Letter 4523a
| Date | 24 October/5 November 1891 |
|---|---|
| Addressed to | Vasily Safonov |
| Where written | Moscow |
| Language | Russian |
| Autograph Location | unknown |
| Publication | Радянська музика (1940), No. 2, p. 44–46 П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений, том XVII (1981), p. 257 |
Text and Translation
| Russian text (original) |
English translation By Brett Langston |
24 окт[ября] Многоуважаемый Василий Ильич!
Я передавал уже через Кашкина, а ещё недавно через Александру Ивановну и, наконец, лично дал членам фонда на их вопрос, согласен ли я дирижировать в концерте их, — ответ: нет. Это не каприз и не нежелание содействовать доброму делу, а прямо невозможность, ибо так сложились обстоятельства. Весьма сожалею, что с этой просьбой фонд не обратился ко мне раньше, т. е. летом или, по крайней мере, в сентябре. Я бы тогда, быть может, иначе распорядился. Теперь безусловно принуждён отказать, о чем весьма сожалею. Искренно преданный, П. Чайковский |
24 October Most respected Vasily Ilyich!
I have already transmitted via Kashkin, and even more recently via Aleksandra Ivanovna [1], and finally I gave the members of the fund the answer to their question whether I could conduct at their concert: no [2]. This is neither a whim nor a reluctance to promote a good cause, but a plain impossibility, because of the way in which circumstances have transpired. It is highly regrettable that the fund did not approach me with their request earlier, i.e. in the summer of, in September at the latest. Then I could perhaps have made alternative arrangements. Now it goes without saying that I am obliged to refuse, which I regret very much. Sincerely devoted, P. Tchaikovsky |
Notes and References
- ↑ See Letter 4516 to Aleksandra Hubert, 19/31 October 1891.
- ↑ The charitable fund in aid of the orphans and widows of musical artists had asked Tchaikovsky to conduct at their planned concert in Moscow during the winter of 1891, at a time when the composer had scheduled other engagements. The charitable concert did not ultimately take place.
