Tchaikovsky through Others' Eyes
Alexander Poznansky (Editor), Ralph C. Burr, Jr. Ralph C. (Translator), Robert BirdBooks.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
"... intriguing collection... a recommended study for anyone interested in the habits and personalities of great minds." —ForeWord
This compilation of reminiscences about Tchaikovsky the man is unprecedented in English. The memoirs, diary entries, and interviews written and conducted by his contemporaries show us both the public and the private figure: the law student, the professor, the philanthropist, the loving brother and uncle, the intrepid traveler, and of course the composer and conductor. In more than 50 documents—some laudatory, others not—Tchaikovsky’s contemporaries speak of little-known facets of the composer’s life: foibles and mannerisms, politics and tastes, prejudices and preferences (sexual and otherwise). The result is a dynamic portrayal of the composer, with all the complexities and paradoxes of a real life.
Synopsis
Here are views of Tchaikovsky by a wide range of his contemporaries - from all periods of his life. In letters, diaries, and interviews, they speak of little-known facets of the composer's life: foibles and manners, politics and tastes, prejudices and preferences (sexual and otherwise). Friends, relatives, musicians, journalists, and state officials show us both the public and the private figure: the student at the School of Jurisprudence, the conductor, the professor at the Conservatory, the philanthropist and promoter of talent, the loving brother and uncle, the intrepid traveler, and the man who impressed a range of people - from servants to members of the Russian Imperial family.
ForeWord - Hall
It is [the] insights...into Tchaikovsky's character that make this intriguing collection appropriate for more than musicians...[A] recommended study for anyone interested in the habits and personalities of great minds.
Editorials
Choice
"This is Poznansky's third book on Tchaikovsky in one decade and—like its two well-received predecessors, Tchaikovsky: The Quest for the Inner Man (CH, Jun'92) and Tchaikovsky's Last Days (CH, Apr'97)—it deals not at all with the music but with the man and his milieu. Poznansky (Yale) divides the book into ten essentially chronological chapters, ranging from descriptions of the composer as a schoolboy to reactions to his untimely death. At the heart of each chapter are contemporaneous comments and journalistic writings; each chapter begins with an essay by Poznansky, in which he sets the scene for the era and describes the reliability—sometimes nonreliability—of those making the comments. Given the chronological order of presentation, the essays constitute a selective biography of the composer. This book serves as a companion to Alexandra Orlova's somewhat flawed compilation of writings by the composer himself (Tchaikovsky: A Self-Portrait, comp. by Alexandra Orlova, CH, Jun'91). Poznansky's project also benefits from the assistance of two experienced translators. Materials concerning Tchaikovsky have been subject to longstanding suppression, and documentation remains to published, especially in translation. Copious endnotes and a reliable index complete the volume, which this reviewer recommends to anyone interested in this composer." —R. Stahura, Ripon College, Choice, November 1999— R. Stahura, Ripon College
Hall
It is [the] insights...into Tchaikovsky's character that make this intriguing collection appropriate for more than musicians...[A] recommended study for anyone interested in the habits and personalities of great minds.—ForeWord