Letter 3647 and Friedrich Sieger: Difference between pages

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{{letterhead
Musical writer, critic, director of the [[Frankfurt-am-Main]] Museum-Gesellschaft (b. 1848; d. 1924).
|Date=22 August/3 September 1888
|To=[[Ivan Vsevolozhsky]]
|Place=[[Moscow]]
|Language=French
|Autograph={{locunknown}}
|Publication={{bib|1956/20|П. И. Чайковский и балетный театр его времени}} (1956), p. 170–171 (abridged)<br/>{{bib|1974/53|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XIV}} (1974), p. 509–510
|Notes=Manuscript copy in [[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}}
}}
==Text and Translation==
Based on a handwritten copy in the [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive, which may contain differences in formatting and content from Tchaikovsky's original letter.  
{{Lettertext
|Language=French
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|Moscou<br/>le 22 Aout 1888}}
{{centre|Cher et très respecté<br/>Иван Александрович}}
Je m'empresse de Vous annoncer que le {{sic|manuscript|manuscrit}} de la «Belle au bois dormant» est enfin parvenu à son adresse au moment ou je me mettais en wagon pour aller à Moscou et à Kieff. Je ne suis ici que pour quelques heures; mais j'ai eu le temps de parcourir le scénario et je tiens à Vous dire tout de suite que j'en suis charmé, enchanté {{sic| audela|au-delà}} de toute description. Cela me convient parfaitement et je ne demande pas mieux que d'en faire la musique. On ne pourrait mieux combiner pour la scène les données de ce délicieux sujet et c'est à Vous qui en êtes l'auteur, permettez moi d'adresser mes félicitations les plus chaleureuses.


Je pars pour Kieff, je rentre chez moi vers le 2 Septembre et le 12 de ce même mois je serai à Pétersbourg. Je m'empresserai de venir Vous voir et Vous prier de m'aboucher avec M[onsieur] Petipa pour {{sic|régler|régler}} les détails relatifs à la mise en musique de Votre scénario.
After Tchaikovsky's concert on 3/15 January 1889 at the prestigious venue of the Museum-Gesellschaft, Sieger was very keen for the Russian composer to return to [[Frankfurt]] during the next winter season. Tchaikovsky had great misgivings about the conservative stamp of audiences and musicians alike in [[Frankfurt]] (which had partly been responsible for his decision to drop the overture ''[[The Year 1812]]'' from the concert he conducted in the city in January 1889), but he did accept Sieger's offer to conduct at the Museum-Gesellschaft again on 2/14 March 1890 <ref name="note1"/>. The latter hoped in particular that Tchaikovsky would acquaint the [[Frankfurt]] public with the orchestral fantasia ''[[Francesca da Rimini]]'', which he considered to be a masterpiece. Tchaikovsky did not, however, give any concerts at all in the first half of 1890, since he was absorbed in the composition of ''[[The Queen of Spades]]'', but later that year he did promise Sieger again that he would return to [[Frankfurt]] and conduct ''[[Francesca]]'', as well as the [[Serenade for String Orchestra]], at the Museum-Gesellschaft on 1/13 February 1891 <ref name="note2"/>. Unfortunately, this concert did not work out either due to other engagements, and Tchaikovsky duly apologised to Sieger, who had shown such sincere enthusiasm for his music <ref name="note3"/>.


Mais c'est pour la saison 1889-90 n'est ce pas? Car il est tout à fait impossible que je sois prêt pour cette saison. J'aurai pendant l'hiver beaucoup de voyages à faire, je devrai passer tout l'été à Paris et je ne pourrai livrer ma partition que vers le commencement de la saison prochaine. Je me réjouis à l'idée de ce travail.
==Correspondence with Tchaikovsky==
4 letters from Tchaikovsky to Friedrich Sieger have survived, dating from 1889 to 1891, of which those highlighted in bold have been translated into English on this website:
* '''[[Letter 3779]]''' – 1/13 February 1889, from [[Frankfurt]]
* [[Letter 3914a]] – 1/13 August 1889 (?), from [[Frolovskoye]]
* '''[[Letter 3943]]''' – 1/13 October 1889, from [[Moscow]]
* '''[[Letter 4293b]]''' – 6/18 January 1891, from [[Frolovskoye]]


Quant à ce que Vous me dites dans Votre dernière lettre à propos du ''farouche-Hippolite'', soyez persuadé que je me conformerai à Vos bons conseils et d'ailleurs je ne penserai dès aujourd'hui qu'au ballet. Veuillez excuser ma mauvaise {{sic|ecriture|écriture}}, je suis très pressé. Merci, merci! Votre bien dovoué,
5 letters from Sieger to Tchaikovsky, dating from 1889 and 1890, are preserved in the [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive.
{{right|P. Tchaïkovsky}}


|Translated text={{right|[[Moscow]]<br/> 22 August 1888}}
==Bibliography==
{{centre|Dear and most respected<br/>[[Ivan Aleksandrovich]]!}}
* {{bib|1970/6}} (1970)
I am hastening to inform you that the manuscript of "La Belle au bois dormant" <ref name="note1"/> finally reached me, just as I was boarding the train going from [[Moscow]] to [[Kiev]]. I have not been here more than a few hours, but I have managed to read through the scenario and I very much wanted to tell you forthwith that I am delighted and enchanted beyond all description. It suits me perfectly and I ask nothing more than to make the music for it. This delicious subject could not possibly have been better adapted for the stage, and to you, its author, permit me to express my warmest congratulations.
* {{bib|1998/39}} (1998)
* {{bib|1998/98}} (1998)


I am leaving for [[Kiev]], returning home on 2 September, and on the 12th of the same month I will be in [[Petersburg]]. I will hasten to come and see you and beg you to bring Monsieur [[Petipa]] and I together to settle the details relating to the setting of the music in your scenario  <ref name="note2"/>.
But this is for the 1889-90 season, is it not? Because it is absolutely impossible for me to be ready for this season. I have much travelling to do during the winter, I must spend the whole summer in [[Paris]], and I shall only be able to deliver my score towards the beginning of the next season. The idea of this work gladdens me.
As to what you say in your last letter about ''farouche-Hippolite'' <ref name="note3"/>, be sure that I will follow your good advice and besides, as from today I shall be thinking only about the ballet. Please excuse my poor handwriting, I am in a great hurry. Thank you, thank you! Your very devoted,
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}
}}
==Notes and References==
==Notes and References==
<references>
<references>
<ref name="note1">The libretto for the ballet ''[[The Sleeping Beauty]]'' was compiled by [[Ivan Vsevolozhsky]], based on [[Charles Perrault]]'s story ''La Belle au bois dormant''.</ref>
<ref name="note1">[[Letter 3943]] to Friedrich Sieger, 1/13 October 1889.</ref>
<ref name="note2">Tchaikovsky's plans subsequently changed, and he did not visit the Russian capital during September 1888. He eventually met with the choreographer [[Marius Petipa]] in [[Saint Petersburg]] on 6/18 November 1888.</ref>
<ref name="note2">Letter to Friedrich Sieger, 15/27 July 1890. This letter seems to have been lost, but Sieger refers to it (giving the exact date) in his letter to Tchaikovsky from [[Frankfurt]] on 23 December 1890 {{NS}}, which is included (in Russian translation) in {{bib|1970/6|Чайковский и зарубежные музыканты}} (1970), p. 61–64.</ref>
<ref name="note3">A reference to the projected opera ''[[The Bayadere]]'', based on a story set in ancient India by [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]], which [[Ippolit Shpazhinsky]] had suggested to the composer. In his letter of 15/27 August 1888, [[Ivan Vsevolozhsky]] had advised Tchaikovsky against pursuing the idea.</ref>
<ref name="note3">[[Letter 4293b]] to Friedrich Sieger, 6/18 January 1891. In his letter to Tchaikovsky of 23 July 1890 {{NS}} Sieger had spoken admiringly of ''[[The Sleeping Beauty]]'' which he had studied in the piano transcription, "though I lament that I do not have the chance to hear this music so full of charm and gracefulness in an orchestral performance" — see {{bib|1970/6|Чайковский и зарубежные музыканты}} (1970), p. 63.</ref>
</references>
</references>
[[Category:People|Sieger, Friedrich]]
[[Category:Correspondents|Sieger, Friedrich]]
[[Category:Writers|Sieger, Friedrich]]

Revision as of 22:16, 14 December 2022

Musical writer, critic, director of the Frankfurt-am-Main Museum-Gesellschaft (b. 1848; d. 1924).

After Tchaikovsky's concert on 3/15 January 1889 at the prestigious venue of the Museum-Gesellschaft, Sieger was very keen for the Russian composer to return to Frankfurt during the next winter season. Tchaikovsky had great misgivings about the conservative stamp of audiences and musicians alike in Frankfurt (which had partly been responsible for his decision to drop the overture The Year 1812 from the concert he conducted in the city in January 1889), but he did accept Sieger's offer to conduct at the Museum-Gesellschaft again on 2/14 March 1890 [1]. The latter hoped in particular that Tchaikovsky would acquaint the Frankfurt public with the orchestral fantasia Francesca da Rimini, which he considered to be a masterpiece. Tchaikovsky did not, however, give any concerts at all in the first half of 1890, since he was absorbed in the composition of The Queen of Spades, but later that year he did promise Sieger again that he would return to Frankfurt and conduct Francesca, as well as the Serenade for String Orchestra, at the Museum-Gesellschaft on 1/13 February 1891 [2]. Unfortunately, this concert did not work out either due to other engagements, and Tchaikovsky duly apologised to Sieger, who had shown such sincere enthusiasm for his music [3].

Correspondence with Tchaikovsky

4 letters from Tchaikovsky to Friedrich Sieger have survived, dating from 1889 to 1891, of which those highlighted in bold have been translated into English on this website:

5 letters from Sieger to Tchaikovsky, dating from 1889 and 1890, are preserved in the Klin House-Museum Archive.

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. ↑ Letter 3943 to Friedrich Sieger, 1/13 October 1889.
  2. ↑ Letter to Friedrich Sieger, 15/27 July 1890. This letter seems to have been lost, but Sieger refers to it (giving the exact date) in his letter to Tchaikovsky from Frankfurt on 23 December 1890 [N.S.], which is included (in Russian translation) in Чайковский и зарубежные музыканты (1970), p. 61–64.
  3. ↑ Letter 4293b to Friedrich Sieger, 6/18 January 1891. In his letter to Tchaikovsky of 23 July 1890 [N.S.] Sieger had spoken admiringly of The Sleeping Beauty which he had studied in the piano transcription, "though I lament that I do not have the chance to hear this music so full of charm and gracefulness in an orchestral performance" — see Чайковский и зарубежные музыканты (1970), p. 63.
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