Letter 3860
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Russian text (original)
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English translation
Copyright © 2010 by Luis Sundkvist
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| 19 мая Фроловское |
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19 May Frolovskoe |
| Только что вернулся из Петербурга. Ант[он] Григ[орьевич]
решительно отказывается дирижировать первым концертом и иначе как 6-го января не может. Очень обрадовался, что ты будешь
у него играть, но условие—sine qua non не его концерт, а классический
по твоему выбору. Вообще, он не хочет играть ничего своего. Твой выход
и всё остальное производит сенсацию. Как поживаешь? Когда увидимся? |
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I have only just got back from Petersburg. Anton Grigor'evich categorically
refuses to conduct at the first concert, and apart from 6th January [1890 [O.S.]]
he can make no other date [1]. I was very glad [to hear] that you are going
to play under his baton, but the sine qua non condition is that
it is not a concerto by him, but a classical one of your choice. In general,
he doesn't want to perform any of his own works. Your resignation, and
everything else, is causing a sensation [2]. How are you getting on? When
shall we meet?[3] |
| П. Чайковский |
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P. Tchaikovsky |
| Ввиду отказа Рубинштейна, я пригласил
на первый концерт Римского-Корсакова. |
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In view of Rubinstein's refusal,
I have invited Rimskii-Korsakov for the first concert [4]. |
Notes:
- The board of directors of the Moscow branch of the Russian Musical
Society had decided to engage new conductors for each of its symphonic concerts
that season in order to attract larger audiences. Tchaikovsky, as a member
of the board, was helping with these negotiations, and during his recent
visit to Saint Petersburg
he had spoken about this to
Anton Rubinstein (who had once again assumed the directorship of the
imperial capital's Conservatory) — note by Vladimir Zhdanov in П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма (1951), p. 160 [back]
- Taneev,
weary of his administrative duties and wishing to have more time for composition
(as he had explained in a letter to Tchaikovsky on 11/23 April 1889), had
resigned from the post of director of the Moscow Conservatory. Vasilii Safonov was appointed
as his successor, but this appointment was not without its complications,
because Safonov insisted
that Karl Albrecht be dismissed
from the post of inspector: Tchaikovsky interceded on behalf of his old
friend, and in the end Albrecht
was given the opportunity to tender his resignation instead. Aleksandra Hubert was
appointed in his place (see letter 3859 to Nadezhda von Meck, 19/31 May
1889) — note by Vladimir Zhdanov in П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма (1951), p. 160 [back]
- Taneev
paid a brief visit to Frolovskoe
on 21 May/2 June. See the diary entry for that day in, for example, Wladimir
Lakond (transl.),
The Diaries of Tchaikovsky (1973), p. 280 [back]
- In the 1889–90 season the first RMS symphonic concert
in Moscow was conducted by Rimskii-Korsakov,
and the sixth (on 6/18 January 1890) by Anton Rubinstein — note
by Vladimir Zhdanov in П. И. Чайковский. С. И. Танеев. Письма (1951), p. 160 [back]
This page was last updated
on 26 February 2012
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