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{{letterhead
|Date=6/18 January 1888
|To=[[Félix Mackar]]
|Place=[[Hamburg]]
|Language=French
|Autograph=[[Paris]] (France): {{F-Pn}}
|Publication={{bibx|1968/16|Revue de musicologie}}, tome 64 (1968), no. 1, p. 66 {{bib|1974/53|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XIV}} (1974), p. 327–328. }}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=French
|Translator=Luis Sundkvist

|Original text={{right|''Hambourg'' 18 Janvier ''1888''}}
{{center|Cher ami!}}
Votre lettre m'a causé ''le plus vif plaisir''. Certainement ce que Vous venez d'arranger est on ne peut mieux ; cela nous {{sic|épargnes|épargne}} {{sic|un|une}} infinité d'embarras et cela nous assure un grand et vrai public. Je Vous remercie de tout mon cœur pour la peine que Vous Vous êtes donné et pour l'habilité diplomatique que Vous avez déployée.

Pensez donc! Deux fois chez Colonne, — mais c'est la réalisation d'un rêve.

Pour le programme je viens d'écrire à Colonne. Si c'est pour les deux concerts le même, ce sera:
:1) Serénade pour cordes 2) Concert par Diémer 3) ''{{sic|Franceska|Francesca}}''
Si c'est pour les deux un programme différent, — ce sera pour le 2-me:
:1) Ouverture '' Roméo'' 2) Chant, ou bien morceaux de piano ou bien encore l'andante de l'op. 11 3) Suite № 3
Certainement Colonne pourra changer tout qu'il voudra.

Mon succès de Leipzig a été très grand. {{sic|Excepte|Excepté}} celui que j'ai obtenu au ''Gewandhaus'', j'ai eu là un succès {{sic|eclatant|éclatant}} au ''Liszt-Verein'', société de musique fondée en l'honneur de '' Liszt'' dans laquelle a eu lieu un concert de musique de chambre avec grande pompe[,] applaudissement[s] frénetiques, couronne, etc.

J'ai eu deux {{sic|répetitions|répétitions}} du Concert de la Société {{sic|Philarmonique|Philharmonique}} de ''Hambourg''. Demain aura lieu la {{sic|répetion|répétition}} avec le public et {{sic|après demain|après-demain}} le concert. Les musiciens de l'orchestre sont pleins d'{{sic|egards|égards}} simpathiques pour moi. Ici c'est tout à fait comme chez Colonne[,] c'est à dire que la deuxième moitié du concert est pour moi. Je V[ou]s envoie l'annonce. Je V[ou]s enverrai aussi le programme. J'ai perdu celui de ''Leipzig''. Le 8 grand concert à '' Berlin'' '' exclusivement'' consacré à moi. Merci, merci encorecher et bon ami!

Au revoir,
{{right|P. Tschaïkovsky}}
Hommages respectueux à M[ada]me Mackar.

J'ai reçu il y a trois jours la nouvelle que l'Empereur m'a accordé une pension de 3000 rubles pour la vie.

|Translated text=
{{right|''[[Hamburg]]'' 18 January ''1888''}}
{{center|Dear friend!}}
Your letter has afforded me ''the most vivid'' pleasure. The arrangement you have just made is certainly the best possible one: it spares us from a multitude of inconveniences, and guarantees that we will have a big and real audience <ref name="note1"/>. I thank you with all my heart for the trouble you have taken and for the diplomatic skill which you have deployed. Just think! Two concerts at [[Colonne]]'s — why, that is a dream come true!

As regards the programme, I have just written to [[Colonne]] <ref name="note2"/>. If it is to be the same for both concerts, then it shall be as follows:
:1) [[Serenade for Strings]] 2) [[Piano Concerto No. 1|Concerto]], played by [[Diémer]] 3) ''[[Francesca]]''
If each concert is to have a different programme, then the second one shall be:
:1) ''[[Romeo]]'' overture 2) Songs, or piano pieces, or, alternatively, the ''[[Andante cantabile|Andante]]'' from [[String Quartet No. 1|Op. 11]] 3) [[Suite No. 3]]
Of course, [[Colonne]] is free to amend anything he wishes to <ref name="note3"/>.

My success in [[Leipzig]] was very considerable. Apart from that I achieved at the ''Gewandhaus'', I also had a resounding success at the ''Liszt-Verein'' — a musical society established in ''[[Liszt]]'s'' honour where a concert of my chamber music took place, with great pomp, frenetic applause, a wreath etc <ref name="note4"/>.

I have had two rehearsals for my concert with the ''[[Hamburg]]'' Philharmonic Society. Tomorrow is the rehearsal at which the public is invited, and the day after tomorrow is the concert <ref name="note5"/>. The orchestra players are very well-disposed towards me. The arrangement here is exactly the same as at [[Colonne]]'s, that is the second half of the concert has been reserved for me. I am sending you the notice. I will also send you the programme. I've lost the one for the ''[[Leipzig]]'' concert <ref name="note6"/>. On the 8th I have a big concert in ''[[Berlin]]'' ''exclusively'' devoted to my works <ref name="note7"/>. Once again many, many thanks, dear and kind friend!

Until we meet,
{{right|P. Tchaikovsky}}

My respectful compliments to Madme Mackar <ref name="note9"/>.

Three days ago I received the news that the [[Alexander III|Emperor]] has granted me a lifetime annuity of 3,000 rubles <ref name="note8"/>.
}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">In his letter from [[Paris]] on 3/15 January 1888 [[Mackar]] had informed Tchaikovsky of the outcome of his negotiations with [[Colonne]]: they had decided that at the two Châtelet concerts scheduled for 28 February/11 March and 6/18 March 1888 respectively the second half of each one would be devoted to Tchaikovsky's works, with the composer himself conducting. Never before, [[Mackar]] added, had [[Colonne]] yielded his baton to a foreign musician; that was something he had so far only done for [[Gounod]], [[Massenet]], and [[Saint-Saëns]]. Moreover, [[Colonne]] offered him the services of his orchestra and of the Théâtre Châtelet for free, though he did reserve to himself the right to modify Tchaikovsky's proposed programme. [[Mackar]] emphasized how important this gesture on [[Colonne]]'s part was, since with it went a venue that could accommodate 2,800 people and all the publicity of the Châtelet concerts. [[Mackar]]'s letter has been published (in Russian translation only) in {{bib|1970/6|Чайковский и зарубежные музыканты}} (1970), p. 156–157.</ref>
<ref name="note2">This particular letter from Tchaikovsky to [[Colonne]] has not come to light. However, the Frenchman's reply has survived: it is dated 8/20 January 1888, and in it [[Colonne]] explained that he would think about Tchaikovsky's proposed programmes and let him know his decision as soon as possible. Tchaikovsky had evidently also told him that he aimed to arrive in [[Paris]] on 11/23 February, because in his letter [[Colonne]] wrote that he would prefer it if Tchaikovsky's first guest appearance on the conductor's rostrum took place at the earlier Châtelet concert on 21 February/4 March, the second one then being at the following Sunday's concert on 28 February/11 March. These would indeed be the two dates at which Tchaikovsky conducted [[Colonne]]'s orchestra in the Théâtre Châtelet — see {{bib|1970/6|Чайковский и зарубежные музыканты}} (1970), p. 216.</ref>
<ref name="note3">The programmes of the two concerts were indeed different, with most of the works proposed by Tchaikovsky here being featured (though in a different order). However, [[Louis Diémer]] did not ultimately perform the [[Piano Concerto No. 1]], as Tchaikovsky had hoped, but the [[Concert Fantasia]] instead.</ref>
<ref name="note4">During the first half of the 19th subscription concert at the [[Leipzig]] Gewandhaus on 24 December 1887/5 January 1888 Tchaikovsky had successfully conducted his [[Suite No. 1]] (this was his first appearance as a conductor outside Russia). The soirée in Tchaikovsky's honour given by the Liszt-Verein took place in the auditorium of the old Gewandhaus the following day: alongside the [[Piano Trio]] and [[String Quartet No. 1]], performed by various [[Leipzig]]-based German and foreign musicians, [[Aleksandr Ziloti]] also played some solo piano pieces, including the ''Barcarolle'' from '' [[The Seasons]]'' and a fantasia on themes from ''[[Yevgeny Onegin]]''. Tchaikovsky described both these events in Chapters VII and VIII of his ''[[Autobiographical Account of a Tour Abroad in the Year 1888]]''.</ref>
<ref name="note5">During the second half of the [[Hamburg]] Philharmonic Society concert of 8/20 January 1888 Tchaikovsky would conduct a programme of his works, including the [[Serenade for String Orchestra]], the [[Piano Concerto No. 1]] (soloist [[Vasily Sapelnikov]]), and the ''Theme and Variations'' from the [[Suite No. 3]]. This concert was received less warmly by the conservative [[Hamburg]] audience.</ref>
<ref name="note6">In his letter of 3/15 January 1888 [[Mackar]] had asked Tchaikovsky to send him the programme notes for the concerts at which he had appeared so far, so that he could supply the Parisian press with information about the composer's successes in Germany.</ref>
<ref name="note7">On 27 January/8 February Tchaikovsky would conduct the [[Berlin]] Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert of his own works, including the overture-fantasia ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', the [[Piano Concerto No. 1]] (soloist [[Aleksandr Ziloti]]), the ''Introduction and Fugue'' from [[Suite No. 1]], the ''Andante cantabile'' from [[String Quartet No. 1]], four songs (soloist [[Aline Friede]]), and the festival overture ''[[The Year 1812]]''. It proved to be a great success.</ref>
<ref name="note8">Tchaikovsky wrote this note in the margin of the first page of the letter.</ref>
<ref name="note9">Tchaikovsky wrote this note in the margin of the last page. [[Mackar]]'s wife, Valérie. When he arrived in [[Paris]] four weeks later Tchaikovsky would present her with one of the prints of the portrait taken of him by the [[Hamburg]] photographer E. Bieber on the same day as the above letter. He wrote on it the following inscription: "Madame Valérie Mackar souvenir affectueux" and sketched three bars from the ''Andante cantabile'' of his [[String Quartet No. 1]] — see {{bibx|1968/16|Revue de musicologie}}, tome 64 (1968), no. 1, p. 94. The portrait in question appears as [[:File:Photo060.jpg|Photo No. 60]] in our [[Photographs|Catalogue of Photographs]].</ref>
</references>

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