Tony at 11:10, 25 April 2024

2024-04-25T11:10:15Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:10, 25 April 2024
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	\|Translated text={{right\|''[[Venice]]''<br/> 27/15 December 1877}}		\|Translated text={{right\|''[[Venice]]''<br/> 27/15 December 1877}}
	{{centre\|Dear [[Pyotr Ivanovich]]!}}		{{centre\|Dear [[Pyotr Ivanovich]]!}}
	I received your letter today and nearly collapsed from shame. The symphony has so overwhelmed me that I haven't had the strength to tear myself away, especially for such a vulgar pursuit as translating wooden Italian verses with their childishly-wooden music. Granted, this was ''manna'' from heaven — but it's still very poor all the same. Nevertheless, I sat down today and did everything I could. Today I'm sending everything that you gave me. However, as you will see, I didn't do everything. For greater clarity I have numbered each item, and will explain how I dealt with it.		I received your letter today and nearly collapsed from shame. The symphony has so overwhelmed me that I haven't had the strength to tear myself away, especially for such a vulgar pursuit as translating wooden Italian verses with their childishly wooden music. Granted, this was ''manna'' from heaven — but it's still very poor all the same. Nevertheless, I sat down today and did everything I could. Today I'm sending everything that you gave me. However, as you will see, I didn't do everything. For greater clarity I have numbered each item, and will explain how I dealt with it.

	No. 1. Quartet «''Come di gloria al nome''» isn't finished. It didn't have an ending, and besides, it's very poor, so I didn't translate it. Let [[Balakirev]], who imposed this on you, finish it, if you absolutely want to print it.		No. 1. Quartet «''Come di gloria al nome''» isn't finished. It didn't have an ending, and besides, it's very poor, so I didn't translate it. Let [[Balakirev]], who imposed this on you, finish it, if you absolutely want to print it.
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	That is everything!		That is everything!

	[[Pyotr Jurgenson\|Petrusha]]! If in future I ask you for work like this, i.e. ''translations'' — answer me: ''you are a naughty liar'', and give me ''nothing''. I have lost any ability or appetite for this. For God's sake forgive me for holding you up. It's as if I was deliberately carried away by the symphony.		[[Pyotr Jurgenson\|Petrusha]]! If in future I ask you for work like this, i.e. ''translations'' — answer me: ''you are a naughty liar'', and give me ''nothing''. I have lost any ability or appetite for this. For God's sake, forgive me for holding you up. It's as if I was deliberately carried away by the symphony.

	Kindly in future (''until further notice'') address letters not here, but to ''[[San Remo]]'':		Kindly in future (''until further notice'') address letters not here, but to ''[[San Remo]]'':

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T12:19:48Z

1 revision imported

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Brett at 11:28, 14 January 2021

2021-01-14T11:28:37Z

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{{letterhead
|Date=15/27 December 1877
|To=[[Pyotr Jurgenson]]
|Place=[[Venice]]
|Language=Russian
|Autograph=[[Klin]] (Russia): {{RUS-KLč}} (a{{sup|3}}, No. 2165)
|Publication={{bib|1938/40|П. И. Чайковский. Переписка с П. И. Юргенсоном ; том 1}} (1938), p. 23 <br/>{{bib|1961/38|П. И. Чайковский. Полное собрание сочинений ; том VI}} (1961), p. 305–306
}}
==Text and Translations==
{{Lettertext
|Language=Russian
|Translator=Brett Langston
|Original text={{right|''Venezia''<br/> 27/15 дек[абря] 1877}}
{{centre|Друг Пётр Иванович!}}
Получил сегодня твоё письмо и чуть не провалился от стыда. Симфония до того поглотила меня, что я не имел силы оторваться, особенно для такого пошлого занятия, как перевод лубочных итальянских стихов с их лубочно-детскою музыкой. Дай Бог, {{sic|что|чтоб}} это было ''хлебно'', — но это всё-таки очень плохо. Тем не менее я сегодня же засел и сделал все, что мог. Сегодня же я посылаю тебе все, что ты мне дал. Я, впрочем, как увидишь, не все сделал. Для большей ясности выставлю на каждой вещи номер и объясню, как я с ней поступил.

№ 1. Квартет «''Come di gloria al nome''» не кончен, кончать его не берусь, да кроме того он очень плох, и я его не перевел. Пусть Балакирев, навязавший тебе это, докончит, если ты непременно хочешь печатать.

№ 2. «''La Notte o mai s'appressa''» то же самое.

№ 3. Басовый ''речитатив «Ai quobil core»''. Послушай, как Глинка ни гениален, но нельзя же печатать ''упражнение'' его в речитативе? Наконец, речитатив этот не имеет никакого конца и ни к какой арии не при водит. Зато, к немалому моему изумлению, после мрачных слов о ''tomba'' вдруг появляется хор певчих и начинает душить «''Яко да Царя всех подымем''», впрочем, тоже не доканчивает и исчезает. Не понимаю, что это значит.

№ 4. ''Романс «Tu sei figlia»'' — переведено.

№ 5. ''Романс «Pur nel sonno»'', перевёл.

№ 6. ''Романс «Mio ben ricordati»'' — перевёл.

№ 7. ''Романс «Ho perduto»'' — перевёл.

№ 8. ''Ария'' — перевёл.

№ 9. ''Квартет'', в котором слов не было. ''Это единственная порядочная вещь''. Я приделал слова, хотя и неважные.

Вот и все!

Петруша! Если вперёд я попрошу у тебя работы вроде этой, т. е. ''переводов'', — отвечай мне: ''шалишь, врёшь'' и ''ничего'' не давай. Я потерял к этому всякую способность и охоту. Ради Бога, прости, что задержал тебя. Случилось же как нарочно, что я увлёкся симфонией!

Потрудись впредь (''до изменения'') адресовать письма уже не сюда, а в ''Сан-Ремо'':

''Italie Septentrionale, San-Remo, près Menton'' {{*}}. Брат Модест с своим воспитанником едет туда жить, и я поселюсь вместе с ними.
{{right|Твой, П. Чайковский}}
-----
{{*}} ''Poste restante''

|Translated text={{right|''[[Venice]]''<br/> 27/15 December 1877}}
{{centre|Dear [[Pyotr Ivanovich]]!}}
I received your letter today and nearly collapsed from shame. The symphony has so overwhelmed me that I haven't had the strength to tear myself away, especially for such a vulgar pursuit as translating wooden Italian verses with their childishly-wooden music. Granted, this was ''manna'' from heaven — but it's still very poor all the same. Nevertheless, I sat down today and did everything I could. Today I'm sending everything that you gave me. However, as you will see, I didn't do everything. For greater clarity I have numbered each item, and will explain how I dealt with it.

No. 1. Quartet «''Come di gloria al nome''» isn't finished. It didn't have an ending, and besides, it's very poor, so I didn't translate it. Let [[Balakirev]], who imposed this on you, finish it, if you absolutely want to print it.

No. 2. «''La Notte o mai s'appressa''» — the same.

No. 3. The bass ''recitative «Ai quobil core»''. Listen here, no matter how much of a genius [[Glinka]] is, you cannot print his ''exercise'' in recitative! Ultimately this recitative has no ending whatsoever, and it doesn't lead to any aria. Then, to my considerable amazement, after the gloomy words about ''the grave'' a choir of singers suddenly emerges and begins to choke out "For we may receive the almighty King"; however, it also has no ending, and fades away.

No. 4. ''Romance «Tu sei figlia»'' — I have translated it.

No. 5. ''Romance «Pur nel sonno»'', translated.

No. 6. ''Romance «Mio ben ricordati»'' — translated.

No. 7. ''Romance «Ho perduto»'' — translated.

No. 8. ''Aria'' — translated.

No. 9. ''Quartet'', which has no words. ''This the singular decent thing''. I've supplied words, albeit trivial ones.

That is everything!

[[Pyotr Jurgenson|Petrusha]]! If in future I ask you for work like this, i.e. ''translations'' — answer me: ''you are a naughty liar'', and give me ''nothing''. I have lost any ability or appetite for this. For God's sake forgive me for holding you up. It's as if I was deliberately carried away by the symphony.

Kindly in future (''until further notice'') address letters not here, but to ''[[San Remo]]'':

''Italie Septentrionale, [[San Remo|San-Remo]], près Menton'' {{*}}. Brother [[Modest]] is going to stay there with his pupil, and I'll be taking up residence with them.
{{right|Yours, P. Tchaikovsky}}
-----
{{*}} ''Poste restante''

}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Letter 0690}}

Letter 690 - Revision history

Tony at 11:10, 25 April 2024

Brett: 1 revision imported

Brett at 11:28, 14 January 2021