Letter 3816
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German text (original)
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English translation
Copyright © 2010 by Luis Sundkvist
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| Hannover 17/5 März |
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Hannover 17/5 March |
| Geehrter Herr Rahter |
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Dear
Herr
Rahter, |
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Den Verlagsschein von Herrn Schäffer habe ich in Hamburg nicht erhalten. Bitte, schreiben Sie ihm sogleich, er soll ihn nach Paris (14 Rue Richepanse) schicken. Ich bleibe in Paris 15 Tage. Ich bin mit Hamburg sehr zufrieden; die Aufführung war wirklich prächtig und die Aufnahme seite[ns] des Publicums eine sehr lebhafte. Die Ihrigen werden ihnen wahrscheinlich schreiben. Ich bin in Hannover für 12 Stunden gekommen[,] um endlich Briefe zu schreiben, da diese ganze Zeit konnte ich es nicht. Hier kennt mich keiner [= kein] Mensch und ich bin so froh einbischen [= ein bisschen] allein zu bleiben, da es möglich ist[,] dass ich noch einen ganzen Tag bleiben werde. Ich war sehr, sehr froh[,] Ihre liebe Frau, die Kinder und die alte Mme. DeLapre zu sehen. Leider konnte ich nach Mittag [= nach dem Mittagessen] nur sehr wenig Zeit bleiben, da musste ich eilen nach Ludwigsgarten[,] wo ein Benefiz-Concert von Laube stadtfand [= stattfand]. Alle waren wie im vorigen Jahre sehr liebenswürdig gegen mich, und was mir besonders schmeichelhaft war[,] das ist eben[,] dass Brahms einen Tag mehr in Hamburg blieb[,] um die Simpfonie [= Sinfonie] zu hören.
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I did not get the publisher's receipt from Herr Schäffer [1] in Hamburg. Please write to him immediately asking him to send it to Paris (No. 14, Rue Richepanse). I shall stay in Paris for 15 days. I am very satisfied with Hamburg. The performance was truly splendid, and it was received in a very lively way by the
audience [2]. Your family will probably write to you about it. I have come to Hannover for twelve hours so as to finally be able to write some letters, since I have not been able to do so all this time. No one knows me here, and I am so glad to be left on my own for a bit that it is quite possible I may stay here one more day. I was very, very glad to see your dear wife, your children, and old Mme De
Lapre [3]. Unfortunately, I could only stay for a very short time after our lunch, since I had to rush to the Ludwigsgarten, where a benefit concert by Laube was to take
place [4]. Like last year, everyone was very friendly towards me, and what was particularly flattering to me was the fact that Brahms stayed in Hamburg an extra day in order to hear the
symphony [No. 5].
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| Ich bin trotzalledem aber fürchterlich müde und leide sehr an Heimweh. Auf Wiedersehen, lieber Herr
Rahter. |
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Nevertheless, I am terribly tired and suffer greatly from homesickness. Farewell, dear
Herr
Rahter. |
| P. Tschaikowsky |
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P. Tchaikovsky |
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Das ist wahr[,] dass alle Verlegern [= Verleger] in Deutschland machen mir jetzt die Kur |
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Yes, it is true that all publishers in Germany are now courting me |
| Sittard bittet sehr[,] dass Sie ihm Oneguine u. Jungr. v. Orlean
[= Jungfrau von
Orleans] schicken. Bitte, machen [Sie] das auf meine Kosten. |
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Sittard would very much like you to send him Onegin and The Maid of
Orleans. Please do so at my expense. |
Notes:
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Franz Schäffer was the manager
of Daniel Rahter's
publishing house, where he had worked ever since it was set up. When
the firm relocated to Leipzig
after Rahter's death (in
1891) and was taken over by his widow, Selma Rahter, Schäffer
remained its manager. He continued to occupy a prominent position in
the business even after Rahter's
son Johann Christian Daniel Rahter became joint owner and head of the
firm in 1901. See Peter Feddersen,
Tschaikowsky in Hamburg. Eine Dokumentation (2006), p. 216, n. 697 [back]
- At a Philharmonic Society concert in Hamburg on 3/15 March 1889 Tchaikovsky had conducted the first performance in Germany of his Fifth Symphony [back]
- During his brief stay in Hamburg Tchaikovsky
had been invited to have lunch at Rahter's house
on 1/13 March. He was welcomed there by the publisher's wife, Selma Rahter (née Winter),
and their children: Daniel (1873-1925), Ludwig (b. 1874), Hermine (b.
1877), and Selma (1879-1957). An elderly lady called Mme Laprée
was also living with the Rahters, but it is not clear what her
relation to the family was. Rahter
himself was away on business in Saint
Petersburg at the time. See Peter Feddersen,
Tschaikowsky in Hamburg. Eine Dokumentation (2006), p. 80, and the
accompanying notes [back]
- Laube's
benefit concert at the Ludwigsgarten venue on 1/13 March 1889 had
featured, among works by Liszt, Berlioz, and Bizet,
two movements from the Serenade
for String Orchestra: Larghetto elegiaco and Valse.
The latter two pieces were received very warmly, and the composer was
given an ovation by the audience. See letter 3818
to Modest Tchaikovsky,
5/17 March 1889. For more details of this concert, see Peter Feddersen,
Tschaikowsky in Hamburg. Eine Dokumentation (2006), p. 80 [back]
This page was last updated on
14 November 2010 |