View source for Six Duets, Op. 46

Tchaikovsky's '''''Six Duets''''' (Шесть дуэтов), [[Op.]] 46 ([[TH]] 102 ; [[ČW]] 312-317), were written between June and August 1880 at [[Kamenka]] and [[Simaki]].

==Instrumentation==
Scored for soprano and mezzo-soprano (Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6), soprano and tenor (No. 5) or soprano and baritone (No. 2), with piano accompaniment.

==Movements and Duration==
# '''Evening''' (Вечер)<br/>Andante non troppo (A-flat major, 121 bars).
# '''Scottish Ballad: Edward''' (Шотландская баллада: Эдвард) <ref name="note1"/><br/>Allegro agitato, ma non troppo (A minor, 171 bars).
# '''Tears''' (Слёзы)<br/>Andante molto sostenuto (G minor, 57 bars).
# '''In the Garden, By the Ford''' (В огороде, возле броду)<br/>Allegro moderato (A major, 67 bars).
# '''Passion Spent''' (Минула страсть)<br/>Allegro agitato (F minor, 198 bars).
# '''Dawn''' (Рассвет)<br/>Allegro moderato (E major, 147 bars).

==Texts==
1. [[Ivan Surikov]] (1841–1880), from his poems ''The Sun Has Set'' (Солнце утомилось) and ''In the Still Air'' (В воздухе смолкает) (1864–66):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
Солнце утомилось, ходя день деньской;
Тихо догорая, гаснет за рекой.

Край далёкий неба весь зарей облит,
Заревом пожара блещет и горит.

В воздухе смолкает шум дневных тревог;
Тишь ночную с неба шлёт на землю бог.

Ходят огневые полосы в реке;
Грустно где-то песня льётся вдалеке.

Тихо... Отчего же в сердце у меня
Не стихает горе прожитого дня?

Отчего ж так больно скорбь сжимает грудь?
Боже мой! Боже мой! дай мне отдохнуть!
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

2. [[Aleksey Tolstoy]] (1817–1875), from his poem ''Edward: A Scottish Folk-Ballad'' (Эдвард. Народная шотландская баллада) (1871) — a translation from the English of ''Edward'' from Thomas Percy's ''Reliques of Ancient English Poetry'' (1765) <ref name="note2"/>:
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
«Чьей кровию меч свой ты так обагрил, 
    Эдвард, Эдвард?
Чьей кровию меч свой ты так обагрил?
Зачем ты глядишь так сурово?»

«То сокола я, рассердяся, убил,
То сокола я, рассердяся, убил,
И негде добыть мне другого!»

«У сокола кровь так красна не бежит, 
    Эдвард, Эдвард!
У сокола кровь так красна не бежит
Твой меч окровавлен краснее!»

«Мой конь краснобурый был мною убит,
Мой конь краснобурый был мною убит,
Тоскую по добром коне я!»

«Конь стар у тебя, эта кровь не его, 
    Эдвард, Эдвард!
Конь стар у тебя, эта кровь не его,
Не то в твоём сумрачном взоре!»

«Отца я сейчас заколол моего,
Отца я сейчас заколол моего,
И лютое жжёт меня горе!»

«А грех чем тяжёлый искупишь ты свой, 
    Эдвард, Эдвард!
А грех чем тяжёлый искупишь ты свой?
Чем сымешь ты с совести ношу?»

«Я сяду в ладью непогодой морской,
Я сяду в ладью непогодой морской,
И ветру все парусы брошу!»

«Что ж будет с твоими детьми и с женой, 
    Эдвард, Эдвард?
Что ж будет с твоими детьми и с женой,
В их горькой, беспомощной доле?»

Пусть по миру ходят за хлебом с сумой,
Пусть по миру ходят за хлебом с сумой,
Я с ними не сви жуся боле!

«А матери что ты оставишь своей, 
    Эдвард, Эдвард?
А матери что ты оставишь своей,
Тебя что у груди качала?»

«Проклятье тебе до скончания дней,
Проклятье тебе до скончания дней!
Тебе, что мне грех нашептала!»
    — «Эдвард, Эдвард?»
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}
::Five stanzas of [[Aleksey Tolstoy]]'s poem were omitted by Tchaikovsky, as was the refrain "Mother, my mother" before each repeated word in Edward's retort.

3. [[Fyodor Tyutchev]] (1803–1873), after an untitled poem (1850):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
Слёзы людские, о слёзы людские,
Льётесь вы ранней и поздней порой,
Льётесь безвестные, льётесь незримые,
Неистощимые, неисчислимые, —
Льётесь, как льются струи дождевые
В осень глухую порою ночной.
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

4. [[Ivan Surikov]] (1841–1880), from his poem ''Song—from T. Shevchenko'' (Песнь—из Т. Шевченко) (ca. 1869) — a translation from the Ukrainian poem ''In the Garden, By the Ford'' (Но вгородi коло броду) (1848) by [[Taras Shevchenko]] (1814–1861):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
В огороде, возле броду,
  Маков цвет не всходит,
И до броду за водою
  Девица не ходит.

В огороде хмель зелёный
  Сохнет на тычине;
Черноброва, белолица
  Девица в кручине.

В огороде, возле броду,
  Верба наклонилась, —
Загрустилась черноброва,
  Тяжко загрустилась.

Она плачет, плачет и рыдает,
  Словно рыбка бьётся,
А над нею, молодою,
  Молодец смеётся.
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

5. [[Aleksey Tolstoy]], after an untitled poem (1858):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
Минула страсть, и пыл её тревожный
Уже не мучит сердца моего,
Но разлюбить тебя мне невозможно!
Всё, что не ты, — так суетно, так ложно,
Всё, что не ты, — бесцветно и мертво.

Без повода и права негодуя,
Уж не кипит бунтующая кровь, —
Но с пошлой жизнью слиться не могу я,
Моя любовь, о друг, и не ревнуя,
Осталась та же прежняя любовь.
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

6. [[Ivan Surikov]], from an untitled poem (1864–65):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
Занялась заря —
Скоро солнце взойдёт.
Слышишь... чу! соловей
Громко песни поёт.

Все ярчей и ярчей
Переливы зари;
Словно пар над рекой
Поднялся, посмотри.

От цветов на полях
Льётся запах кругом,
И сияет роса
На траве серебром.

И к воде наклонясь,
Что-то шепчет камыш;
А кругом, на полях,
Непробудная тишь... Ах!

Как отрадно, легко,
Широко дышит грудь!
Ну, молись же скорей!
Ну молись да и в путь!
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

==Composition==
While correcting proofs of the opera ''[[The Maid of Orleans]]'' in May and June 1880, Tchaikovsky considered writing a vocal work <ref name="note3"/>. On 5/17 June he told [[Nadezhda von Meck]]: "Yesterday I started to compose some small vocal pieces, and began with a duet to words to [[Aleksey Tolstoy|A. K. Tolstoy]]'s ''Passion Spent''" <ref name="note4"/>. In this same letter he wrote of his intention to use verses by the poet [[Ivan Surikov]] ("He was quite a talented man, and his pieces are shot through with genuine sentiment") for his future work. References to work on the duets is also found in a letter to [[Karl Albrecht]] of 21 June/3 July <ref name="note5"/>. Notes and sketches for duets Nos. 1, 2 and 5 can be found in collections of poetry by [[Ivan Surikov]] and [[Aleksey Tolstoy]] in the composer's personal library at [[Klin]] <ref name="note6"/>.

On 10/22 July, Tchaikovsky wrote from [[Simaki]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]] that he was making fair copies of "the romances for two voices written at [[Kamenka]]" <ref name="note7"/>. Returning to [[Kamenka]], the composer completed the fair copies of the duets, and also the fair copies of the [[Seven Romances, Op. 47]], written at [[Brailov]] and [[Simaki]]. Duets Nos. 1 and 2 were written on separate sheets, but the remaining duets are together one after another. On 24 August/5 September, he told [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] and [[Sergey Taneyev]] that he had completed the duets and romances and would be sending them to [[Jurgenson]] via [[Anatoly Tchaikovsky]] <ref name="note8"/> (who left Kamenka on 30 August/11 September).

Finally, in late August/early September, Tchaikovsky informed [[Nadezhda von Meck]] that he had completed the fair copies of the vocal pieces and sent them to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] <ref name="note9"/>.

Out of all the duets, Tchaikovsky greatly favoured ''Tears'' (No. 3). In a letter of 3/15–4/16 July 1881, he wrote to [[Nadezhda von Meck]]: "The ''Scottish Ballad'' is also among my favourite offspring, but I am quite certain, alas, that it will never be performed as I imagined. It must not be sung, but declaimed quickly and with great passion" <ref name="note10"/>.

One further reference to the duets survives, in a letter of 4/16 June 1881 to [[Sergey Flerov]]. The latter approved of the duets, but criticised the "impossible words" of the ''Scottish Ballad'' (No. 2), and made remarks concerning the duet ''Dawn'' (No. 6): "in the second edition you need to change just ''one'' word in No. 6, namely: ‘Well, pray quickly'. This "''well, pray''" is terribly odd. It would be better to put "''O, pray''" <ref name="note11"/>. Although he took exception to the first remark, the composer agreed with the second: "With regard to ‘well, pray', your comment is absolutely right, and I shall certainly attend to this matter, if and when the second edition is printed" <ref name="note12"/>. However, in the next edition this passage remained unchanged.

==Performances==
''Dawn'' (No. 6) was performed in [[Paris]] at the Salle Érard on 25 April/7 May 1889, with soloists [[Marie de Benardaky]] (soprano) and Juliette Conneau (mezzo-soprano).

==Arrangements==
The duet ''Dawn'' (No. 6) was orchestrated by Tchaikovsky at the request of Nina Fride and Yevgeniya Mravina for a royal command performance which took place in [[Saint Petersburg]] on 17/29 December 1889, conducted by [[Eduard Nápravník]]. According to Nina Fride, the duet was orchestrated by Tchaikovsky in just one night <ref name="note13"/>.

The request to orchestrate the duet was made to Tchaikovsky in a letter from Nina Fride of 11/23 November 1889: "I ask a big favour from you, which I hope you will not refuse. For our concert tour, Yevgeniya Konstantinovna Mravina and I have chosen your duet ''Dawn''. Would you be so kind and obliging as to orchestrate it, if at all possible, ''without delay'', i.e. the concert is due to take place very soon, on 20 November" <ref name="note14"/>. Later that month, Yevgeniya Mravina repeated Nina Fride's request, and told Tchaikovsky that the concert had been postponed until December" <ref name="note15"/>.

On the manuscript of the orchestration, the composer added the notes "Ye. K. Mravina" and "N. A. Fride" to the vocal lines <ref name="note16"/>.

In 1898, the duet ''In the Garden, By the Ford'' (No. 4) was orchestrated by [[Sergey Taneyev]] at the request of [[Modest Tchaikovsky]] for a concert in memory of the composer, which took place on 24 October/5 November 1898 <ref name="note17"/>. The score was published by Muzgiz in 1957.

==Publication==
The duets were published by [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] in April 1881 <ref name="note18"/>, and were included in volume 43 of Tchaikovsky's ''[[Complete Collected Works]]'' (1941), edited by Ivan Shishov and Nikolay Shemanin.

The orchestral version of ''Dawn'' (No. 6) was published for the first time in 1960 in volume 27 of the ''[[Complete Collected Works]]'', edited by Irina Iordan.

==Autographs==
Tchaikovsky's manuscript scores of all six duets are preserved in the {{RUS-Mcm}} in [[Moscow]] {{TOW2|shest-duetov|(ф. 88, No. 129)}}. The composer's autograph of the orchestral version of ''Dawn'' (No. 6) is held at the Central Music Library of the Mariinsky Theatre in [[Saint Petersburg]].

==Recordings==
{{reclink}}

==Dedication==
All the duets are dedicated to the composer's niece, [[Tatyana Davydova]].

==Related Works==
''In the Garden, By the Ford'' (No. 4) sets the title to the tune of a Ukrainian folksong.

==External Links==
* {{imslpscore|6_Duets,_Op.46_(Tchaikovsky,_Pyotr)|6 Duets, Op. 46}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">In the autograph score, the original title ''To the Mountains'' (Горе-горюшко) is struck out.</ref> 
<ref name="note2">See Richard D. Sylvester, {{bib|2002/26|Tchaikovsky's complete songs. A companion with texts and translations}} (2002), p. 292.</ref> 
<ref name="note3">See [[Letter 1508]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]], 2/14 June 1880.</ref> 
<ref name="note4">[[Letter 1509]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]], 5/17 June 1880. See also [[Letter 1510]] to [[Anatoly Tchaikovsky]] of the same date.</ref> 
<ref name="note5">See [[Letter 1518]] to [[Karl Albrecht]], 24 June/6 July 1880.</ref> 
<ref name="note6">[[Ivan Surikov]], ''Стихотворения''. Moscow, 1875, and {{und|А. Н. Толстой. Полное собрание Стихотворении, 1855-1877 гг.}} (Saint Petersburg, 1877). The latter volume includes a pencil note "Duet?" against the poem ''We've Not Been Pursued by Malice'' (Нас не преследовала злоба), which was not ultimately used (see [[ČW]] 511).</ref>
<ref name="note7">[[Letter 1533]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]], 12/24–15/27 July 1880 — Tchaikovsky was at [[Kamenka]] until 30 June/12 July. See also [[Letter 1540]] to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]], 18/30 July, and [[Letter 1544]] to [[Sergey Taneyev]], 21 July/2 August 1880.</ref> 
<ref name="note8">See [[Letter 1565]] to [[Sergey Taneyev]], 15/27 August–24 August/5 September 1880, and [[Letter 1566]] from mid/late August to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]].</ref> 
<ref name="note9">See [[Letter 1572]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]], 26–31 August/7–12 September 1880.</ref> 
<ref name="note10">[[Letter 1804]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]], 3/15–4/16 July 1881.</ref> 
<ref name="note11">Letter from [[Sergey Flerov]] to Tchaikovsky, 28 May/9 June 1881 — [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive.</ref> 
<ref name="note12">[[Letter 1774]] to [[Sergey Flerov]], 4/16 June 1881.</ref> 
<ref name="note13">See {{bib|1941/27|П. И. Чайковский на сцене Театра оперы и балета имени С. М. Кирова (б. Мариинский). Сборник статей}} (1940), p. 409.</ref>
<ref name="note14">Letter from Nina Fride to Tchaikovsky, 11/23 November 1889 — State Central Archive for Literature and the Arts.</ref> 
<ref name="note15">Bars 136–149 of the original duet were omitted from the arrangement, which is scored for soprano and mezzo-soprano soloists, and an orchestra comprising 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in A), 2 bassoons, 4 horns (in F), violins I, violins II, violas, cellos, and double basses.</ref> 
<ref name="note16">Undated letter from Yevgeniya Mravina to Tchaikovsky — State Central Archive for Literature and the Arts.</ref> 
<ref name="note17">See letter from [[Modest Tchaikovsky]] to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]], 15/27 October 1898 — State Central Archive for Literature and the Arts.</ref> 
<ref name="note18">Passed by the censor on 1/13 March 1881.</ref> 
</references>
[[Category:Duets]]