Diaries (February 1890): Difference between revisions

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(Created page with "{{Diarybox}} Tchaikovsky's '''Diary No. 10''' covers the period from 1/13 January to 15/27 March 1890, and includes his trip to Florence, where he worked on his opera ''The Queen of Spades'', written to a libretto supplied by his brother Modest. Tchaikovsky remained in Florence throughout February 1890, where he was working on ''The Queen of Spades'', accompanied only by his brother's valet, Nazar Litrov. Their stay at the ''Hôtel Wa...")
 
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{{Diarytext
{{Diarytext
|Original text=''Мясопуст''. Что ни на есть разгар масляницы. Я кончил 2[-ю] картину. Не особенно доволен. После завтрака прогулка на Viale dei Colli. Один чай пил. Проиграл 2-ю картину. Карнавал. Маски. В 5½ вышел. На Tornabuoni толпа. Обед у Capitani. Плохо, но с претензией. Pagliano. Почти до конца оставался. Зингер и Аида (Boronat) стервы. Упадок пения. Плохой ''maestro''. Кстати: получил письмо милейшего Дриго.
|Original text=''Мясопуст''. Что ни на есть разгар масляницы. Я кончил 2[-ю] картину. Не особенно доволен. После завтрака прогулка на Viale dei Colli. Один чай пил. Проиграл 2-ю картину. Карнавал. Маски. В 5½ вышел. На Tornabuoni толпа. Обед у Capitani. Плохо, но с претензией. Pagliano. Почти до конца оставался. Зингер и Аида (Boronat) стервы. Упадок пения. Плохой ''maestro''. Кстати: получил письмо милейшего Дриго.
|Translated text=''Meat fast''. Whatever that is, it's the culmination of the carnival. I finished the 2nd scene. Not particularly satisfied. After lunch, a walk along the Viale di Colli. Drank tea alone. Played through the 2nd scene. Carnival. Masks. I left at 5.30. A crowd on the Tornabuoni <ref name="note7"/>. Dinner at the Capitani. Poor, but with pretensions. Pagliano. Stayed almost until the end. Singer and Aida (Boronat) are witches <ref name="note8"/>. Singing worse. Poor ''maestro''. Note: I received a most kind letter from [[Drigo]] <ref name="note9"/>.
|Translated text=''Meat fast''. Whatever that is, it's the culmination of the carnival. I finished the 2nd scene. Not particularly satisfied. After lunch, a walk along the Viale di Colli. Drank tea alone. Played through the 2nd scene. Carnival. Masks. I left at 5.30. A crowd on the Tornabuoni <ref name="note7"/>. Dinner at the Capitani. Poor, but with pretensions. Pagliano. Stayed almost until the end. Singer and Aida (Boronat) are witches <ref name="note8"/>. Singing worse. Poor ''maestro''. Note: I received a most kind letter from Drigo <ref name="note9"/>.
}}
}}



Revision as of 20:08, 1 January 2024

Tchaikovsky's Diaries
1873 June · July
1881 January · February · March · April · May · June
1884 April · May · June
1886 February · March · April · May · June· July · August · September · October · November · December
1887 January · February · March · April · May · June· July · August · September · October · November · December
1888 January · February · March
1889 January · February · March · April · May · June
1890 January · February · March
1891 April · May

Tchaikovsky's Diary No. 10 covers the period from 1/13 January to 15/27 March 1890, and includes his trip to Florence, where he worked on his opera The Queen of Spades, written to a libretto supplied by his brother Modest.

Tchaikovsky remained in Florence throughout February 1890, where he was working on The Queen of Spades, accompanied only by his brother's valet, Nazar Litrov. Their stay at the Hôtel Washington, was occasionally disturbed by unwelcome Russian acquaintances, a carnival. and American guests from the Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, including its founder, William F. Cody.

Text and Translation

The following diary entries were first published in Дневники П. И. Чайковского (1873-1891) (1923), p. 253-257, edited and with notes by the composer's brother Ippolit. They were also translated into English by Wladimir Lakond in The Diaries of Tchaikovsky (1945), p. 290-295, and into German by Ernst Kuhn and Hans-Joachim Grimm in P. I. Tschaikowsky. Die Tagebücher (1992), p. 321-326.

The new English translation and detailed commentary published here for the first time was prepared by Brett Langston.


Thursday 1/13 February 1890
Занимался хорошо. После завтрака (се¬годня теплее) ходил на Viale dei Colli. Чай. Карнавал. Толпа, маски, движение. Занимался неудачно. За обедом волновался, ибо ожидалась г-жа Оржевская с гостями. Шлялся. Назар кутил сегодня. Читал сати¬ры Ювенала. Какой ужасный перевод Фета. Worked well. After lunch (today is warmer) I walked along the Viale dei Colli [1]. Tea. Carnival. Crowd, masks, movement. Worked unsuccessfully. Was worried at dinner, because Mrs Orzhevskaya [2] was expected with guests. Roamed around. Nazar was drunk today. Read Juvenal's satires. What an awful translation by Fet [3].
Friday 2/14 February 1890
Хорошо сегодня работал, хотя и с напряжением. Появилось много народу в столовой. Палены обедают теперь отдельно близ меня. Гулять сегодня ходил в Cascino. После обеда кафе, ещё кафе и Fiera. Везло, выиграл сразу хорошую вещь. Назар целый день с новым знакомым кутит сегодня. Worked well today, although with effort. Many people appeared in the dining room. The Pahlens [4] now dine separately near me. Walked to the Cascino [5] today. After dinner at a café, another cafe and the Fiera. Was lucky enough to win something good straight away. Nazar spent the whole of today boozing with a new acquaintance.
Saturday 3/15 February 1890
Je crois que Nasar qui est un excellent garçon — est très curieux et qu'il s'amuse а déchiffrer ce que son maitre provisoir écrit sur ces feuilles. Dorénavant j'écrirai en français. Çа n'a pas très bien marché (le travail). Mais il est vrai que c'est difficile (fin de la scène dernière du 2 tableau). Après déjeuner grande promenade vers les montagnes. А 5 heures je voulais aller au bain; c'était fermé. Après diner café (pince-nez). Vêpres à la chapelle russe. Différents cafés et assommoir. La Fiera. Mandoline et charmant accompagnement. Lecture à la maison des partitions de Salieri et Gretry. I think that Nazar, who is an excellent young man, is very curious and enjoys deciphering what his temporary master writes on these pages. Henceforth I shall write in French. It (work) did not go well. But it is truly difficult (end of the finale of the 2nd scene) A 5 o'clock I wanted to go bathing; it was closed. After dinner, a café (pince-nez). Vespers in the Russian chapel. Various cafés and taverns. The Fiera. Mandolin and charming accompaniment. At home I went through scores by Salieri and Grétry [6].
Sunday 4/16 February 1890
Мясопуст. Что ни на есть разгар масляницы. Я кончил 2[-ю] картину. Не особенно доволен. После завтрака прогулка на Viale dei Colli. Один чай пил. Проиграл 2-ю картину. Карнавал. Маски. В 5½ вышел. На Tornabuoni толпа. Обед у Capitani. Плохо, но с претензией. Pagliano. Почти до конца оставался. Зингер и Аида (Boronat) стервы. Упадок пения. Плохой maestro. Кстати: получил письмо милейшего Дриго. Meat fast. Whatever that is, it's the culmination of the carnival. I finished the 2nd scene. Not particularly satisfied. After lunch, a walk along the Viale di Colli. Drank tea alone. Played through the 2nd scene. Carnival. Masks. I left at 5.30. A crowd on the Tornabuoni [7]. Dinner at the Capitani. Poor, but with pretensions. Pagliano. Stayed almost until the end. Singer and Aida (Boronat) are witches [8]. Singing worse. Poor maestro. Note: I received a most kind letter from Drigo [9].
Monday 5/17 February 1890
Назар вошёл ко мне хромая. Оказалось — серьёзный ушиб ноги. Беспокойство. Не работал или почти. Ожидание доктора. Доктор. Славу Богу — перелома нет. После завтрака гулял. Сегодня погода особенно чудная, — нельзя было не восхищаться. Cascino, но в тени, где мало народу. Сцепившиеся две собачки. Посещал Назара. Работал. Трудно даётся (сцена смерти старухи). После обеда исполнилось то, чего я боялся: подошёл Пален и беседовал. Гулял без пьянства. Дома. Читал Мазепу Костомарова. Nazar came in limping. It turned out to be a serious leg injury. Worry. Next to no work. Awaiting a doctor. The doctor. Thank God, it's not broken. Walked after lunch. Weather today especially wonderful — one could not help but be enraptured. The Cascino, but in the shade, where there are fewer people. Two dogs mating. Visited Nazar. Worked. It came with difficulty (scene of the old woman's death). After dinner my fears were realised: Pahlen came over to talk. Walked without drinking. Home. Read Mazepa by Kostomarov [10].
Tuesday 6/18 February 1890
Mardi gras. Погода самая превосходная, совсем летняя. Назар все то же, — ходить не может. Занимался с большим усилием и напряжением. После завтрака испытал большое удовольствие в Cascino. Нашёл фиалку. Процессия масок, char'ов с кидателями муки и т. д. Я работал по-всегдашнему. Пришлось, идучи обедать, подойти к Паленым и беседовать. После обеда гулял по обыкновению. Писал письма и был у Назара. Теперь (без ½ полночь) неистово звонят вот уже полчаса. Что это значит??? Mardi gras. Most excellent weather, absolutely summerlike. Nazar is still the same — he can't walk. Worked with great effort and exertion. After lunch had great enjoyment at the Cascino. Found a violet. Procession of masks, chars, with flour throwers, etc. I worked as always. While on my way to dinner, was obliged to go over and talk to the Pahlens. After dinner worked as usual. Wrote letters and visited Nazar. Now (at 11.30) there's been frantic shouting for half an hour. What does it mean???
Wednesday 7/19 February 1890
Погода божественная. Назару мало лучше. Доктор. За обеими едами разговоры с Паленами. Был очень нервен от работы и за завтраком рассердился на то, что долго не давали. Вероятно, от этого на прогулке сильная боль около сердца, уже накануне в слабой степени чувствованная. Курьёзно я и вдохновение испытываю до безумия, и трудности. Письмо от Алёши о найме Фроловского и краже. Divine weather. Nazar a little better. Doctor. Conversations with the Pahlens during both meals. My nerves were very bad from work and I became angry at lunch when the food didn't come for ages. Probably, this was the reason for the severe pain I felt around my heart when walking, which had already happened to a lesser extent the week before. Strangely I experienced inspiration to the point of madness, as well as difficulties. Letter from Alyosha about leasing Frolovskoye [11] and a theft.
Thursday 8/20 February 1890
Погода хуже. Назару лучше. Палены. После завтрака накупил книг. Хорошо работал. После обеда немного пьянствовал. Читал долго Le Termite, пасквиль на натуралистов. Weather worse. Nazar better. Pahlens. Purchased books after lunch. Work went well. Slightly drunk after dinner. Spent ages reading Le Termite [12], a libel against naturalists.
Friday 9/21 February 1890
Масляница. Пишу через неделю, плохо помню. После обеда был у Паленов и просидел у них час. Милые, любезные люди, но я все-таки рад, что они уезжают. Carnival. Writing a week later, my memory is poor. After lunch went to the Pahlens and sat with them for an hour. Nice, kind people, but all the same I'm glad they're leaving.
Saturday 10/22 February 1890
Масляница. Палены уехали. Назар все так же. Не помню, в этот ли день или накануне я был особенно нервен. Carnival. The Pahlens left. Nazar was still the same. I don't recall whether my nerves were particularly bad that day or the day before.
Sunday 11/23 February 1890
Масляница. Кончил 4[-ю] картину и начал интермедию. Сначала трудно давалось; потом пошло хорошо. Вечером страшно пьянствовал. Попал опять в постылую Аиду, и где только я не шлялся. Carnival. Finished the 4th scene and started the interlude. Difficult to start with, then it went well. Awfully drunk in the evening. Found myself at the loathsome Aida again, and roamed about everywhere.
Monday 12/24 February 1890
Начало Великою поста. Продолжал интермедию. По временам мне казалось, что я живу в 18 веке и что дальше Моцарта ничего не было. Назару хуже. Начались втирания и массаж. Start of Lent. Continued with the interlude. At times it seemed to me that I was living in the 18th century and that there was nothing beyond Mozart. Nazar was worse. Starting rubbing and massage.
Tuesday 13/25 February 1890
Погода стала хуже; дождь. Получил журналы и начал понемногу читать по вечерам. Дождь не помешал мне пройтись по Viale dei Colli. Цветы. Weather took a turn for the worse; rain. Received journals and started reading a little in the evenings. The rain didn't prevent me from strolling along the Viale dei Colli. The flowers.
Wednesday 14/26 February 1890
Дождя не было, но погода все-таки скверная. Cascino. До конца. Боль в боку, которой я страдал, на прошлой неделе прошла почти совсем. It wasn't raining, but the weather was still horrible. The Cascino. Up to the end. The pain I had in my side last week has almost completely gone.
Thursday 15/27 February 1890
Писал хорошо. Ария князя. Гулял по Viale. После обеда был в церкви. Ефимоны. Дома слушал с Назаром певца-мальчика. Ждут у нас Американцев. Доктор каждый день. Назару все ещё нельзя ходить. Wrote well. Prince's aria. Strolled along the Viale. Went to church after dinner. Ephimon [13]. Listened to the boy singer with Nazar at home. Americans expected here. The doctor every day. Nazar still cannot walk.
Friday 16/28 February 1890
Холод сегодня ужасный. Даже снег пытался идти. Получил массу писем, и все понемножку. Это раздражало меня. От этого хуже работалось. Некоторые ответы написал. Пред обедом работа очень не клеилась. Обедал с отвращением. После обеда пошёл, несмотря на адский холод, гулять; пил, как всегда, кофе в своём ближайшем кафе. Потом в Алгамбре. Шансонетные певицы. Скука. Назар у Ольги. Horribly cold today. It even tried to snow a little. I received a pile of letters, all of them unimportant. This annoyed me. Worked poorly after this. Wrote a few replies. Work before dinner didn't go well. Dinner was disgusting. After dinner, despite the hellish cold, I went for a walk; drank coffee, as usual, in the nearest café. Then to the Alhambra [14]. Chansonette singers. Fed up. Nazar with Olga [15].
Saturday 17 February/1 March 1890
Холод был поразительный и несносный, особенно ввиду близости весны. Писал с большим усилием. Вечером был в театре Николини. Пуритане; пение ничего, но оркестр, обстановка ужасны. Вернулся в 12 часов. Утром писал большое письмо в Москву об оставлении директорства. The cold was incredible and unbearable, particularly when spring is so close. Wrote with great effort. Evening at the Nicolini Theatre [16]. Puritane [17]; the singing wasn't bad, but the orchestra and staging were terrible. Returned at 12 o'clock. In the morning I wrote a long letter to Moscow about resigning my directorship [18].
Sunday 18 February/2 March 1890
Продолжение подлого холода. Занимался с усилием. Гулял по Viale, но в обратную сторону. Пробные праздничные поезди Tramway. Занятие. После обеда все та же скучная канитель. Никогда ещё Флоренция за это пре6ывание не была мне так погана, как сегодня. Утром дерзкое (по-моему) письмо Сафонова. The vile cold continues. Worked with effort. Walked along the Viale, but in the opposite direction. Tried out the festival Tramway. Business. After lunch the same tedious affairs. Florence has never been so repellent to me for this interruption as it is today. In the morning an impudent (in my opinion) letter from Safonov.
Monday 19 February/3 March 1890
Кончил 4[-ю] картину и проигрывал её. Вечером читал. Рано лёг. Беспокоился, что нет известий от Сапельникова. Finished the 4th scene and played it through. Read in the evening. Went to bed early. Worried that there was no news from Sapelnikov [19]
Tuesday 20 February/4 March 1890
Получил 5[-ю] картину и немедленно начал работать. Необыкновенно туго шло. Впрочем, трудно. После завтрака ходил по направлению Tramway — Chianti. Ужасный холод и ветер. Вечером около Hot[el] New York слушал певца-мальчика. Он уехал на извощичьих кулях. Бедный, как ему холодно! Писал Моде о моих переменах. Received the 5th scene and immediately stated work. Exceptionally slow going. However, it's difficult. After lunch I walked over to the Tramway — Chianti [20]. Awfully cold and windy. Heard a boy singer in the evening near the Hotel New York. He left by cart on a sack. Poor thing, he was so cold! Wrote to Modest about my changes [21].
Wednesday 21 February/5 March 1890
Среда. Утром письма от Алёши и Боба. Алёша пишет, что Феклуша таперь уже просит Бога, чтобы поскорей прибрал её». Бедная, бедная страдалица!!! Начал писать начало 5-ой картины, а конец сделал мысленно вчера, а в действительности сегодня утром. После завтрака опять попал на дорогу в Certosa, но сегодня было теплее. Перед обедом хорошо работал. В конце обеда хозяин рассказывал про молодого человека, который вчера обобрал его. (Я так и думал, что это шарлатан.) Гулял. Маленького певца не было. Гостинца, и мы их с Назаром ели. Letters from Alyosha and Bob in the morning. Alyosha writes that Feklusha is now asking God to take her quickly. The poor, poor thing!!! Started to write the start of the 5th scene, having finished the ending in my mind yesterday, and this morning in reality. After lunch made my way back to the Certosa [22], but it was warmer today. Worked well before dinner. At the end of dinner, the manager talked about the young man who had robbed him yesterday. (I'd thought he was a charlatan). Walked. The little singer wasn't there. Nazar and I ate at a hotel.
Thursday 22 February/6 March 1890
Раздача денег по обычаю. Кончил 5[-ю] картину. Как-то не совсем доволен ею, — с иными местами не могу примириться, а изменить тоже не умею. Гулял по Viale. Погода сегодня прекрасная. Менял деньги. Чай. Работал. (Мне что-то и вовремя прогулки, и потом нехорошо чувствовалось.) Обед без аппетита. Оржевская злила. Прогулка. Певец-мальчик. Я застал его поющим под моим окном. Беседа. Чтение писем Гоголя к Данилевскому. Как наши великие люди, кроме Пушкина, малосимпатичны. The customary doling out of money. Finished the 5th scene. Somehow I'm not entirely satisfied with it — There are some places I can't reconcile myself to, while not knowing how to change them. Walked along the Viale. Beautiful weather today. Changed money. tea. Worked. (Felt unwell both during the walk and afterwards.) No appetite at dinner. Orzhevskaya was angry. Stroll. The boy-singer. I caught him singing under my window. Conversation. Reading Gogol's letters to Danilevsky [23]. How lacking in sympathy our great figures are, except for Pushkin.
Friday 23 February/7 March 1890
Великолепная погода. Мучился все утро до завтрака, сочиняя стихи для ариозо Лизы. Решительно я не поэт. Гулял по Кашино; сегодня очень наслаждался прогулкой. Написал ариозо. Письма от Зилоти и Клименко. После обеда (как мне надоела здешняя кухня) обычная прогулка. Певцы, но наш с Назаром любимец не приходил. Читал Ренана. Magnificent weather. Tormented myself all morning before lunch writing verses for Liza's arioso. I'm decidedly no poet. Walked around the Cascino; very enjoyable stroll today. Wrote the arioso. Letters from Ziloti and Klimenko. After dinner (I'm so bored with the local cuisine) the customary stroll. Singers, but Nazar's and my own favourite didn't come. Read Renan [24].
Saturday 24 February/8 March 1890
Получил от Алёши известие о смерти Феклуши. Плакал. Вообще утро печальное. Беспокоюсь о Сапельникове. Впрочем, работал. Погода тёплая, серая, перепадал дождь. Гулял в Cascino чудесно. Вечером один акт Пуритан. А все-таки прелестен этот Беллини при всем безобразии. Received the news from Alyosha Feklusha's death. Tears. A generally sad morning. Worrying about Sapelnikov. Worked regardless. Weather was warm, grey, with occasional rain. Wonderful walk to the Cascino. One act from Puritani in the evening. Still, Bellini is delightful all the same, despite all his shortcomings.
Sunday 25 February/9 March 1890
Кончал 6-ю картину, и все-таки не кончил. Письма от Модеста и Лароша. Сапельников имел в Париже succès énorme. Дождь. Гулял в горы. Torre del Gallo. Занятие. Обед у Doney. Скверно и скучно. Письмо к Моде. Finished the 6th scene, but still haven't finished. Letters from Modest and Laroche. Sapelnikov had a succès énorme in Paris. Rain. Walked in the mountains. Torre del Gallo [25]. Worked. Lunch at Doney's [26]. Awful and bland. Letter to Modest [27].
Monday 26 February/10 March 1890
Кончил 6-ю картину; начал после прогулки увертюру. Вечером много слушал Ferdinando.
TH420 ex1.jpg

Новые гостинцы. Письмо к Эмме шуточное.

Finished the 6th scene; started the overture after a stroll. Listed to Ferdinando [28] a great deal in the evening.
TH420 ex1.jpg

New sweets. A comical letter to Emma [29].

Tuesday 27 February/11 March 1890
Появился г. Хитрово (мол[одой] чел[овек], франтоватый, некрасивый, с петербургским жаргоном) и совершенно расстроил меня. Получил 7-ю картину. Модест молодец. A Mr Khitrovo (an unattractive, dapper young man, with a Petersburg accent) appeared and completely upset me. Received the 7th scene. Modest is a fine fellow.
Wednesday 28 February/12 March 1890
Работалось хорошо. Неожиданно 800 фр[анков] сам не знаю от кого. Buffalo Bill за завтраком. Гулял с цепного моста по ту сторону вправо. После чая отлично работалось. Обед надоедный. Обычные кафе и прогулка. Фердинандо пел в первый раз Pimpinella. Очень долго сидел при открытом окне, соображая, куда отсюда ехать, очень нервничал, думая о последней сцене оперы, и т. д. Worked well. 800 francs came out of the blue, I don't know from whom. Buffalo Bill at lunch [30]. Walked from the chain bridge on the other side to the right. Worked splendidly after tea. Tedious dinner. Usual cafés and walks. Ferdinando sang Pimpinella for the first time [31]. I sat by the open window for a very long time, wondering where to go from here, very nervously pondering the last scene of the opera, etc.

Notes and References

  1. A long promenade, stretching from the Porta Romana to the Ponte San Niccolò in Florence.
  2. In Letter 4012 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 23 January/4 February 1890, the composer wrote: "Living next to me here is an old maid Orzhevskaya, and with her a very pretty Russian servant girl, which is pure joy for Nazar. But it's very unpleasant for me, because I once visited Orzhevskaya and knew her personally in my youth. Of course, she recognised me, and it's very difficut to avoid renewing her acquaintance". Orzhevskaya's full name, and the nature of her earlier relationship with Tchaikovsky, remain unknown.
  3. The Saturae are a collection of satirical poems by the Roman author Juneval (Decimus Junius Juvenalis), written in the early second century. A Russian translation by Afanasy Fet was published in 1886.
  4. Count Konstantin Ivanovich Pahlen (Magnus Konstantin Ferdinand Graf von der Pahlen, 1833-1912), former Minister of Justice for the Russian Empore from 1867 to 1878, was staying at Tchaikovsky's hotel in Florence with his wife Yelena (1833-1910) and their daughters Mariya (1858-1927) and Natalya (1866-1929).
  5. The Parco delle Cascine, on the north bank of the Arno river. In his diaries and correspondence, Tchaikovsky habitually referred to it by the name "Cascino".
  6. Tchaikovsky had brought with him a number of eighteenth-century operatic scores, to which he referred while composing his opera The Queen of Spades, which was set during the same period. In Act II of the latter opera, the Countess's recollections of her youth include the aria 'Je crains de lui parler la nuit' (bars 212–237), from André-Ernest-Modeste Grétry's opera Richard Coeur-de-lion (1784).
  7. The Via Tornabuoni, one of the most elegant streets in Florence, between Piazza Antinori and the Ponte Santa Trinita.
  8. The mezzo-soprano Theresia (Teresa, or Teresina) Singer (1850–1928) and Olimpia Boronat (1859?-1934) were performing in Verdi's opera Aida.
  9. On 3/15 January 1890, Riccardo Drigo had conducted the premiere of Tchaikovsky's ballet The Sleeping Beauty in Saint Petersburg. His letter to Tchaikovsky has not survived.
  10. The author and historian Mykola (Nikolay) Ivanovich Kostomarov (1817–1885), whose study Russian History in Biographies of its Main Figures (Русская история в жизнеописаниях её главнейших деятелей) includes a section devoted to Ivan Stepanovich Mazepa (1639-1709), who featured in Tchaikovsky's opera of the same name.
  11. From 1888 until 1891, Tchaikovsky lived in a rented house at Frolovskoye, near Klin.
  12. The science-fiction novel Le Termite had only just been published by Albert Savine in Paris. The author "J.-H. Rosny", was actually a pseudonym used by the French-Belgian writer Joseph Henri Honoré Boex (1856-1940) and his brother Séraphin Justin François Boex (1859-1948), who were both pioneers of the genre.
  13. A hymn from the compline service of the Russian Orthodox Church, sung during the first nights of Lent.
  14. The Alhambra was a large café-restaurants in Florence.
  15. Olga was presumably Mrs Orzhevskaya's servant, as mentioned in Letter 4012 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 23 January/4 February 1890.
  16. The Teatro Niccolini on Via Ricasoli, founded in 1648.
  17. The opera Il Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini, premiered in Paris in 1835.
  18. Letter 4039 to the Directors of the Imperial Russian Musical Society, 17 February/1 March 1890.
  19. Tchaikovsky had been keen to hear news about his friend the pianist Vasily Sapelnikov, who had been on a concert recital tour in Paris.
  20. A steam-powered tramway from Florence to the nearby towns in the Chianti area was then under construction, with the first stage officially opening the following week on 28 February/12 March 1890 [1] .
  21. Letter 4044 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 20 February/3 March 1890. The changes concerned the fourth scene of The Queen of Spades.
  22. The Certosa del Galluzzo, a fourteenth-century monastery overlooking the south of Florence.
  23. Aleksandr Semyonivich Danilevsky (1809-1888) was a correspondent and close friend of the author Nikolay Gogol (1809-1852).
  24. Ernest Renan (1823–1892), French philosopher and religious historian.
  25. A historical fort on the Pian de Giullari, overlooking the city of Florence.
  26. A restaurant on the Via Tornabuoni.
  27. Letter 4051 to Modest Tchaikovsky, 25 February/9 March 1890.
  28. Probably the same boy singer whom Tchaikovsky had heard earlier during his stay.
  29. This letter to Emma Genton has not survived.
  30. The American soldier and entrepreneur William Frederick Cody (1846–1917), brought his Buffalo Bill's Wild West show to Italy in 1890, arriving in Florence on 27 February/11 March 1890, and giving his last show on 8/20 March (see [2] and [3]). His company occupied several hotels, but Cody himself happened to be a guest at the same hotel as Tchaikovsky.
  31. Pimpinella is the last of Tchaikovsky's Six Romances, Op. 38, set to an Italian words and tune which Tchaikovsky noted down during a previous visit to Florence in 1878.