Yakov Polonsky and Letter 254a: Difference between pages

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{{picture|file=Yakov Polonsky.jpg|caption='''Yakov Polonsky''' (1819-1898)}}
{{letterhead
Russian poet (b. 6/18 December 1819 in Ryazan; d. 18/30 October 1898 in [[Saint Petersburg]]), born '''''Yakov Petrovich Polonsky''''' (Яков Петрович Полонский).
|Date=4/16 May 1872
|To=[[Stepan Gedeonov]]
|Place=[[Moscow]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Saint Petersburg]] (Russia): {{RUS-SPia}} (ф. 497, оп. 2, д. 23068)
|Publication={{bib|1981/80|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XVII}} (1981), p. 213
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{centre|Милостивый государь!<br/>Степан {{sic|Степанович|Александрович}}!}}
Я только что окончил четырёхактную оперу «''Опричник''», полная партитура которой отсылается в Петербург для представления в императорскую Дирекцию. Горячо желая, чтобы опера была удостоена постановки на сцене Мариинского театра, я осмеливаюсь почтительнейше просить Ваше превосходительство отнестись благосклонно к произведению, которое есть плод добросовестного и упорного двухлетнего труда.


After graduating from [[Moscow]] University in 1844, he published his first collection of poems in the same year. In 1851 he moved to [[Saint Petersburg]], where he edited the literary journal ''Russian Word ''(Русское слово). In later life he worked in the department of the state censor, while maintaining a steady output of poetry.
Примите уверение в глубоком уважении, с которым имею честь быть покорным слугою Вашего превосходительства.
{{right|П. Чайковский}}


==Tchaikovsky's Settings of Works by Polonsky==
|Translated text={{centre|Gracious Sir!<br>[[Stepan Gedeonov|Stepan {{sic|Stepanovich|Aleksandrovich}}]]!<ref name="note1"/>}}
Polonsky provided the libretto for Tchaikovsky's opera ''[[Vakula the Smith]]'' (1874, revised in 1885 as ''[[Cherevichki]]''), based on the story ''Christmas Eve'' (Ночь перед Рождеством) by [[Nikolay Gogol]] (1809-1852).
I have just completed a four-act opera "''[[The Oprichnik]]''", the complete full score of which I have sent to [[Petersburg]] for presentation to the Imperial Directorate. It is my fervent wish that the opera be honoured with a production on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, and I venture to respectfully request that Your Excellency looks favourably upon the work, which is the fruit two years of conscientious and sustained labour.


The texts of Tchaikovsky's [[Cantata for the Opening of the Polytechnic Exhibition]] (1872) and the chorus ''[[A Greeting to Anton Rubinstein]]'' (1889) were both specially written by Polonsky.
Please accept the assurance of the deep respect which which I have the honour to be Your Excellency's humble servant.
 
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}
Tchaikovsky set three of Polonsky's poems in his [[Twelve Romances, Op. 60]] (1886):
}}
* No. 7, ''Song of a Gypsy Girl'' (Песнь цыганки), from the poem of the same name (1853).
==Notes and References==
* No. 9, ''Night: Monologue for Baritone'' (Ночь: Монолог для баритона), from the poem of the same name (1850).
<references>
* No. 10, Beyond the Window, in the Shadows (За окном в тени мелькает), from Polonskys' poem ''The Summons'' (Вызов) (1844).
<ref name="note1">Tchaikovsky mistakenly addressed [[Stepan Gedeonov|Gedeonov]] as "Stepen Stepanovich" instead of "Stepan Aleksandovich" here.</ref>
 
</references>
==Correspondence with Tchaikovsky==
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0254a}}
4 letters from the composer to Yakov Polonsky have survived, dating from 1872 to 1889, all of which have been translated into English on this website:
* '''[[Letter 265]]''' – 2/14 June 1872, from [[Kiev]]
* '''[[Letter 346]]''' – 11/23 April or 12/24 April 1874 (?), from [[Saint Petersburg]]
* '''[[Letter 463]]''' – 4/16 May 1876, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 3950]]''' – 4/16 October 1889, from [[Moscow]]
 
One letter from Polonsky to the composer, dating from 1889, is preserved in the [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive.
 
==External Links==
* [[wikipedia:Yakov_Polonsky|Wikipedia]]
 
[[Category:People|Polonsky, Yakov]]
[[Category:Correspondents|Polonsky, Yakov]]
[[Category:Writers|Polonsky, Yakov]]

Revision as of 11:43, 7 December 2019

Date 4/16 May 1872
Addressed to Stepan Gedeonov
Where written Moscow
Language Russian
Autograph Location Saint Petersburg (Russia): Russian State Historical Archive (ф. 497, оп. 2, д. 23068)
Publication П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XVII (1981), p. 213

Text and Translation

Russian text
(original) 		English translation
By Brett Langston
Милостивый государь!
Степан Степанович!

Я только что окончил четырёхактную оперу «Опричник», полная партитура которой отсылается в Петербург для представления в императорскую Дирекцию. Горячо желая, чтобы опера была удостоена постановки на сцене Мариинского театра, я осмеливаюсь почтительнейше просить Ваше превосходительство отнестись благосклонно к произведению, которое есть плод добросовестного и упорного двухлетнего труда.

Примите уверение в глубоком уважении, с которым имею честь быть покорным слугою Вашего превосходительства.

П. Чайковский
Gracious Sir!
Stepan Stepanovich![1]

I have just completed a four-act opera "The Oprichnik", the complete full score of which I have sent to Petersburg for presentation to the Imperial Directorate. It is my fervent wish that the opera be honoured with a production on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, and I venture to respectfully request that Your Excellency looks favourably upon the work, which is the fruit two years of conscientious and sustained labour.

Please accept the assurance of the deep respect which which I have the honour to be Your Excellency's humble servant.

P. Tchaikovsky

Notes and References

  1. ↑ Tchaikovsky mistakenly addressed Gedeonov as "Stepen Stepanovich" instead of "Stepan Aleksandovich" here.
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