Tchaikovsky
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Sergei Rachinskii (1833–1902) |
Sergei Rachinskii
Russian academic, botanist, and amateur musician (b. 3/15 May 1833 in Tatevo, near Smolensk; d. 2/15 May 1902 in Tatevo), born.Sergei Aleksandrovich Rachinskii (Сергей Александрович Рачинский, Sergej Aleksandrovič Račinskij, Sergey Alexandrovich Rachinsky).
After graduating from Moscow University, Rachinskii served in the archives department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, but was appointed tutor (1856–58) and later professor (1858–1868) of botany at Moscow University. He also edited the newspaper Russian Herald (Русский вестник). His later years were spent in religious education, and writing numerous books and articles on religion, art, literature and science
Rachinskii was a great admirer of Tchaikovsky's music. In 1869 Tchaikovsky wrote a Chorus of Flowers and Insects for an unrealised opera Mandragora to a libretto supplied by Rachinskii, but this project progressed no further, and many other operatic subjects suggested by Rachinskii were not taken up by the composer. Rachinskii may also have been responsible for inserting verses by Konstantin Batiushkov to the programme (and eventually the score) of Tchaikovsky's fantasia Fatum (1868).
Tchaikovsky's works dedicated to Sergei Rachinskii:
- String Quartet No. 1, Op. 11 (1871).
Tchaikovsky's correspondence with Sergei Rachinskii:
- 3 letters from Tchaikovsky to Sergei Rachinskii have survived, dating from 1869 to 1881.