Letter 4495 - Revision history

Brett: Text replacement - "objectionable" to "horrible"

2024-01-24T16:35:45Z

Text replacement - "objectionable" to "horrible"

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:35, 24 January 2024
Line 18:		Line 18:

	\|Translated text={{right\|''3 October'' 1891}}		\|Translated text={{right\|''3 October'' 1891}}
	My dear chap! I have no grounds whatsoever to prevent "''Hamlet''" being given in [[Petersburg]] with my music <ref name="note1"/>. It isn't my music. Since it's now required by the Directorate, it cannot be ''demanded''. All the better that you had [[Khristoforov]] take a copy. You should be aware that some of the numbers are essentially old ones, for instance, ''the [[Samarin]] [[Elegy]], the Divertimento from the [[Symphony No. 3\|3rd Symphony]]''. They must not be published in any form; or if necessary I could compose new numbers to replace them, but I cannot do this just now, as if I were to force myself it would turn out badly. The overture is a ''parody'' of the existing "''[[Hamlet (overture-fantasia)\|Hamlet]]''" overture, i.e. ''facilité'' for a small, poor orchestra. On the whole I confess that I would not really want all this trivial nonsense to be published and sold. I suppose there's just one ''march'' worth printing. However, do as you wish. Only please don't ''demand'' this from the Directorate, as I cannot (and consequently you cannot) ''demand'' it, because I churned out this music at the director's request for my favourite actor ''[[Guitry]]''. Or ask for it when it's no longer required. If for some reason you are set on publishing it at once, then I suppose I could write new numbers instead of the aforementioned old ones (I should also mention the melodrama from "[[The Snow Maiden]]", which is also included) — but I feel this will turn out badly, because I find it most ~~objectionable~~ to write for a poor orchestra on such a gigantic subject.		My dear chap! I have no grounds whatsoever to prevent "''Hamlet''" being given in [[Petersburg]] with my music <ref name="note1"/>. It isn't my music. Since it's now required by the Directorate, it cannot be ''demanded''. All the better that you had [[Khristoforov]] take a copy. You should be aware that some of the numbers are essentially old ones, for instance, ''the [[Samarin]] [[Elegy]], the Divertimento from the [[Symphony No. 3\|3rd Symphony]]''. They must not be published in any form; or if necessary I could compose new numbers to replace them, but I cannot do this just now, as if I were to force myself it would turn out badly. The overture is a ''parody'' of the existing "''[[Hamlet (overture-fantasia)\|Hamlet]]''" overture, i.e. ''facilité'' for a small, poor orchestra. On the whole I confess that I would not really want all this trivial nonsense to be published and sold. I suppose there's just one ''march'' worth printing. However, do as you wish. Only please don't ''demand'' this from the Directorate, as I cannot (and consequently you cannot) ''demand'' it, because I churned out this music at the director's request for my favourite actor ''[[Guitry]]''. Or ask for it when it's no longer required. If for some reason you are set on publishing it at once, then I suppose I could write new numbers instead of the aforementioned old ones (I should also mention the melodrama from "[[The Snow Maiden]]", which is also included) — but I feel this will turn out badly, because I find it most horrible to write for a poor orchestra on such a gigantic subject.

	I'm waiting for news about the will. It's amazing how I manage to botch everything up!<ref name="note2"/>		I'm waiting for news about the will. It's amazing how I manage to botch everything up!<ref name="note2"/>

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:47:30Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 13:47, 12 July 2022
(No difference)

Brett at 19:38, 27 December 2019

2019-12-27T19:38:45Z

New page

{{letterhead
|Date=3/15 October 1891
|To=[[Pyotr Jurgenson]]
|Place=[[Maydanovo]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 2768)
|Publication={{bib|1952/58|П. И. Чайковский. Переписка с П. И. Юргенсоном ; том 2}} (1952), p. 218<br/>{{bib|1978/54|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том XVI–А}} (1976), p. 224
}}
==Text and Translation==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|''3 окт[ября]'' [18]91}}
Душа моя! Я не имею никакого основания препятствовать, чтобы «''Гамлет''» шёл в Петербурге с моей музыкой. Ноты не мои. Так как теперь они нужны Дирекции, то нельзя их ''требовать''. А лучше ты Христофорову вели снять копию. Предупреждаю тебя, что некоторые нумера суть старые, напр[имер] ''Самаринская элегия, Divertimento из 3 симфонии''. Их издавать никоим образом не следует; или же нужно вместо них сочинить новые нумера, но этого сейчас я не могу сделать, или, если сделаю, то через силу, значит скверно. Увертюра есть ''пародия'' на настоящую увертюру «''Гамлет''», т. е. это ''facilité'' для маленького, скверного оркестра. Вообще я, признаться, вовсе не желал бы, чтобы вся эта чепуха преважно издавалась и продавалась. Разве только один ''марш'' стоит быть напечатанным. Впрочем, как хочешь. Только, пожалуйста, не ''требуй'' из Дирекции того, чего я не могу (а следовательно, и ты не можешь) ''требовать'', ибо я эту музыку смастерил по просьбе директора для моего любимца актёра ''Гитри''. Или потребуй, когда надобность пройдёт. Если почему-либо ты непременно хочешь сейчас же издавать, то я, пожалуй, напишу новые нумера вместо упомянутых старых (нужно ещё упомянуть об мелодраме из «Снегурочки», тоже туда вошедшей), — но чувствую, что будет скверно, ибо уж очень противно сочинять для скверных оркестров при таком колоссальном сюжете.

Жду известия о завещании. Удивительно, как я способен везде напутать!
{{right|Твой, П. Чайковский}}

|Translated text={{right|''3 October'' 1891}}
My dear chap! I have no grounds whatsoever to prevent "''Hamlet''" being given in [[Petersburg]] with my music <ref name="note1"/>. It isn't my music. Since it's now required by the Directorate, it cannot be ''demanded''. All the better that you had [[Khristoforov]] take a copy. You should be aware that some of the numbers are essentially old ones, for instance, ''the [[Samarin]] [[Elegy]], the Divertimento from the [[Symphony No. 3|3rd Symphony]]''. They must not be published in any form; or if necessary I could compose new numbers to replace them, but I cannot do this just now, as if I were to force myself it would turn out badly. The overture is a ''parody'' of the existing "''[[Hamlet (overture-fantasia)|Hamlet]]''" overture, i.e. ''facilité'' for a small, poor orchestra. On the whole I confess that I would not really want all this trivial nonsense to be published and sold. I suppose there's just one ''march'' worth printing. However, do as you wish. Only please don't ''demand'' this from the Directorate, as I cannot (and consequently you cannot) ''demand'' it, because I churned out this music at the director's request for my favourite actor ''[[Guitry]]''. Or ask for it when it's no longer required. If for some reason you are set on publishing it at once, then I suppose I could write new numbers instead of the aforementioned old ones (I should also mention the melodrama from "[[The Snow Maiden]]", which is also included) — but I feel this will turn out badly, because I find it most objectionable to write for a poor orchestra on such a gigantic subject.

I'm waiting for news about the will. It's amazing how I manage to botch everything up!<ref name="note2"/>
{{right|Yours, P. Tchaikovsky}}
}}
==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">Tchaikovsky was replying to a letter from [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] dated 2/14 October 1891, concerning a planned performance of the incidental music to [[William Shakespeare]]'s play ''[[Hamlet (incidental music)|Hamlet]]'', which he had written at the beginning of the year at the request of the French actor [[Lucien Guitry]]. The first performance had taken place at the Mikhaylovsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg on 9/21 February 1891.</ref>
<ref name="note2">Tchaikovsky's new will could not be notarized because it had been incorrectly worded.</ref>
</references>