Letter 2730a - Revision history

Tony: Punctuation and spacing adjustments

2025-01-20T12:43:13Z

Punctuation and spacing adjustments

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:43, 20 January 2025
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	[[Manya]]! ''Kuopio'' <ref name="note2"/> interests me greatly, and I am starting to think about making a trip to Finland at the end of the summer. Tell me what your ''Societatibus'' is like. Is it a good hotel? Will I be able to find a vacant room? Perhaps [[Modest]] and I will come over.		[[Manya]]! ''Kuopio'' <ref name="note2"/> interests me greatly, and I am starting to think about making a trip to Finland at the end of the summer. Tell me what your ''Societatibus'' is like. Is it a good hotel? Will I be able to find a vacant room? Perhaps [[Modest]] and I will come over.

	My walks at [[Maydanovo]] aren't very good. It's a long way to the forest, and the latter is poor anyway. The park is magnificent, but what good is it when there are vacationers strolling about!!! Oh these vacationers! And, in particular, my most unbearable and tiresome landlady, Mrs Novikova!<ref name="note3"/> The swimming is tolerable. My name-day was celebrated with pomp and circumstance. I rolled out a dinner which cost me 150 rubles. Among the guests were ''V. D. Konshin'' <ref name="note4"/>, ''[[Nikolay Ilyich]]'' and ''[[Olga Tchaikovskaya\|his wife]]'', Mrs ''Novikova'', Mr [[Kondratyev]], and Nikolay Peresleni <ref name="note5"/>, who is staying with us. ''[[Panya]]'' is haggling over prices more than ever and quite often infuriates me. In this respect she has found an ally in my ''[[Aleksey]]''. There exists no greater pleasure for them than to wrench an extra little ''kopeck'' from some peasant-woman or boy!		My walks at [[Maydanovo]] aren't very good. It's a long way to the forest, and the latter is poor anyway. The park is magnificent, but what good is it when there are vacationers strolling about!!! Oh these vacationers! And, in particular, my most unbearable and tiresome landlady, Mrs Novikova! <ref name="note3"/> The swimming is tolerable. My name-day was celebrated with pomp and circumstance. I rolled out a dinner which cost me 150 rubles. Among the guests were ''V. D. Konshin'' <ref name="note4"/>, ''[[Nikolay Ilyich]]'' and ''[[Olga Tchaikovskaya\|his wife]]'', Mrs ''Novikova'', Mr [[Kondratyev]] and Nikolay Peresleni <ref name="note5"/>, who is staying with us. ''[[Panya]]'' is haggling over prices more than ever and quite often infuriates me. In this respect she has found an ally in my ''[[Aleksey]]''. There exists no greater pleasure for them than to wrench an extra little ''kopeck'' from some peasant-woman or boy!

	[[Manya]]! I am not entirely happy about you tackling ''[[Fet]]''. What's the point of doubling up?<ref name="note7"/> In my view you should write exclusively about music. In that field you are unrivalled! You are ''on your home ground'' when you write about [[Mozart]]. In literary criticism you are no more than an honorary guest. I will soon write to you again. Please excuse the rushed nature of this letter. Yours, P. Tchaikovsky.		[[Manya]]! I am not entirely happy about you tackling ''[[Fet]]''. What's the point of doubling up? <ref name="note7"/> In my view, you should write exclusively about music. In that field you are unrivalled! You are ''on your home ground'' when you write about [[Mozart]]. In literary criticism you are no more than an honorary guest. I will soon write to you again. Please excuse the rushed nature of this letter. Yours, P. Tchaikovsky.

	Bow low to [[Yekaterina Laroche\|Katerina Ivanovna]]. Also give regards to Tanya. Kiss the little ones.		Bow low to [[Yekaterina Laroche\|Katerina Ivanovna]]. Also give regards to Tanya. Kiss the little ones.
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	<ref name="note4">Vladimir Dmitriyevich Konshin (d. 1915), a [[Moscow]]-based merchant, the father of the composer's sister-in-law [[Praskovya Tchaikovskaya]].</ref>		<ref name="note4">Vladimir Dmitriyevich Konshin (d. 1915), a [[Moscow]]-based merchant, the father of the composer's sister-in-law [[Praskovya Tchaikovskaya]].</ref>
	<ref name="note5">Nikolay ("Kokodes") Vladimirovich Peresleni (d. 1914), a nephew of [[Lev Davydov]]. For some information on Tchaikovsky's attitude to Nikolay and his brother [[Vadim Peresleni\|Vadim]], see {{bib\|1993/186\|Tchaikovsky. The quest for the inner man}} (1993), p. 471–472.</ref>		<ref name="note5">Nikolay ("Kokodes") Vladimirovich Peresleni (d. 1914), a nephew of [[Lev Davydov]]. For some information on Tchaikovsky's attitude to Nikolay and his brother [[Vadim Peresleni\|Vadim]], see {{bib\|1993/186\|Tchaikovsky. The quest for the inner man}} (1993), p. 471–472.</ref>
	<ref name="note6">In the autumn of 1883 Tchaikovsky resumed his study of the English language, in particular so as to be able to read Charles Dickens's novels in the original (see [[Letter 2380]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]]). Whenever he came across some unclear word or expression he would make a note in the margin to remind himself to ask [[Laroche]] afterwards.</ref>		<ref name="note6">In the autumn of 1883, Tchaikovsky resumed his study of the English language, in particular so as to be able to read Charles Dickens's novels in the original (see [[Letter 2380]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]]). Whenever he came across some unclear word or expression, he would make a note in the margin to remind himself to ask [[Laroche]] afterwards.</ref>
	<ref name="note7">i.e. as a literary and musical critic.</ref>		<ref name="note7">i.e. as a literary and musical critic.</ref>
	<ref name="note8">The envelope accompanying this letter, in Tchaikovsky's handwriting, was advertised for sale separately at auction on 28 June 2023 by University Archives (Wilton, Connecticut, U.S.A). See: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/pyotr-tchaikovsky-handwritten-envelope-psa-authen-392-c-36c484bba7.</ref>		<ref name="note8">The envelope accompanying this letter, in Tchaikovsky's handwriting, was advertised for sale separately at auction on 28 June 2023 by University Archives (Wilton, Connecticut, U.S.A). See: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/pyotr-tchaikovsky-handwritten-envelope-psa-authen-392-c-36c484bba7.</ref>
	</references>		</references>

Brett at 15:21, 26 June 2023

2023-06-26T15:21:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:21, 26 June 2023
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	\|Place=[[Maydanovo]]		\|Place=[[Maydanovo]]
	\|Language=Russian (with postscript in English)		\|Language=Russian (with postscript in English)
	\|Autograph=New Haven (Connecticut, USA): {{US-NHub}}		\|Autograph=New Haven (Connecticut, USA): {{US-NHub}} <ref name="note8"/>
	\|Publication=''{{bibx\|2003/61\|Чайковский. Новые документы и материалы}}'' (2003), p. 95–96 }}		\|Publication={{bibx\|2003/61\|Чайковский. Новые документы и материалы}} (2003), p. 95–96 }}

	==Text and Translation==		==Text and Translation==
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	<ref name="note6">In the autumn of 1883 Tchaikovsky resumed his study of the English language, in particular so as to be able to read Charles Dickens's novels in the original (see [[Letter 2380]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]]). Whenever he came across some unclear word or expression he would make a note in the margin to remind himself to ask [[Laroche]] afterwards.</ref>		<ref name="note6">In the autumn of 1883 Tchaikovsky resumed his study of the English language, in particular so as to be able to read Charles Dickens's novels in the original (see [[Letter 2380]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]]). Whenever he came across some unclear word or expression he would make a note in the margin to remind himself to ask [[Laroche]] afterwards.</ref>
	<ref name="note7">i.e. as a literary and musical critic.</ref>		<ref name="note7">i.e. as a literary and musical critic.</ref>
			<ref name="note8">The envelope accompanying this letter, in Tchaikovsky's handwriting, was advertised for sale separately at auction on 28 June 2023 by University Archives (Wilton, Connecticut, U.S.A). See: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/pyotr-tchaikovsky-handwritten-envelope-psa-authen-392-c-36c484bba7.</ref>
	</references>		</references>

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:41:30Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 14:41, 12 July 2022
(No difference)

Brett at 19:21, 5 January 2020

2020-01-05T19:21:53Z

New page

{{letterhead
|Date=3/15 July 1885
|To=[[Herman Laroche]]
|Place=[[Maydanovo]]
|Language=Russian (with postscript in English)
|Autograph=New Haven (Connecticut, USA): {{US-NHub}}
|Publication=''{{bibx|2003/61|Чайковский. Новые документы и материалы}}'' (2003), p. 95–96 }}

==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian and English
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist
|Original text={{right|''3 июля''<br/>с[ело] Майданово}}
{{centre|Милый Маня!}}
Крайне был обрадован письмом Вашим ибо очень соскучился о Вас. Мы все ежедневно по несколько раз вспоминаем вас и жалеем, что Вас нет.

Майданово вообще куда хуже и мизернее, и прозаичнее Скабеевки. Но кое-как живётся и здесь хорошо. Известно ли Вам назначение ''Толи'' прокурором в Тифлис? Это состоялось недели 2 тому назад к всеобщему удовольствию. Ехать в провинцию во всяком случае было необходимо и хорошо что выпал жребий ехать на ''губительный Кавказ''. Они уже сдали квартиру, распродали свои вещи и мало-помалу собираются в далёкий путь. Толя едет в августе. Паня в октябре. Про Модеста ничего не пишу, ибо он сам сообщит Вам о себе подробности. Я делаю корректуры «''Черевичек''» и кроме того оканчиваю очень большую симфонию, увы, с ''программой'', а именно на '' Манфреда''. Балакирев так приставал ко мне с этим ''Манфредом'', что [я] имел слабость дать слово; затем попробовал, начал, — а потом как снежный ком обращающийся в огромную лавину, из этой попытки вылезла на свет огромная симфония, à la ''Берлиоз''. Клянусь, что в последний раз в жизни пишу программную симфонию: какая фальшь, сколько условности, казёнщины в духе могучей кучки, как всё это холодно и ложно, в сущности!!!

Маня! Меня страшно интересует ''Куопио'' и я начинаю подумывать о поездке в конце лета в Финляндию. Напишите мне что такое ваш ''Societatibus''. Хорошая ли это гостиница? Найдётся ли в ней для меня место? Может быть мы с Модестом приедем.

Прогулки в Майданове плохие; лес далёк, да и тот плохой. Парк превосходен, — но какая от него польза, когда в нём гуляют дачники!!! Ох уж эти дачники! И особенно несноснейшая, надоедливая хозяйка, г[оспо]жа Новикова! Купанье изрядно. Именины мои были отпразднованы торжественно. Я закатил обед, стоивший мне 150 р[ублей]. Из гостей были '' В. Д. Коншин'', ''Николай Ильич'' с ''супругой'', г-жа '' Новикова'', г. Кондратьев и Николай Переслени, гостящий у нас. ''Паня'' торгуется больше чем когда-либо и нередко бесит меня; в этом отношении она нашла себе союзника в лице моего ''Алексея''. Нет для них большего удовольствия, как утянуть ''копейку'', от бабы или мальчишки!

Маня! Я не совсем доволен, что Вы за ''Фета'' принялись. Зачем раздваиваться? По-моему Вы должны писать о музыке исключительно. На этом поприще у Вас нет соперника! Вы '' дома'' когда пишете о Моцарте. В литературной критике Вы лишь почётный гость. Вскоре напишу Вам ещё; простите поспешность сегодняшнего письма. Ваш П. Чайковский.

Низкий поклон Кат[ерине] Ивановне. Кланяюсь также Тане. Деток целую.

I am very diligent with my Englisch reading but without you it is so difficult.
{{right|P. T.}}

|Translated text={{right|''3 July''<br/>[[Maydanovo]] village}}
{{centre|Dear [[Manya]]!}}
Your letter gladdened me greatly, because I have been missing you very much. We all think about you several times each day and are sorry that you aren't here.

[[Maydanovo]] is on the whole far worse and more wretched and prosaic than little [[Skabeyevo]]. Still, even here one can get along quite well. Did you know that ''[[Tolya]]'' has been appointed state prosecutor in [[Tiflis]]? It happened some two weeks ago, much to the delight of everyone. He had to go to the provinces in any case, and it's good that the ticket he has drawn in this lottery is one to ''the baneful Caucasus''. They have already let out their flat and sold their things, and little by little they are getting ready for the long journey. [[Tolya]] is leaving in August, [[Panya]] in October. I'm not writing anything about [[Modest]], because he will inform you himself of what he has been doing. I am working on the proofs for ''[[Cherevichki]]'', and apart from that I am finishing off a very long symphony — alas, one with a ''programme'', based on ''Manfred''. [[Balakirev]] so pestered me with this ''Manfred'' that I caved in and gave my word. Then I had a go at it and made a start — and soon afterwards, like a snowball turning into a huge avalanche, out of this attempt there crawled out into the world a huge symphony à la ''[[Berlioz]]''. I swear that this is the last time in my life that I shall write a programme symphony: what falseness, how much conventionality and routine in the spirit of the Mighty Handful <ref name="note1"/>, how cold and false all this is, truly!!!

[[Manya]]! ''Kuopio'' <ref name="note2"/> interests me greatly, and I am starting to think about making a trip to Finland at the end of the summer. Tell me what your ''Societatibus'' is like. Is it a good hotel? Will I be able to find a vacant room? Perhaps [[Modest]] and I will come over.

My walks at [[Maydanovo]] aren't very good. It's a long way to the forest, and the latter is poor anyway. The park is magnificent, but what good is it when there are vacationers strolling about!!! Oh these vacationers! And, in particular, my most unbearable and tiresome landlady, Mrs Novikova!<ref name="note3"/> The swimming is tolerable. My name-day was celebrated with pomp and circumstance. I rolled out a dinner which cost me 150 rubles. Among the guests were ''V. D. Konshin'' <ref name="note4"/>, ''[[Nikolay Ilyich]]'' and ''[[Olga Tchaikovskaya|his wife]]'', Mrs ''Novikova'', Mr [[Kondratyev]], and Nikolay Peresleni <ref name="note5"/>, who is staying with us. ''[[Panya]]'' is haggling over prices more than ever and quite often infuriates me. In this respect she has found an ally in my ''[[Aleksey]]''. There exists no greater pleasure for them than to wrench an extra little ''kopeck'' from some peasant-woman or boy!

[[Manya]]! I am not entirely happy about you tackling ''[[Fet]]''. What's the point of doubling up?<ref name="note7"/> In my view you should write exclusively about music. In that field you are unrivalled! You are ''on your home ground'' when you write about [[Mozart]]. In literary criticism you are no more than an honorary guest. I will soon write to you again. Please excuse the rushed nature of this letter. Yours, P. Tchaikovsky.

Bow low to [[Yekaterina Laroche|Katerina Ivanovna]]. Also give regards to Tanya. Kiss the little ones.

I am very diligent with my English reading but without you it is so difficult <ref name="note6"/>.
{{right|P. T.}}
}}
==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">The "Mighty Handful" (or Mighty Five) was the group of nationalistic composers who emerged in [[Saint Petersburg]] in the latter half of the 1860s under the aegis of [[Mily Balakirev]]. It was [[Vladimir Stasov]] who came up with this soubriquet.</ref>
<ref name="note2">A Finnish city where [[Herman Laroche]] was spending the summer.</ref>
<ref name="note3">Nadezhda Vasilyevna Novikova, the wife of the landowner Novikov, one of whose properties at [[Maydanovo]] Tchaikovsky was renting.</ref>
<ref name="note4">Vladimir Dmitriyevich Konshin (d. 1915), a [[Moscow]]-based merchant, the father of the composer's sister-in-law [[Praskovya Tchaikovskaya]].</ref>
<ref name="note5">Nikolay ("Kokodes") Vladimirovich Peresleni (d. 1914), a nephew of [[Lev Davydov]]. For some information on Tchaikovsky's attitude to Nikolay and his brother [[Vadim Peresleni|Vadim]], see {{bib|1993/186|Tchaikovsky. The quest for the inner man}} (1993), p. 471–472.</ref>
<ref name="note6">In the autumn of 1883 Tchaikovsky resumed his study of the English language, in particular so as to be able to read Charles Dickens's novels in the original (see [[Letter 2380]] to [[Nadezhda von Meck]]). Whenever he came across some unclear word or expression he would make a note in the margin to remind himself to ask [[Laroche]] afterwards.</ref>
<ref name="note7">i.e. as a literary and musical critic.</ref>
</references>