Nikolay Konradi
(centre) with the composer, Modest Tchaikovsky, and his governess Sofya Yershova, at Montpellier in July 1876
Pupil of the composer's brother Modest Tchaikovsky (b. 1868; d. 1922); born Nikolay Germanovich Konradi (Николай Германович Конради).
Nikolay was born without the ability to hear or speak, and in 1876 his parents (Herman and Alina) engaged the composer's brother Modest as tutor to the eight-year-old boy. Modest had mastered a system called "sonic speech" devised by J. Gugentobler, that was designed to help communication with deaf-mute children. Under Modest's guidance, Nikolay learned to talk, write and read in three languages, and was educated to graduate level. After the divorce of Nikolay's parents in 1881, and the death of his father the following year, permanent guardianship of Nikolay was granted to Modest Tchaikovsky in 1882.
After 1876 the composer often stayed with Modest at the Konradis' estate at Grankino, and was very fond of Nikolay, whom he called "Kolya". However, as Nikolay grew older he quarrelled more frequently with Modest, especially over financial matters, and the composer often found himself acting in the role of peacemaker between the two men.
Correspondence with Tchaikovsky
53 letters from Tchaikovsky to Nikolay Konradi have survived, dating from 1876 to 1893, of which those highlighted in bold have been translated into English on this website:
- Letter 485 – 7/19 July 1876, from Vichy
- Letter 497 – 17/29 September 1876, from Moscow (postscript to a letter to Modest Tchaikovsky)
- Letter 646 – 12/24 November 1877, from Venice
- Letter 836 – 22 May/3 June 1878, from Brailov
- Letter 873 – 19/31 July 1878, from Verbovka
- Letter 1052 – 2/14 January 1879, from Clarens
- Letter 1448 – 14/26 March 1880, from Saint Petersburg
- Letter 1537 – 15/27 July 1880, from Simaki
- Letter 1830 – 10/22 August 1881, from Kamenka
- Letter 2099 – 6/18 September 1882, from Kamenka
- Letter 2185 – 3/15 January 1883, from Paris
- Letter 2274 – 24 April/6 May 1883, from Paris
- Letter 2304 – 22 June/4 July 1883, from Podushkino
- Letter 2322 – 1/13 August 1883, from Podushkino
- Letter 2375 – 22 October/3 November 1883, from Kamenka
- Letter 2384 – 7/19 November 1883, from Kamenka
- Letter 2487 – 9/21 May 1884, from Kamenka
- Letter 2593 – 14/26 November 1884, from Davos
- Letter 2682 – 11/23 April 1885, from Maydanovo
- Letter 2729 – 1/13 July 1885, from Maydanovo
- Letter 2738 – 14/26 July 1885, from Maydanovo
- Letter 2795 – 15/27 October 1885, from Maydanovo
- Letter 2989 – 1/13 July 1886, from Maydanovo
- Letter 3012 – 25 July/6 August 1886, from Maydanovo
- Letter 3054 – 20 September/2 October 1886, from Maydanovo
- Letter 3090 – 10/22 November 1886, from Maydanovo
- Letter 3286 – 11/23-12/24 July 1887, from Odessa
- Letter 3296 – 23 July/4 August 1887, from Aachen
- Letter 3302 – 28 July/9 August 1887, from Aachen
- Letter 3500 – 19 February/2 March 1888, from Paris
- Letter 3621 – 17/29 July 1888, from Frolovskoye
- Letter 3634 – 1/13 August 1888 (?), from Frolovskoye
- Letter 3801 – 17 February/1 March 1889, from Leipzig
- Letter 4031 – 10/22 February 1890, from Florence
- Letter 4062 – 6/18 March 1890, from Florence
- Letter 4074 – 20 March/1 April 1890, from Florence
- Letter 4124 – 26 May/7 June 1890, from Frolovskoye
- Letter 4167 – 6/18 July 1890, from Moscow
- Letter 4180 – 20 July/1 August 1890, from Frolovskoye
- Letter 4337 – 24 February/8 March 1891, from Frolovskoye
- Letter 4355 – 20 March/1 April 1891, from Paris
- Letter 4372 – 22 April/4 May 1891, from New York
- Letter 4406 – 14/26 June 1891, from Maydanovo
- Letter 4426 – 26 June/8 July 1891, from Maydanovo
- Letter 4445 – 25 July/6 August 1891, from Maydanovo
- Letter 4549 – 14/26 November 1891, from Maydanovo
- Letter 4582 – 23 December 1891/4 January 1892, from Kiev
- Letter 4588 – 31 December 1891/12 January 1892, from Warsaw
- Letter 4594 – 8/20 January 1892, from Hamburg
- Letter 4692 – 20 May/1 June 1892, from Klin
- Letter 4722 – 9/21 July 1892, from Saint Petersburg
- Letter 4830 – 18/30 December 1892, from Berlin
- Letter 4948 – 3/15 June 1893, from Paris
51 letters from Nikolay Konradi to the composer are preserved in the Klin House-Museum Archive.
