Six Romances, Op. 73 - Revision history

Tony: /* Composition */ Separated "our" and "romances"

2023-02-17T20:16:28Z

Composition: Separated "our" and "romances"

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	The composer expressed his intention to write the romances on 5/17 February 1893 in a letter to his brother [[Modest]] <ref name="note4"/>, but there is no further evidence to show exactly when the romances were begun.		The composer expressed his intention to write the romances on 5/17 February 1893 in a letter to his brother [[Modest]] <ref name="note4"/>, but there is no further evidence to show exactly when the romances were begun.

	On 22 April/4 May 1893, immediately after completing the [[Eighteen Pieces, Op. 72]] for piano, Tchaikovsky wrote to [[Modest]] from [[Moscow]] about his plans: "I need to remain here for four days... then I want to go to [[Nizhny]]... so I won't be back home before 30 April [{{OS}}]. What's more, I absolutely have to leave for abroad on 10 May ... probably, I shall be in [[Petersburg]] on the 3rd. In the meantime, I might somehow manage to write another few romances." <ref name="note5"/>.		On 22 April/4 May 1893, immediately after completing the [[Eighteen Pieces, Op. 72]] for piano, Tchaikovsky wrote to [[Modest]] from [[Moscow]] about his plans: "I need to remain here for four days... then I want to go to [[Nizhny]]... so I won't be back home before 30 April [<nowiki/>{{OS}}]. What's more, I absolutely have to leave for abroad on 10 May ... probably, I shall be in [[Petersburg]] on the 3rd. In the meantime, I might somehow manage to write another few romances." <ref name="note5"/>.

	After composing the [[Eighteen Pieces, Op. 72\|Op. 72]] pieces. Tchaikovsky embarked on a conducting tour. From 22 April/4 May he spent five days in [[Moscow]]. and on 27 April/9 May he attended the premiere of [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]'s opera ''Aleko'' at the Bolshoi Theatre. On 28 April/10 May Tchaikovsky left for [[Nizhny Novgorod]] <ref name="note6"/>, where he spent two days before returning to [[Moscow]] on 2/14 May <ref name="note7"/>, and then [[Kiev]], where he stayed from 3/15 to 5/17 May. He had intended to leave for [[Saint Petersburg]] on 4/16 May and then to travel abroad on 5/17 May, as soon as he had written the romances. On this day (5/17 May), Tchaikovsky wrote to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]]: "I purposely allowed myself some free days at home, so that I could manage to copy out one more opus, namely six romances. [[Aleksey]] will bring them to you in a few days" <ref name="note8"/>. On the same day the composer informed [[Danyl Ratgauz]] that he had finished the romances: "I have just written six romances on your poems" <ref name="note9"/>. Another letter to the same recipient contains Tchaikovsky's only judgement on his latest romances: "I don't know what the fate of ''our''romances will be, but I know that I wrote them with great pleasure" <ref name="note10"/>. [[Ratgauz]] replied with warm thanks and sent the composer eight more verses, which the composer did not use.		After composing the [[Eighteen Pieces, Op. 72\|Op. 72]] pieces. Tchaikovsky embarked on a conducting tour. From 22 April/4 May he spent five days in [[Moscow]]. and on 27 April/9 May he attended the premiere of [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]'s opera ''Aleko'' at the Bolshoi Theatre. On 28 April/10 May Tchaikovsky left for [[Nizhny Novgorod]] <ref name="note6"/>, where he spent two days before returning to [[Moscow]] on 2/14 May <ref name="note7"/>, and then [[Kiev]], where he stayed from 3/15 to 5/17 May. He had intended to leave for [[Saint Petersburg]] on 4/16 May and then to travel abroad on 5/17 May, as soon as he had written the romances. On this day (5/17 May), Tchaikovsky wrote to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]]: "I purposely allowed myself some free days at home, so that I could manage to copy out one more opus, namely six romances. [[Aleksey]] will bring them to you in a few days" <ref name="note8"/>. On the same day, the composer informed [[Danyl Ratgauz]] that he had finished the romances: "I have just written six romances on your poems" <ref name="note9"/>. Another letter to the same recipient contains Tchaikovsky's only judgement on his latest romances: "I don't know what the fate of ''our'' romances will be, but I know that I wrote them with great pleasure" <ref name="note10"/>. [[Ratgauz]] replied with warm thanks and sent the composer eight more verses, which the composer did not use.

	==Performances==		==Performances==

Tony at 20:12, 17 February 2023

2023-02-17T20:12:43Z

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	==Texts==		==Texts==
	The texts of the romances were first sent to Tchaikovsky in August 1892 by the author, [[Danyl Ratgauz]], a student at [[Kiev]] University, then a stranger to the composer. The first of his letters to Tchaikovsky, which does not survive, included the poems ''We Sat Together'' (No. 1) and (apparently), ''Night'' (No. 2). Replying on 30 August/11 September 1892. Tchaikovsky wrote:		The texts of the romances were first sent to Tchaikovsky in August 1892 by the author, [[Danyl Ratgauz]], a student at [[Kiev]] University, then a stranger to the composer. The first of his letters to Tchaikovsky, which does not survive, included the poems ''We Sat Together'' (No. 1) and (apparently) ''Night'' (No. 2). Replying on 30 August/11 September 1892. Tchaikovsky wrote:

	{{quote\|I am not sufficiently competent in the field of literature to pass a definitive judgement by any means, nor to dispel the doubts you have. But as a ''musician'', looking at your verses from the standpoint of whether they are to a greater or lesser extent suitable for music, for my part I must respond to your delightful pieces in a positive fashion. I cannot say exactly when I will be able to write music to some or all of your verses, but I can give you a ''firm promise'' that it will be sooner rather than later. One of them in particular cries out for music: "''We Sat Together''".}}		{{quote\|I am not sufficiently competent in the field of literature to pass a definitive judgement by any means, nor to dispel the doubts you have. But as a ''musician'', looking at your verses from the standpoint of whether they are to a greater or lesser extent suitable for music, for my part I must respond to your delightful pieces in a positive fashion. I cannot say exactly when I will be able to write music to some or all of your verses, but I can give you a ''firm promise'' that it will be sooner rather than later. One of them in particular cries out for music: "''We Sat Together''".}}

Brett: 1 revision imported

2022-07-12T11:13:53Z

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← Older revision	Revision as of 13:13, 12 July 2022
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Brett: Text replacement - "’" to "'"

2019-06-08T20:32:09Z

Text replacement - "’" to "'"

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Tchaikovsky's '''''Six Romances''''' (Шесть романсов), [[Op.]] 73 ([[TH]] 109 ; [[ČW]] 305-310), were written in April and May 1893 to verses by the Ukrainian poet [[Danyl Ratgauz]].

==Instrumentation==
All six songs are written for high voice and piano accompaniment.

==Movements and Duration==
#'''We Sat Together''' (Мы сидели с тобой) Andante non troppo (E major—C-sharp minor, 32 bars).
#'''Night''' (Ночь) Adagio (F minor, 27 bars).
#'''In This Moonlit Night''' (В эту лунную ночь) Andante con moto (A-flat major, 35 bars).
#'''The Sun Has Set''' (Закатилось солнце) Andante (E major, 33 bars).
#'''Amid Sombre Days''' (Средь мрачных дней) Allegro moderato (A-flat major, 44 bars).
#'''Again, As Before, Alone''' (Снова, как прежде, один) Andante mosso (A minor, 33 bars).
A complete performance of all six romances lasts around 15 to 20 minutes.

==Texts==
The texts of the romances were first sent to Tchaikovsky in August 1892 by the author, [[Danyl Ratgauz]], a student at [[Kiev]] University, then a stranger to the composer. The first of his letters to Tchaikovsky, which does not survive, included the poems ''We Sat Together'' (No. 1) and (apparently), ''Night'' (No. 2). Replying on 30 August/11 September 1892. Tchaikovsky wrote:

{{quote|I am not sufficiently competent in the field of literature to pass a definitive judgement by any means, nor to dispel the doubts you have. But as a ''musician'', looking at your verses from the standpoint of whether they are to a greater or lesser extent suitable for music, for my part I must respond to your delightful pieces in a positive fashion. I cannot say exactly when I will be able to write music to some or all of your verses, but I can give you a ''firm promise'' that it will be sooner rather than later. One of them in particular cries out for music: "''We Sat Together''".}}

{{quote|Generally, I should say frankly that I frequently receive many letters like yours (i.e. with suggestions for poems to be set to music), and for almost the first time I have the opportunity to reply with unqualified gratitude and a sincere expression of sympathy.}}

{{quote|In my ''opinion'', you are possessed of a natural talent, and I flatter myself that persons with more authority than I in matters of literary criticism will concur with my sincere opinion" <ref name="note1"/>.}}

In his letter of reply of 26 September/8 October 1892, [[Danyl Ratgauz]] excitedly thanked the composer for his encouragement, and sent him a further five poems <ref name="note2"/>. The words of four of them (''Amid Sombre Days, In this Moonlight, Again, as Before, Alone'' and ''The Sun Has Set'', were subsequently used by Tchaikovsky when he composed the romances. A fifth verse — ''In the Beautiful Half-Light of the Wood'' — was not used. The verses eventually used were as follows:

1. From the first poem in the cycle ''Romances'' (Романсы) (1892):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
Мы сидели с тобой у заснувшей реки.
С тихой песней проплыли домой рыбаки.
Солнца луч золотой за рекой догорал.
И тебе я тогда ничего не сказал.

Загремело в дали, надвигалась гроза,
По ресницам твоим покатилась слеза.
И с безумным рыданьем к тебе я припал,
И тебе ничего, ничего не сказал.

И теперь, в эти дни, я, как прежде, один,
Уж не жду ничего от грядущих годин.
В сердце жизненный звук уж давно отзвучал...
Ах, зачем, ах, зачем я тебе ничего, ничего не сказал!
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

2. From an untitled poem (1892):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
Меркнет слабый свет свечи,
Бродит мрак унылый,
И тоска сжимает грудь
С непонятной силой.

На печальные глаза
Тихо сон нисходит,
И с прошедшим в этом миг
Речь душа заводит.

Истомилася она
Горестью глубокой...
Появись же, хоть во сне,
О, мой друг далекий!
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

3. From an untitled poem (1892):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
В эту лунную ночь, в эту дивную ночь,
В этот миг благодатный свиданья,
О, мой друг! я не в силах любви превозмочь,
удержать я не в силах признанья.

В серебре чуть колышется озера гладь,
Наклонясь, зашепталися ивы...
Но бессильны слова! Как тебе передать
Истомленного сердца порывы?

Ночь не ждёт, ночь летит. Закатилась луна,
Заалело в таинственной дали..
Дорогая, прости! Снова жизни волна
Нам несёт день тоски и печали.
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

4. From the poem 'The Sun Has Set' (Закатилось солнце) (1892):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
Закатилось солнце, заиграли краски
Легкой позолотой в синеве небес.
В обаянье ночи сладострастной ласки
Тихо что-то шепчет задремавший лес.

И в душе тревожной умолкают муки,
И дышать всей грудью в эту ночь легко.
Ночи дивной тени, ночи дивной звуки,
Нас с тобой уносят, друг мой, далеко.

Вся объята негой этой ночи страстной,
Ты ко мне склонилась на плечо главой...
Я безумно счастлив, о, мой друг прекрасный,
Бесконечно счастлив в эту ночь с тобой!
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

5. From the third poem in the cycle ''Romances'' (Романсы) (1892):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
Средь мрачных дней, под гнетом бед,
Из мглы туманной прошлых лет,
Как отблеск радостных лучей,
Мне светит взор твоих очей.

Под обаяньем светлых снов
Мне мнится, я с тобою вновь.
При свете дня, в ночной тиши
Делюсь восторгами души.

Я вновь с тобой! - моя печаль
Умчалась в пасмурную даль...
И страстно вновь хочу я жить —
Тобой дышать, тебя любить!
</poem>

|Translated text=
}}

6. From an untitled poem (1892):
{{libtext
|Original text=
<poem>
Снова, как прежде, один,
Снова объят я тоской.
Смотрится тополь в окно,
Весь озарённый луной.

Смотрится тополь в окно,
Шепчут о чем то листы.
В звездах горят небесаююю
Где теперь, милая, ты?

Всё, что творится со мной,
Я передать не берусь...
Друг! помолись за меня,
Я за тебя уж молюсь!
</poem>
|Translated text=
}}

==Composition==
Although Tchaikovsky later recalled that he had been "inflamed" with sympathetic feelings immediately after receiving [[Ratgauz]]'s first letter and verses <ref name="note3"/>, it was not until the following year that he began composition, although a theme for ''We Sat Together'' (No. 4) is written on [[Ratgauz]]'s letter of 26 September/8 October 1892, perhaps soon after it was received.

The composer expressed his intention to write the romances on 5/17 February 1893 in a letter to his brother [[Modest]] <ref name="note4"/>, but there is no further evidence to show exactly when the romances were begun.

On 22 April/4 May 1893, immediately after completing the [[Eighteen Pieces, Op. 72]] for piano, Tchaikovsky wrote to [[Modest]] from [[Moscow]] about his plans: "I need to remain here for four days... then I want to go to [[Nizhny]]... so I won't be back home before 30 April [{{OS}}]. What's more, I absolutely have to leave for abroad on 10 May ... probably, I shall be in [[Petersburg]] on the 3rd. In the meantime, I might somehow manage to write another few romances." <ref name="note5"/>.

After composing the [[Eighteen Pieces, Op. 72|Op. 72]] pieces. Tchaikovsky embarked on a conducting tour. From 22 April/4 May he spent five days in [[Moscow]]. and on 27 April/9 May he attended the premiere of [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]'s opera ''Aleko'' at the Bolshoi Theatre. On 28 April/10 May Tchaikovsky left for [[Nizhny Novgorod]] <ref name="note6"/>, where he spent two days before returning to [[Moscow]] on 2/14 May <ref name="note7"/>, and then [[Kiev]], where he stayed from 3/15 to 5/17 May. He had intended to leave for [[Saint Petersburg]] on 4/16 May and then to travel abroad on 5/17 May, as soon as he had written the romances. On this day (5/17 May), Tchaikovsky wrote to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]]: "I purposely allowed myself some free days at home, so that I could manage to copy out one more opus, namely six romances. [[Aleksey]] will bring them to you in a few days" <ref name="note8"/>. On the same day the composer informed [[Danyl Ratgauz]] that he had finished the romances: "I have just written six romances on your poems" <ref name="note9"/>. Another letter to the same recipient contains Tchaikovsky's only judgement on his latest romances: "I don't know what the fate of ''our''romances will be, but I know that I wrote them with great pleasure" <ref name="note10"/>. [[Ratgauz]] replied with warm thanks and sent the composer eight more verses, which the composer did not use.

==Performances==
The romance ''We Sat Together'' (No. 1) was performed, apparently for the first time, on 20 November/2 December 1893 at the first Tchaikovsky memorial symphony concert in [[Saint Petersburg]]; the romances ''Amid Sombre Days'' (No. 5) and ''Again, as Before, Alone'' (No. 6) were performed by Mikhail Medvedev at the second symphony concert of the Russian Musical Society in [[Kiev]] on 4/16 and 6/18 December 1893.

==Publication==
The romances were printed for the first time by [[Pyotr Jurgenson]] in July 1893 <ref name="note11"/>. "''Our'' romances are already printed—but they are still not for sale because P. Jurgenson has an agreement with a foreign publisher to wait until they are ready to publish them" <ref name="note12"/>.

The Six Romances, Op. 73, were published in volume 45 of Tchaikovsky's ''[[Complete Collected Works]]'' (1940), edited by Ivan Shishov and Nikolay Shemanin.

==Autographs==
Tchaikovsky's manuscript scores of all six romances are now preserved in the {{RUS-Mcm}} in [[Moscow]] {{TOW2|shest-romansov|(ф. 88, No. 147)}}.

==Recordings==
{{reclink}}

==Dedications==
All the romances are dedicated to the singer [[Nikolay Figner]].

==External Links==
* {{imslpscore|6_Romances,_Op.73_(Tchaikovsky,_Pyotr)|6 Romances, Op. 73}}

==Notes and References==
<references>
<ref name="note1">[[Letter 4762]] to [[Danyl Ratgauz]], 30 August/11 September 1892.</ref>
<ref name="note2">Letter from [[Danyl Ratgauz]] to Tchaikovsky, 26 September/8 October 1893 — [[Klin]] House-Museum Archive.</ref>
<ref name="note3">[[Letter 4977]] to [[Danyl Ratgauz]], 19/31 July 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note4">See [[Letter 4858]] to [[Modest Tchaikovsky]], 5/17 February 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note5">[[Letter 4921]] to [[Modest Tchaikovsky]], 22–23 April/4–5 May 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note6">See [[Letter 4922]] to [[Aleksey Sofronov]], 27 April/9 May 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note7">See [[Letter 4923]] to [[Pavel Pchelnikov]], and [[Letter 4924]] to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]], both 2/14 May 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note8">[[Letter 4929]] to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]], 5/17 May 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note9">[[Letter 4927]] to [[Danyl Ratgauz]], 5/17 May 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note10">[[Letter 4950]] to [[Danyl Ratgauz]], 3/15 June 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note11">Passed by the censor on 23 June/5 July 1893. See also [[Letter 4967]] to [[Pyotr Jurgenson]], 3/15 July 1893.</ref>
<ref name="note12">[[Letter 4977]] to [[Danyl Ratgauz]], 19/31 July 1893.</ref>
</references>
[[Category:Songs|Romances, Op. 73]]