[2] Zijn Piotra Ilicha Tchaikovskavo. P. Jurgenson, Moscow. Three volumes.

[3] Das Leben Peter Iljitsch Tschaikowsky’s, translated by Paul Juon. P. Jurgenson, Leipzig. Two volumes.

[4] My dear Miss Fanny,—I beg you to forgive me for not having written all this time. But as you know I do not tell lies, it is my laziness that is the cause, not forgetfulness, because I love you the same as before. Nicholas works very well, etc.

[5] Dear, good Miss Fanny,—It is with great joy I hear the news of your having so good and industrious a pupil. I want also to give you some news, my dear Fanny, which may please you a little; it is of the birth of my twin brothers (on the night of May 1st). I have already seen them several times, but each time I think they are angels descended to earth.

[6] Diminutives of Anatol and Modeste.

[7] The greatest Russian dramatist. His most celebrated plays are: The Storm, The Forest, The Poor Bride, Snow White, The Wolf and the Sheep.

[8] Alexis Nicholaevich Verstovsky, the composer of a popular opera, Askold’s Grave.

[9] Of this quartet only the first movement remains intact. The others must have been destroyed by the composer at a later date.

[10] Tchaikovsky afterwards arranged this overture for full orchestra, in which form it was given several times in Moscow and Petersburg.

[11] The manuscript of this cantata is in the archives of the St. Petersburg Conservatoire.

[12] Professor of singing at the Conservatoire.

[13] All traces of this family appear to be lost, but it is evident they were not relatives of the composer.

[14] Later on Tchaikovsky completely altered his opinion.

[15] Karakovich’s attempt upon Alexander II., April 4th (16th), 1866.

[16] Under this sobriquet were grouped the followers of the New Russian School: Dargomijsky, Cui, Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, and others.

[17] The river at Kamenka.

[18] In my volume upon Tchaikovsky I have called this work Destiny.—R. N.

[19] Madame Rimsky-Korsakov, nÉe Pourgold. In his final arrangement Tchaikovsky omitted these chords himself.

[20] Conductor at the Opera House.

[21] Constantine Ivanovich Rioumin, the guardian of Vladimir Shilovsky.

[22] Short for Vladimir.

[23] Modeste.

[24] Op. 9. Three pieces for piano—“Reverie,” “Polka de Salon,” “Mazurka.”

[25] “So schnell vergessen.”

[26] The uncle whose establishment the Tchaikovskys shared in 1855.

[27] At the instigation of Nicholas Rubinstein, the Musical Society paid the composers about 200 to 300 roubles for new works performed at their Symphony Concerts.

[28] Russian equivalent for “falling through.”

[29] A Little Russian folksong.

[30] Madame Rimsky-Korsakov, who was going to make the pianoforte arrangement of the symphony for four hands.

[31] Only the opening chapters of this work appeared.

[32] Many of the entries in Tchaikovsky’s diaries are so devoid of characteristic interest that I have thought fit to curtail the number of quotations in this volume, selecting only those which had some reference to his work or his views of life.—R. N.

[33] G. Kondratiev, baritone singer, and afterwards manager of the Maryinsky Theatre.

[34] Diminutive of Serge.

[35] By Moussorgsky.

[36] Boris Godounov, Moussorgsky; The Stone Guest, Dargomijsky; Ratcliff and Angelo, CÆsar Cui.

[37] His sister, Madame Davidov.

[38] Allgemeine Zeitung, No. 148 (1874), “Musikalisches aus Italien.”

[39] A fellow-student of Tchaikovsky’s, dame de compagnie of Anton Rubinstein’s class and the intimate friend of the master. Afterwards teacher of pianoforte at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire.

[40] Tchaikovsky had to visit Kiev for the first performance of The Oprichnik in that city.

[41] An opera by CÆsar Cui.

[42] Rimsky-Korsakov’s Second Symphony, or “Eastern Suite,” Op 9.

[43] No. 3, Op. 30.

[44] There is no real English equivalent for the term “goloubouska.”

[45] A characteristic Russian dance.

[46] E. A. Lavrovsky, a famous singer and a teacher at the Conservatoire.

[47] Her parents’ name was Frolovsky.

[48] She carried her seclusion to such lengths that Tchaikovsky’s sister and brother-in-law, Alexandra and Leo Davidov, never saw Nadejda von Meck, although their daughter married one of her sons. Their friendly intercourse was carried on entirely by correspondence. Nicholas Rubinstein was almost the only visitor from the outside world whom she cared to receive.

[49] J. Kotek.

[50] No. 4 in F minor.

[51] Eugene Oniegin.

[52] Of Eugene Oniegin.

[53] The condition of Tchaikovsky’s health is probably accountable for many errors in this letter. In 1877 the pictures of which he speaks were not in the Villa, but in the Palazzo Borghese. Domenicchino’s picture was in the Vatican. The portraits of CÆsar Borgia and Sixtus V. were not by Raphael. The latter was not made Pope until sixty-five years after the death of the celebrated painter.

[54] The Basilica.

[55] Kotek, who was then studying with Joachim in Berlin, joined Tchaikovsky for a few days in Vienna.

[56] The Shipka Pass.

[57] Unfortunately this letter has been lost.

[58] Nicholas Konradi, pupil of Modeste Tchaikovsky.

[59] The World as Will and Idea.

[60] Serov’s first opera.

[61] Prima ballerina of the Moscow Opera.

[62] The country property of Nadejda von Meck.

[63] The rouble is here and elsewhere roughly calculated at 2s.

[64] See the Berliner Fremdenblatt, September 17th, 1878.

[65] A famous restaurant in Moscow.

[66] The initials under which Tchaikovsky translated the German words of Rubinstein’s songs.

[67] Tchaikovsky’s signature to his articles in the Russky Viedomosti.

[68] In later years Tchaikovsky was less particular, and his scores became less neat.

[69] A smaller country house belonging to Nadejda von Meck in the vicinity of Brailov.

[70] Frau von Meck’s youngest daughter.

[71] This form of occupation, like sport, only amused Tchaikovsky for a very short time.

[72] “Paraphrases,” twenty-four variations and fourteen pieces for piano on a popular theme, by Borodin, Cui, Liadov, and Rimsky-Korsakov.

[73] No. 4, dedicated to N. F. von Meck.

[74] Removed to the Villa Borghese in 1891.

[75] Eugene Oniegin.

[76] The violin Concerto, Op. 77.

[77] N. F. von Meck had given the gifted artist the wherewithal to spend his last days in comfort. Ten days after this letter was written Wieniawsky died.

[78] “Slavsia,” the great national chorus in A Life for the Tsar.

[79] “Lord, have mercy” (Kyrie eleison).

[80] P. I. Jurgenson informed me that Tchaikovsky did succeed in acquiring sufficient English to read Pickwick and David Copperfield in the original. When he took to conducting, he had no time for the study of languages.

[81] Unfortunately the boy did not turn out an artist of the first rank. But his education was not wasted, for he is now drawing-master in a public school in South Russia.

[82] The overture entitled The Year 1812, op. 49, for the consecration of the Cathedral of the Saviour, Moscow. It was one of the three commissions suggested by N. Rubinstein, referred to in the previous letter.

[83] Alexander II., who was assassinated on the bank of the Catharine Canal.

[84] Wife of S. Tretiakov, the wealthy art patron, afterwards chief burgomaster of Moscow.

[85] These details, in the form of a long letter, were communicated by Tchaikovsky to the Moscow Viedomosti.

[86] P. Jurgenson took this young man into his business, where he remained some time. Like Tkachenko, he was nervous and peculiar, and gave Tchaikovsky much trouble and anxiety.

[87] Monasteries of the first rank.

[88] Some years later Auer changed his opinion and became one of the most brilliant interpreters of this work.

[89] Nadejda von Meck had sold Brailov.

[90] This portrait was one of the least successful of Makovsky’s efforts. A far better portrait of the composer was made some years later by Kouznietsov. See frontispiece.

[91] It is interesting to know that this opinion was in direct opposition to that of Tourgeniev, who made some harsh criticisms upon the celebrated French actress.—R. N.

[92] A. I. Bartsal, chief manager of the Imperial Opera, in Moscow.

[93] Six pianoforte pieces, Op. 21.

[94] The letter appeared on May 23rd (June 4th), 1883.

[95] From Petersburg Tchaikovsky went on a visit to his brother Anatol, who had taken summer quarters at Podoushkino, near Moscow.

[96] This agreeable change in the attitude of the authorities towards Tchaikovsky was due to the influence of I. Vsievolojsky, who had recently been appointed Director of the Opera House.

[97] This was the end of all relations between Tchaikovsky and Tkatchenko.

[98] The singer who created the part of Maria in the Moscow performance of Mazeppa.

[99] On account of Tchaikovsky’s nervous condition the account of the success of Mazeppa was slightly overdrawn.

[100] Nicholas and Anna von Meck, nÉe Davidov (Tchaikovsky’s niece), who were on their wedding tour.

[101] His brother-in-law, Leo Davidov.

[102] At the Imperial Opera.

[103] Tchaikovsky addressed Emilie Pavlovskaya by this term in gratitude for her splendid interpretation of the heroine in Mazeppa.

[104] This means The Little Shoes, but the opera has since been republished as Les Caprices d’Oxane.

[105] A tale by Poushkin.

[106] A course of harmony.

[107] Rimsky-Korsakov courteously, but decidedly, declined the offer.

[108] Anna Petrovna kept her promise, and made the curtains which ornament the dining-room at Klin till this day.

[109] A series of five bars of 3/4 is evidently meant.

[110] The present Professor of Composition at the Moscow Conservatoire and Director of the Private Opera in Moscow.

[111] Caucasian villages.

[112] The celebrated Russian dramatist.

[113] Anatol’s wife.

[114] Anatol’s wife.

[115] The authoress of the well-known works, Musikalische Studienkopfe and Musik Briefe aus fÜnf Jahrhunderten. Tchaikovsky’s letter appears in the second volume of the latter.

[116] Of Cherevichek, “The Little Shoes.”

[117] Tchaikovsky was staying in N. F. von Meck’s house at this time.

[118] In return for the dedication of the twelve songs.

[119] Opera by Serov.

[120] Orlik’s part is written for a bass, and Lody has a tenor voice.

[121] Their first meeting since 1869.

[122] In an account of his visit to Leipzig, which Tchaikovsky afterwards published as the Diary of My Tour in 1888, he characterises the German composer more fully: “Brahms is rather a short man, suggests a sort of amplitude, and possesses a very sympathetic appearance. His fine head—almost that of an old man—recalls the type of a handsome, benign, elderly Russian priest. His features are certainly not characteristic of German good looks, and I cannot conceive why some learned ethnographer (Brahms himself told me this after I had spoken of the impression his appearance made upon me) chose to reproduce his head on the first page of his books as being highly characteristic of German features. A certain softness of outline, pleasing curves, rather long and slightly grizzled hair, kind grey eyes, and a thick beard, freely sprinkled with white—all this recalled at once the type of pure-bred Great Russian so frequently met with among our clergy. Brahms’s manner is very simple, free from vanity, his humour jovial, and the few hours spent in his society left me with a very agreeable recollection.”

[123] In the same series of articles appeared the following sketch of Grieg: “There entered the room a very short, middle-aged man, exceedingly fragile in appearance, with shoulders of unequal height, fair hair brushed back from his forehead, and a very slight, almost boyish, beard and moustache. There was nothing very striking about the features of this man, whose exterior at once attracted my sympathy, for it would be impossible to call them handsome or regular; but he had an uncommon charm, and blue eyes, not very large, but irresistibly fascinating, recalling the glance of a charming and candid child. I rejoiced in the depths of my heart when we were mutually introduced to each other, and it turned out that this personality, which was so inexplicably sympathetic to me, belonged to a musician whose warmly emotional music had long ago won my heart. It was Edvard Grieg.”

[124] See Appendix C, p. 762.

[125] Pupil of Brassin and Madame Sophie Menter at the St. Petersburg Conservatoire, and, later on, an intimate friend of Tchaikovsky.

[126] For Press notices see Appendix C, p. 764.

[127] Chairman of the Committee of the Philharmonic Society. In the Diary of My Tour Tchaikovsky says: “This venerable old man of over eighty paid me great attention.... In spite of his age and his infirmity, he attended two rehearsals, the concert, and the party at Dr. Bernuth’s. Herr Lallemant candidly confessed that many of my works which had been performed in Hamburg were not at all to his mind; that he could not endure my noisy instrumentation and disliked my use of the instruments of percussion. For all that he thought I had in me the making of a really good German composer. Almost with tears in his eyes he besought me to leave Russia and settle permanently in Germany, where classical conventions and traditions of high culture could not fail to correct my faults, which were easily explicable by the fact of my having been born and educated in a country so unenlightened and so far behind Germany.... I strove my best to overcome his prejudice against our national sentiments, of which, moreover, he was quite ignorant, or only knew them through the speeches of the Russophobist section. We parted good friends.”

[128] For Press notices see Appendix C, p. 767.

[129] The Artists’ Club.

[130] In a later letter to Jurgenson he says: “One has to choose between never travelling, or coming home with empty pockets. I had hardly decided to throw up everything and fly home, when paid engagements were offered me on all sides; at Angers, with a fee of £40; the same at Geneva, in London (at the Crystal Palace) for a sum not stated; but I gave them all up. You are mistaken in your calculations as to the result of my journey. For London I received £25 instead of £20 (thanks to my great success, the Directors of the Philharmonic were moved to add an extra £5), and you omitted the £25 from Hamburg. My journey was certainly not a financial success; but I did not undertake it for the sake of the money.”

[131] The Grand Duke Constantine had sent Tchaikovsky a volume of his verses.

[132] Julius Zet had been secretary to Sophie Menter, and so became acquainted with Tchaikovsky. Their friendship lasted until the latter’s death, but their business relations were of brief duration. Zet was not sufficiently calculating. Rather an enthusiast than a man of business, he was unpractical and inaccurate.

[133] Unfortunately it will always remain unknown in what way this sympathy was shown to Tchaikovsky.

[134] A favourite game of cards in Russia.

[135] A well-known Russian poet.

[136] Thus ended the plan for sending Tchaikovsky as musical representative of Russia to the Paris Exhibition of 1889.

[137] Vassily Sapellnikov.

[138] The opera is entitled Le Dernier Sorcier.

[139] This work, the libretto of which was by GalÉe and Detroyat, was never actually begun.

[140] In his diary Tchaikovsky only mentions V. d’Indy and Chaminade.

[141] The servant of his friend Kondratiev.

[142] Massenet and Brahms having declined their invitations, the following conductors were engaged for 1889-90:—Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, Siloti, Arensky, Klindworth, A. Rubinstein, Slatin, DvorÁk, Altani, Ippolitov-Ivanov, Napravnik, and Colonne.

[143] A celebrated Russian novelist and writer of short stories.

[144] The Grand Duke had dedicated his last volume of verse to Tchaikovsky.

[145] For the story of Pique Dame see Appendix B, p. 759.

[146] He had succeeded Taneiev as Director of the Moscow Conservatoire.

[147] Siloti had taken a smaller house, and made over part of his furniture to Tchaikovsky, thinking it would be a kindness to him, for the composer’s household lacked many comforts. Siloti did not reclaim the furniture after Tchaikovsky’s death, and it stands at present in the house at Klin.

[148] One of the most eminent of Russian poets.

[149] A Dream on the Volga.

[150] “Do not forget, and think of me sometimes.”

[151] To compose an opera in one act and a ballet for the season 1891-2.

[152] Incidental music to the tragedy Hamlet, for Guitry’s benefit.

[153] An opera in one act, afterwards known as Iolanthe.

[154] A Dream on the Volga (the Voyevode).

[155] The opening ceremony of the new Carnegie Hall in New York.

[156] President of the Music Hall Company of New York, upon whose initiative Tchaikovsky had been engaged in America.

[157] The head of the Knabe Pianoforte Manufactory.

[158] This hall was built principally with the help of Mr. Carnegie. Tchaikovsky was invited to the opening festivities.

[159] Walter Damrosch, son of the founder of the “Symphony Society” in New York, one of the directors of the Music Hall Company of New York, and conductor of the Symphony Concerts and of the opera.

[160] A. Carnegie, the greatest ironmaster in America, perhaps in the world; orator, author, politician; a most generous benefactor and founder of many schools, libraries and museums.

[161] Francis Hyde, Director of the Trust Company, and President of the New York Philharmonic Society.

[162] A representative from the firm of Knabe.

[163] This would have been an impossible athletic feat, probably the equivalent in notes is intended.—R. N.

[164] “Christ is risen”—a Russian Easter greeting.

[165] “Legend” and “Our Father.”

[166] The New York Herald, 6th May, 1891.

[167] Son of the celebrated scientist, S. Botkin, and Secretary to the Russian Embassy in Washington.

[168] Schirmer’s married daughter.

[169] Broken Russian. “How are you? Please sit down.”

[170] Anatol was then Vice-Governor of Estland.

[171] In the Revue des Deux Mondes, 1891.

[172] In July of this year he had been made a corresponding member of the “Maatschappij tot Bevorderung van Toonkunst.”

[173] Diminutive of Petersburg.

[174] A. Friede, General of Infantry.

[175] Daughter of General A. Friede and a prima donna at the Maryinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg.

[176] The representative of the firm of Bechstein.

[177] The celebrated general.

[178] Gustav Mahler, afterwards conductor at the Vienna Opera, also produced Eugene Oniegin and Iolanthe in the Austrian capital.

[179] Tchaikovsky presented several autograph scores to the Imperial Public Library, Petersburg.

[180] Tchaikovsky was conducting for the benefit of Prianichnikov and the Kiev Opera Company, then in Moscow.

[181] Anatol was one of the nine commissioners chosen by the Tsarevich to inquire into the failure of the crops and the sufferings of the starving peasants in Siberia.

[182] George, the son of Nicholas Tchaikovsky, to whom the composer left his real estate and a life annuity of 1,200 roubles per annum.

[183] “Is changed to desire.”

[184] Katharine Oboukhov, a second cousin of Tchaikovsky.

[185] Neue Freie Presse, March 30th, 1901. The above is quoted from the German edition of The Life and Letters of Tchaikovsky.

[186] A Day in St. Petersburg.

[187] Jurgenson had commissioned Tchaikovsky to send him as many songs and pianoforte pieces as he liked, and while awaiting at Klin the day of his departure for London, the composer determined to write one number every day.

[188] Karl Albrecht, who was on his death-bed.

[189] The Quartet Night.

[190] This was before Sir Charles Villiers Stanford was knighted.

[191] Portraits et Souvenirs, Saint-SaËns, p. 141.

[192] This was merely a playful threat because his nephew had neglected to answer his letters.

[193] There was no other witness of this incident but myself. But it is clear from the programme of the concert of October 16th (28th) that this title had not then been given to the work. Moreover, anyone can see by a glance at the title-page that this name was written later than the rest.

[194] As several English versions exist of many of Tchaikovsky’s songs, and some of these so-called translations have not even titles in common with the original texts, it is less misleading to keep to the German titles.—R. N.

[195] The Introduction is the Malo-Russian variant of “Down by Mother Volga,” the Finale is based upon a popular tune called “The Crane.”—R. N.