Letter 3982

Tchaikovsky Research
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Date 10/22 December 1889
Addressed to Vasily Safonov
Where written Saint Petersburg
Language Russian
Autograph Location Klin (Russia): Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve (a3, No. 348)
Publication Василий Ильич Сафонов (1959), p. 200–201
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XV-А (1976), p. 217

Text and Translation

Russian text
(original)
English translation
By Brett Langston
10 дек[абря] [18]89
Петербург

Милый друг!

Сен-Сансу давно написал, и почему нет ответа, не понимаю. Написал сейчас издателю моему Mackar'у, чтобы он Сен-Санса отыскал и сообщил ему моё предложение. Не предложить ли, в случае отказа Сен-Санса, приехать не Delibes'у кото[рый] едва ли, кроме своих сочинений, что-либо дирижирует, — а Colonn'у, который превосходный капельмейстер и может составить программу весьма разнообразную? Я думаю, что он охотно поедет за 1000 р[ублей]. У Суворина по разным причинам не был; мне здесь все отсоветовали этот шаг. С Ивановым предстоит на днях объяснение. Обо всем подробно расскажу, при свидании. Балет Бог знает, когда пойдёт, очень может быть, что в январе. Это должно разъясниться на днях. Во всяком случае праздники проведу в Москве.

Твой, П. Чайковский

10 December 1889
Petersburg

Dear friend!

I wrote to Saint-Saëns a long while ago [1], and I can't understand why there's been no reply. I've just written to my publisher Mackar [2] in order that he can track down Saint-Saëns and inform him of my proposition. Do you suppose that, in the event Saint-Saëns refuses, Delibes, who barely conducts anything besides his own compositions, be approached — or even Colonne, who is an excellent kapellmeister and could put together an extremely varied programme?[3] I think he would gladly travel for 1000 rubles. I didn't go to Suvorin's for various reasons; everyone here advised me against taking this step. An explanation is required from Ivanov over the other day. I'll tell you everything in detail when we meet. God knows when the ballet is going on, but it may well be in January [4]. This should become clearer in a few days. In any case I'm spending the holidays in Moscow.

Yours, P. Tchaikovsky

Notes and References

  1. This letter, inviting the Frenchman to conduct at one of the next season's Russian Musical Society concerts in Moscow, has been lost.
  2. See Letter 3981 to Félix Mackar of the same date.
  3. Edouard Colonne eventually accepted the invitation to conduct in Moscow.
  4. The ballet The Sleeping Beauty would receive its premiere at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg on 3/15 January 1890.