Letter 4897

Tchaikovsky Research
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Date 19/31 March 1893
Addressed to Modest Tchaikovsky
Where written Klin
Language Russian
Autograph Location Klin (Russia): Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve (a3, No. 2019)
Publication Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского, том 3 (1902), p. 608–609 (abridged)
П. И. Чайковский. Письма к близким. Избранное (1955), p. 535 (abridged)
П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XVII (1981), p. 67
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Letters to his family. An autobiography (1981), p. 537 (English translation; abridged)

Text and Translation

Russian text
(original)
English translation
By Brett Langston
Клин
19 марта [18]93

Вчера вечером приехал из Харькова домой. В Харькове — бесконечные чествования, так что очень устал. Впрочем, было очень хорошо и успех почти такой же, как в Одессе. На возвратном пути в Москве останавливался лишь на несколько часов. Здесь нашёл настоящую зиму; впрочем, и у Вас, я думаю, немногим лучше. Эти дни я займусь доканчиванием скиццев к финалу и скерцо новой симфонии. В страстную пятницу утром приеду к вам и радуюсь ужасно при этой мысли. Прости, что подробнее не пишу, скоро увидимся.

Коле, Бобу, Володе тысячу нежностей. Егор Алексеевич чуть с ума не сошёл от радости, увидевши меня: курьёзно, как он в меня влюблён.

П. Чайковский

Получил очень печальное письмо от Наты. Она, очевидно, в полном отчаянии.

Klin
19 March 1893

I arrived home from Kharkov last night. The celebrations in Kharkov were endless, such that I'm very tired. However, it was very good and almost as successful as Odessa. On the way back I only stopped in Moscow for a few hours. It's truly winter here; although I gather you have it a little better. Over the coming days I'll be busy finishing off the sketches of the finale and scherzo of the new symphony [1]. I'll be coming to see you on Good Friday morning, and that thought makes me terribly glad [2]. Forgive me for not writing in more detail, but I will see you soon.

A thousand compliments to Kolya, Bob and Volodya. Yegor Alekseyevich [3] almost went mad with joy when he saw me; it's funny how much he loves me.

P. Tchaikovsky

I received a very sad letter from Nata [4]. She appears to be in a state of complete desperation.

Notes and References

  1. The Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 ("Pathétique").
  2. Tchaikovsky arrived in Saint Petersburg on 26 March/7 April 1893.
  3. The composer's godson Georgy Sofronov ("Yegor") (1892-1948), and son of his servant Aleksey Sofronov.
  4. Natalya Plesskaya was upset that Tchaikovsky's widowed brother-in-law, Lev Davydov, was to marry to a cousin of his late wife, which made her situation at Kamenka extremely uncomfortable.