View source for Letter 4842

{{letterhead
|Date=4/16 January 1893
|To=[[Vladimir Nápravník]]
|Place=[[Paris]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph={{locunknown}}
|Publication={{bibx|1959/21|Е. Ф. Направник. Автобиографические, творческие материалы, документы, письма}} (1959), p. 200–201<br/>{{bib|1981/80|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XVII}} (1981), p. 16
|Notes=Typed copy in [[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}}
}}
==Text and Translation==
Based on a typed copy in the [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive (omitting the signature), which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter.
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|''Париж''<br/>4/16 яив[аря 18]93}}
{{centre|Милый мой Володя!}}
Прости, голубчик, что на два милейших твоих письма я отвечаю лишь сегодня. Я вчера вечером вернулся из Брюсселя, где суета, сопряженная с репетициями, концертом, знакомствами и т. д., не давала мне ни минуты досуга. Концерт имел блестящий успех. Оркестр был большой и очень хороший, но вследствие привычки играть с рутинным плохим капельмейстером—не привыкший соблюдать нюансы, так что добиться от них {{und2|р}} и {{und2|рр}} было невероятно трудно. Перед Брюсселем я прожил целую неделю в Париже, избегая знакомых и стараясь всяческими средствами заглушить снедающую меня тоску. Впрочем, часто видался с ''Зилоти'' и его женой. Теперь придётся сделать несколько визитов более или менее официального характера, а затем направиться в Одессу ближайшим путём. Я дал себе клятву отныне никогда не ездить одному, да и вообще как можно больше сидеть дома: года уж не те, чтобы как мячик перескакивать из одного угла Европы в другой. Здесь в «''Фигаро''» появилась статья по поводу Lamoureux, в которой была масса таких глупостей, возмутительной лжи и пакости, что я загорелся [жела]нием отвечать и написал письма и очень мягко опровержение, которое редакция «Фигаро», несмотря на хлопоты моего знакомого русско-французского журналиста, не приняла. Она появилась в газете гораздо менее читаемой. Скажи ''Папаше'', что колоколов, о которых я обещал узнать, в ''Брюсселе'' нет; они были там на выставке 3 года тому назад. Но мне обещали разузнать подробности. Впрочем, капельмейстер оперы не одобряет их. Запонки и пуговки привезу. Засим целую тебя крепко.

Тысяча нежностей родителям, сестрам и Коте.
{{right|Твой [П. Чайковский]}}
Напиши, дружок, в ''Одессу''; гост[иница] «''Лондон''».

|Translated text={{right|''[[Paris]]''<br/>4/16 January 1893}}
{{centre|My dear [[Vladimir Nápravník|Volodya]]}}
Forgive me, golubchik, for  answering your two most kind letters only today <ref name="note1"/>. I returned last night from [[Brussels]], where I had all the commotion that comes with rehearsals, concerts, acquaintances, etc., which didn't allow me a spare moment. The concert was a brilliant success <ref name="note2"/>. The orchestra was large and very good, but because they had become used to playing for a mediocre conductor, they were unaccustomed to observing nuances, such that to obtain both {{und2|р}} and {{und2|рр}} from them was remarkably difficult. Before [[Brussels]] I spent a whole week in [[Paris]], avoiding acquaintances and attempting all manner of means to stifle the melancholy that was consuming me. However, I often saw ''[[Ziloti]]'' and his wife. Now I have to make several visits of a more or less official character, and then make my way to [[Odessa]] by the shortest route <ref name="note3"/>. I swore an oath to myself that I would never travel alone again, and that I would generally stay at home as much as possible: yet already this year here I am bouncing like a ball between one corner of Europe and another. An article concerning Lamoureux has appeared in "''Figaro''" here, which has contained a plethora of stupid, outrageous lies <ref name="note4"/>, that I was inflamed with a desire to respond: I wrote a letter and very measured refutation, which the editor of "Figaro", despite the efforts of my Russian-French journalist friend, did not accept. It appeared in a newspaper with a much smaller circulation <ref name="note5"/>. Tell your ''[[Eduard Nápravník|Papasha]]'' that the bells I promised to find out about were not in [[Brussels]]; they had been there at the exhibition 3 years ago. The conductor of the opera doesn't approve of them, however, he promised to find out more details for me. I'll bring the cuff-links and buttons <ref name="note6"/>. And with that, I kiss you warmly.

A thousand tender greetings to your parents, sisters and Kotya.
{{right|Yours [P. Tchaikovsky]}}
Write to me, young friend, in ''[[Odessa]]'' at the hotel "''[[London]]''".
}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">Letters from [[Vladimir Nápravník]] to Tchaikovsky dated 21 December 1892/2 January 1893, and 28 December 1892/9 January 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note2">At a concert of his own works on 2/14 January 1893 Tchaikovsky conducted his [[Suite No. 3]], the [[Piano Concerto No. 1]] (soloist [[Franz Rummel]]), the suite from ''[[The Nutcracker (suite)|The Nutcracker]]'', the [[Serenade for String Orchestra]], and the overture ''[[The Year 1812]]''.</ref>
<ref name="note3">Tchaikovsky arrived in [[Odessa]] on 12/24 January 1893 to rehearse and conduct five concerts, as well as attending rehearsals and a production of ''[[The Queen of Spades]]'' by [[Ivan Grekov]]'s opera company.</ref>
<ref name="note4">On 8 January 1893 {{NS}} the French newspaper ''Le Figaro'' published an article by the journalist André Maurel (1863–1943) entitled "Un voyage musical en Russie", concerning the French conductor Charles Lamoureux (1834–1899), who had been on a concert tour of [[Saint Petersburg]] and [[Moscow]] in December 1892. The article contained several slurs against Russian musicians (including [[Anton Rubinstein]] and [[Vasily Safonov]]), as well as the pianist [[Hans von Bülow]], who had been a great champion of Tchaikovsky's music. [[Modest Tchaikovsky]] later translated Maurel's article into Russian and included it in his biography of his brother — see {{bib|1997/96|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 3}} (1997), p. 523–524.</ref>
<ref name="note5">See [[Letter 4837]], 29 December 1892/10 January 1893, to [[Michel Delines]] (the "journalist friend" to whom Tchaikovsky referred), which was published in ''{{bib|1893/72|Paris}}'', 13 January 1893 {{NS}}.</ref>
<ref name="note6">Tchaikovsky had promised to buy these items for [[Vladimir Nápravník]] while he was in [[Paris]].</ref>
</references>