergey Rachinsky]] of 6/18 April 1898, in which he explained the subject of ''Mandragora'':
 
{{quote|A knight falls in love with a beautiful lady, who spurns his affections. A feast at the castle. A minstrel sings a ballad about the omnipotent Mandragora <ref name="note3"/>. The knight searches in the secret forest for Mandragora. Night. Incantation. The Mandragora blossoms. The prince pulls it up from its roots—and it turns into a beautiful enchantress who, of course, immediately falls in love with him, and in the form of a page, attaches herself to his foot. However, the magic spell is cast, since in the knight's beloved jealousy is at first awakened, and then love. Finale—as a result of this reversal the unfortunate Mandragora turns back into a flower, and the lovers wed <ref name="note4"/>.}}


Your devoted,
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}
}}
==Notes and References==
==Notes and References==
<references>
<references>
<ref name="note1">[[Letter 178]] to [[Modest Tchaikovsky]], 13/25 January 1870.</ref>
<ref name="note1">On 12/24 February 1889, Tchaikovsky met the singer [[Aleksandra Svyatlovskaya]] in [[Berlin]], a former student at the [[Moscow]] Conservatory. The composer wrote letters of recommendation which the singer apparently did not use (see also [[Letter 3796]] and [[Letter 3797]] of the same date).</ref>
<ref name="note2">[[Nikolay Kashkin]], {{bib|1896/17|Воспоминания о П. И. Чайковском}} (1896), p. 79.</ref>
<ref name="note3">The mandragora plant was traditionally reputed to have magical properties.</ref>
<ref name="note4">Letter from [[Sergey Rachinsky]] to [[Modest Tchaikovsky]], 6/18 April 1898 — [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive.</ref>  
</references>
</references>
[[Category:Projected Works]]
[[Category:Operas]]

Latest revision as of 19:59, 30 December 2023

Date 16/28 February 1889?
Addressed to František Šubert
Where written Berlin
Language German
Autograph Location Klin (Russia): Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve (a3, No. 466)
Publication П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XV-А (1976), p. 53

Text and Translation

German text
(original) 		English translation
By Brett Langston
28 Febr[uar] [18]89

Hochgeehrter Herr Schubert!

Ich empfehle Ihnen eine von unseren besten Sängerinen Frau Swiatlowsky-Miller. Ich wäre sehr glücklich und froh, wenn sie könnte in Divadlo einige Male singen!

Ergebenster,

P. Tschaikovsky
28 February 1889

Most respected Herr Šubert!

I recommend to you one of our best singers, Frau Svyatovsky-Müller. I should be most happy and grateful if she had occasion to sing at the Divadlo![1]

Your devoted,

P. Tchaikovsky

Notes and References

  1. ↑ On 12/24 February 1889, Tchaikovsky met the singer Aleksandra Svyatlovskaya in Berlin, a former student at the Moscow Conservatory. The composer wrote letters of recommendation which the singer apparently did not use (see also Letter 3796 and Letter 3797 of the same date).
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