Letter 2197 - Revision history

Tony: "so was" to "was so" for clarity of meaning

2024-12-21T12:26:57Z

"so was" to "was so" for clarity of meaning

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:26, 21 December 2024
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	\|Translated text={{right\|''[[Paris]]''<br/>14/26 January 1883}}		\|Translated text={{right\|''[[Paris]]''<br/>14/26 January 1883}}
	{{centre\|Dear friend [[Eduard Frantsovich]]!}}		{{centre\|Dear friend [[Eduard Frantsovich]]!}}
	I received your letter a week ago, and so ~~was~~ overjoyed that you were generally pleased with the text, and the fact that, finally, I could start to work after six weeks of idleness, that in my happiness I even forgot to thank you. Thank you, most kind friend! Of course, I shall heed all your advice and instructions, and I hope that you will remain pleased. It's just unfortunate that the two flaws you spoke about: 1) the artificial and uninteresting opening, and 2) the much too dreary colouring of the whole libretto in general, are both ''incorrigible'', because although the 1st of these might be done differently, I don't know how, and it's much too late for the 2nd. I can try to divide 1st act into scenes and generally attempt to redeem the limitations of the libretto by virtue of the music. I will not be hurrying, because in any case the opera cannot be presented this spring.		I received your letter a week ago, and was so overjoyed that you were generally pleased with the text, and the fact that, finally, I could start to work after six weeks of idleness, that in my happiness I even forgot to thank you. Thank you, most kind friend! Of course, I shall heed all your advice and instructions, and I hope that you will remain pleased. It's just unfortunate that the two flaws you spoke about: 1) the artificial and uninteresting opening, and 2) the much too dreary colouring of the whole libretto in general, are both ''incorrigible'', because although the 1st of these might be done differently, I don't know how, and it's much too late for the 2nd. I can try to divide the 1st act into scenes and generally attempt to redeem the limitations of the libretto by virtue of the music. I will not be hurrying, because in any case the opera cannot be presented this spring.

	I am still in [[Paris]], awaiting my brother, who is supposed to be coming here, and with whom I shall be going to Italy. A week ago I heard "''The Marriage of Figaro''" at the "''Opéra Comique''" and thought about how this astonishingly wonderful opera might be staged in [[Petersburg]]. At the same performance I met with [[Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich]], who was sitting in the seat behind me like a mere mortal. I was awfully glad to see him; he appeared very sprightly, cheerful and well. It goes without saying that he asked me about you, and I told him everything I know.		I am still in [[Paris]], awaiting my brother, who is supposed to be coming here, and with whom I shall be going to Italy. A week ago I heard "''The Marriage of Figaro''" at the "''Opéra Comique''" and thought about how this astonishingly wonderful opera might be staged in [[Petersburg]]. At the same performance I met with [[Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich]], who was sitting in the seat behind me like a mere mortal. I was awfully glad to see him; he appeared very sprightly, cheerful and well. It goes without saying that he asked me about you, and I told him everything I know.

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-14T20:31:12Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 22:31, 14 July 2022
(No difference)

Brett: Text replacement - " Кн[я" to " кн[я"

2020-04-23T12:59:47Z

Text replacement - " Кн[я" to " кн[я"

New page

{{letterhead
|Date=14/26 January 1883
|To=[[Eduard Nápravník]]
|Place=[[Paris]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 3357)
|Publication={{bib|1901/24|Жизнь Петра Ильича Чайковского ; том 2}} (1901), p. 569–570 (abridged) {{bibx|1924/2|Чайковский. Воспоминания и письма}} (1924), p. 150–151 {{bib|1959/20|Е. Ф. Направник. Автобиографические, творческие материалы, документы, письма}} (1959), p. 126–127 {{bib|1970/86|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XII}} (1970), p. 29–30
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|''Париж'' 14/26 янв[аря] 1883 г[ода]}}
{{centre|Дорогой друг Эдуард Францович!}}
Ещё неделю тому назад получил письмо Ваше и так обрадовался и тому, что Вы в общем довольны текстом, и тому, что можно, наконец, начать работать после шести недельного ничегонеделания, — что на радостях даже позабыл поблагодарить Вас. Спасибо Вам, добрейший друг! Разумеется, все Ваши советы и указания будут приняты мною к сведению, и надеюсь, что Вы останетесь мной довольны. Только к сожалению два недостатка, о которых Вы говорите: 1) искусственность и безынтересность начала и 2) слишком мрачная окраска всего вообще либретто — ''неисправимы'', ибо иначе, может быть, и можно сделать, но во 1-х, не умею, а, во 2-х, уж слишком поздно. Разделение 1-го действия на картины сделаю и вообще постараюсь, чтобы недостатки либретто были выкуплены достоинствами музыкальными. Торопиться не буду, ибо во всяком случае этой весной представить оперу не могу.

Я все ещё в Париже, в ожидании брата, который должен сюда приехать и с коим вместе поеду в Италию. Неделю тому назад я слышал в «''Opéra Comique''» «''Свадьбу Фигаро''» и подумал: чтобы в Петербурге поставить эту удивительно чудную оперу. На этом же представлении я встретился с Вел[иким] кн[язем] Конст[антином] Нико[лаевичем], который, как простой смертный, сидел в креслах сзади меня. Я ужасно был рад его видеть; он показался мне очень бодрым, весёлым и здоровым. Само собой разумеется, что он об Вас меня расспрашивал, и все, что знаю, я ему сообщил.

Засим, до свиданья, дорогой друг! Тысячу раз Вам спасибо. Ваше письмо принесло мне спокойствие и уверенность в том, что, постаравшись, могу, наконец, написать хорошую оперу.

Если будет нужно что-либо написать, то адрес: ''Рим, Нôtеl Соstаnzi''.

Искренно преданный и любящий,
{{right|П. Чайковский}}

|Translated text={{right|''[[Paris]]'' 14/26 January 1883}}
{{centre|Dear friend [[Eduard Frantsovich]]!}}
I received your letter a week ago, and so was overjoyed that you were generally pleased with the text, and the fact that, finally, I could start to work after six weeks of idleness, that in my happiness I even forgot to thank you. Thank you, most kind friend! Of course, I shall heed all your advice and instructions, and I hope that you will remain pleased. It's just unfortunate that the two flaws you spoke about: 1) the artificial and uninteresting opening, and 2) the much too dreary colouring of the whole libretto in general, are both ''incorrigible'', because although the 1st of these might be done differently, I don't know how, and it's much too late for the 2nd. I can try to divide 1st act into scenes and generally attempt to redeem the limitations of the libretto by virtue of the music. I will not be hurrying, because in any case the opera cannot be presented this spring.

I am still in [[Paris]], awaiting my brother, who is supposed to be coming here, and with whom I shall be going to Italy. A week ago I heard "''The Marriage of Figaro''" at the "''Opéra Comique''" and thought about how this astonishingly wonderful opera might be staged in [[Petersburg]]. At the same performance I met with [[Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich]], who was sitting in the seat behind me like a mere mortal. I was awfully glad to see him; he appeared very sprightly, cheerful and well. It goes without saying that he asked me about you, and I told him everything I know.

And with that, until we meet, dear friend! A thousand thanks to you. Your letter brought me the peace of mind and confidence that, with the application of effort, I can finally write a fine opera.

If you are writing anything, then the address is: ''[[Rome]], Нôtеl Соstаnzi''.

Sincerely devoted and affectionate,
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}
}}