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Marking the 175th anniversary of the birth of Pyotr Tchaikovsky
«Music… from the depths of the soul excited by artistic inspiration».

Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Manuscripts
in the National Library of Russia

N. V. Ramazanova, M. G. Ivanova

Pyotr Tchaikovsky. 1891.The historical circumstances led to that Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Manuscripts have been dispersed to many different places in Russia. The Tchaikovsky Museum in Klin, the Glinka Museum of Musical Culture, the Moscow Conservatory, the Music Library of the Mariinsky Theater, the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art – this is an incomplete list of institutions in which the composer's musical autographs are stored. Meanwhile, during Tchaikovsky's lifetime, it was assumed that all his manuscripts would be kept in the Imperial Public Library. However, this did not happen, and 'Tchaikovsky's works were represented here <…> by only a small number of autographs', as Andrei Rimsky Korsakov wrote in his book «Musical Treasures of the Manuscript Department…» in 1938. He explained this by the fact that the publisher of Tchaikovsky P. Jurgenson 'almost monopolized the right to collect Tchaikovsky's musical autographs'.

Pyotr JurgensonIndeed, the first and perhaps the only publisher of Tchaikovsky's works, the founder of the largest Russian music printing house of that time, Pyotr Jurgenson, after publishing works of the composer, took manuscripts into his possession. In 1894, shortly after Tchaikovsky's death, Jurgenson issued a catalogue of published works, showing how many Tchaikovsky's musical autographs must have been accumulated in his establishment.

However, Pyotr Jurgenson had no intention to become their sole owner.He intended to donate all Tchaikovsky's manuscripts to the Public Library in the future. He wrote to V. Stasov about this on 19 December 1884,

'Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky informed me about your desire to obtain some of his manuscripts and asked me to agree to transfer them to the Public Library. Much earlier, I decided that, some day, I would give the original manuscripts to the Public Library, not individual compositions but all of them. I keep them safe and intact and I take care of them and struggle for them with the author who hold them very cheap and do not take care of them. <…>. Forgive me if I consider it premature to give them to you. They will not go away from you, believe me'.

Catalogue of P. Tchaikovsky's works published by P. Jurgenson. Catalogue of P. Tchaikovsky's works published by P. Jurgenson.P. Jurgenson's letter to Stasov dated to 19 December 1894.

Jurgenson's intention was not fulfilled. It seems surprising, but the composer himself interfered with him. He was not satisfied with "the company" of musicians whose manuscripts were acquired by the Imperial Public Library, through the efforts of Stasov. Although Jurgenson tried to convince Tchaikovsky, reminding him that there were already Glinka's manuscripts, and the library itself – 'the repository, available to the public for centuries and, God grant, for millennia', all attempts to collect Tchaikovsky's manuscripts in it, were unsuccessful.

And yet, in spite of the resistance of the composer, the National Library of Russia has developed a considerable collection that numbers about five hundred documents written by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The collection consists of both musical scores of his complete works and fragments of works inscribed by Tchaikovsky that have been preserved on separate sheets of printed music and in home albums, in which the owners collected handwritten records of their contemporaries – the musicians, poets, writers. It also includes dedication inscriptions made by Tchaikovsky on his photograph and music publications. In addition, in one of Taneyev's manuscripts there are notes made by Tchaikovsky – the conductor in the preparation of his compositions for performance. But, perhaps, the most numerous set of materials is epistolary heritage of Tchaikovsky. The library has more than 450 letters of the composer to various addressees. The earliest of these date back to 1848, the most recent were written in 1893, not long before his death.

Materials related to Tchaikovsky are not limited to his autograph. Throughout his life, he met and communicated, correspond with different people, many of whom have passed into the history of Russian culture, and their documents were acquired by the Public Library. These documents make it possible to show the composer in the surroundings of his relatives and friends, to illustrate episodes of his biography by the original manuscripts of his contemporaries.

Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Photographic portrait with a dedication to Baron Rudolf Ottonovich Buxhoevden. 6 March 1891. –
F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 48.
Catalogue of P. I. Tchaikovsky's works published by P. I. Jurgenson. – F. 773. G. N. Timofeev, M. V. Janova, № 1156.
P. Jurgenson. Letter to Stasov dated to 19 December 1894. – F. 738. V. V. Stasov, № 234.
Modest Tchaikovsky. Photographic portrait with a dedication to Baron Rudolf Ottonovich Buxhoevden. 1 June1891. –
F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 49.
P.I. Tchaikovsky. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to his Aunt Elizaveta Schobert. 1848. – Ф. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 2, fols. 3.–3 v.
The house where Elizaveta Schobert's furnished rooms were located.
P.I. Tchaikovsky Letter to Frederick Dürbach. 1848. – F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 2, fol. 5.
Fanny Dürbach
Maria Loginova. Maria Loginova. Variations for Piano on a Romance «Why do you become silent». – OSRK. F.XII.27, fol. 3.
Maria Loginova. Maria Loginova. Variations for Piano on a Romance «Why do you become silent». Text of the dedication to Empress Maria Alexandrovna. – OSRK F.XII.27, fol. 2.
Mark Palchikov. Cantata «Alexander! The Whole World Glorifies Your Deeds». – OSRK. F.XII.26, fol. 4 об.
Mark Palchikov. Text of the dedication to Emperor Alexander II. – OSRK. F.XII.26, fol. 2.
Mark Palchikov. Text of the dedication to Emperor Alexander II. – OSRK. F.XII.26, fol. 2 v.
Portrait of Maximilian of Leuchtenberg.
Mark Palchikov. Mark Palchikov. Marsh, composed on the occasion of His Imperial Highness Duke Maximilian Leuchtenberg' visit of the city Malmyzh on 30 August 1845. Moscow, 1846. – ONIiMZ RNB. М 560-4/828.
Maria Loginova. Letter to Pyotr Tchaikovsky, dated to 22 December 1882. –
F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 38.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Pyotr Jurgenson, dated to 9 January 1883. –
F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 38.
Imperial School of Jurisprudence.
Vladimir Stasov – a student of the School of Jurisprudence.
Nadezhda von Meck
Church of St. Catherine at the Imperial School of Jurisprudence.
Catherine Pavlovna, the Queen of Württemberg
«Bulletin of the Church of Holy Great Martyr Catherine at the Imperial School of Jurisprudence». – F. 1000. Collection of individual arrivals, op. 1, № 240, fol. 2–3.
Archpriest Mikhail Bogoslovsky.
«Bulletin of the Church of Holy Great Martyr Catherine at the Imperial School of Jurisprudence. About the clergy of the mentioned church». – F. 1000. Collection of individual arrivals, op. 1, № 240, fol. 3 v.–5
Gavrila Lomakin. – F. 816. N.F. Findeyzen, № 3555.
Gavrila Lomakin. Farewell Song [ for students of the Imperial School of Jurisprudence]. Part for treble. An authorized copy. – F. 1021. Collection of individual music arrivals, op. 2, № 67, fol. 1.
P.I. Tchaikovsky. «O Gladsome Light» based on the Kiev chant. Part for bass I. –
F. 1021. Collection of individual music arrivals, оп. 1, № 8, fol. 46.
«O Gladsome Light» based on the Kiev chant in the book Irmologion for liturgical singing. 1759. – OLDP. F.510.
Vladimir Stasov. Letter to Poytr Tchaikovsky dated to 30 December 1872. –
F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 45, fol. 1.
Vladimir Stasov. Letter to Poytr Tchaikovsky dated to 30 December 1872. –
F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 45, fols. 1 v.-2.
Vladimir Stasov. Letter to Poytr Tchaikovsky dated to 30 December 1872. –
F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 45, fol. 2 v.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Vladimir Stasov, dated 15 January 1873. – F. 738. V. V. Stasov, № 343, fols. 1–2 v.
P.I. Tchaikovsky The Tempest. Fantasia for Grand Orchestra. Four-, three- and two-lines summary of the composition with directions for its instrumentation. – F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 5, fol. 1.
P.I. Tchaikovsky The Tempest. Fantasia for Grand Orchestra. Four-, three- and two-lines summary of the composition with directions for its instrumentation. – F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 5, fol. 1 v.
P.I. Tchaikovsky The Tempest. Fantasia for Grand Orchestra. Four-, three- and two-lines summary of the composition with directions for its instrumentation. – F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 5, fol. 2.
Tchaikovsky's Monogram of 1873–1875.
Anatoly Tchaikovsky's Monogram. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Alexey Sofronov, dated to 9 October 1878. –
F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 25, fol. 14.
Tchaikovsky's Monogram in 1876–1881.
4/16 January [1880]. Rome. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Lev Davydov. –
F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 19, fol. 23.
19/31 January 1882. Rome. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Leonty Tkachenko. –
F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 29, fol. 10.
10 August. Kamenka. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Leonty Tkachenko. –
F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky,
№ 29, fol. 4.
6 May 1882. Kamenka. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Leonty Tkachenko. –
F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 29, fol. 13.
19 June 1882. Kamenka. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Leonty Tkachenko. – F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 29, fol. 17.
8 November 1882. Kamenka. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Leonty Tkachenko. –
F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 29, fol. 26.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Lev Davydov, dated to 15 June 1883. – F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 19, fol. 45.
14 December 1883. Moscow. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Mily Balakirev. –
F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 12, fol. 12.
13 September 1885. Klin. Maydanovo. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Mily Balakirev. – F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 12, fol. 21.
21 November 1885. Klin. Maydanovo. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Mily Balakirev. – F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 12, fol. 28.
11 March 1887. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Mily Balakirev. – F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 12, fol. 37.
29 April 1887. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Vladimir Stasov. –
F. 738. V. Stasov, № 343, fol. 62.
1 August 1888. Frolovskoe. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Vladimir Vasiliev-Shilovsky. – F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 14, fol. 18.
21 April 1884. Kamenka. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Anna Alexandrova-Levenson. – F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 9, fol. 1.
23 June 1884. Grankino. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to Lev Davydov. – F. 384. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 19, fol. 49.
9 November 1887. Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Letter to [Peterson?] written on the paper with the monogram of his elder brother Nikolay. – F. 654. N. G. Rubinstein, № 118.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky's letter to his brother Modest. 17/29 April 1874. –
F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 36, fol. 52.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Hamlet. Fragment. –
F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 54.
Lucien Guitry. Photographic portrait. –
F. 965. P. Vaksel, № 1143.
Vsevolod Prokofiev. 1940. –
F. 1175. V. and Ju. Prokofievs, № 359, fol. 3.
Vsevolod Prokofiev. Letter to Nikolay Zhegin dated to 16 March 1936. – F. 1175. V. and Ju. Prokofievs, № 348, fol. 1.
Nikolay Zhegin. Letter to Vsevolod Prokofiev. 22 March 1936. – F. 1175. V. and Ju. Prokofievs, № 353.
Nikolay Zhegin. 1932. Director of the Tchaikovsky Museum in Klin. –
F. 1575. I. Semenov, № 232.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Iolanta's Arioso from the opera of the same name. Fragment. – F. 834. P.I. Tchaikovsky, № 6.
Maria Anderson in the role of the Wite Cat in the ballet «The Sleeping Beauty». – F. 1021. Collection of individual music arrivals, оп. 4, № 5, fol. 30.
Photographic portraits of Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Maria Anderson, pasted in her notebook. – F. 1021. Collection of individual music arrivals, op. 4, № 5, fol. 29 v.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky with Nikolay and Medeya Figners. – F. 1534. N. and R. Figners, № 176.
Nikolay Figners in the role of Lensky in the Pyotr Tchaikovsky opera «Eugene Onegin». – F. 1534. N. and R. Figners, № 155, fols. 1–3.
Medeya Figner in the role of Tatyana in the Pyotr Tchaikovsky opera «Eugene Onegin». Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, 1880s. – F. 1534. N. and R. Figners, № 179, fols. 1–2.
Leonid Sobinov in the role of Onegin in the Pyotr Tchaikovsky opera «Eugene Onegin». 1900s. – F. 1575. B. Semenov, № 178.
Alexander Smirnov as Lensky in the Pyotr Tchaikovsky opera «Eugene Onegin». 1903. – F. 1033. E. Vizel, № 288.
Konstantin Serebryakov as Gremin in the Pyotr Tchaikovsky opera «Eugene Onegin». 1903. – F. 1033. E. Vizel, № 286.
Nikolay Pechkovsky as Herman in the Pyotr Tchaikovsky opera «The Queen of Spades». 1930. – F. 1033. E. Vizel, № 284.