This rather charming scribble is one of the many letters from famous composers that we have at RNCM Archives. If you've watched some Disney in your time then you may have come across this correspondent's work. P.Tchaikovsky is regarded as one of the greatest composers (so far) of all time. Little known fact is that he was pen-pals/BFFs with the Royal Manchester College of Music's second Principal, Adolph Brodsky. The story goes that Tchaikovsky wrote a violin concerto (now one of the most famous in the repertoire) and dedicated it to Leopold Auer. In true diva style, Auer refused to play it because it was too complicated. To be fair, the concerto is regarded as one of the most technically difficult to perform. However, Brodsky thought, "I'll give it a bash" and gave the first public performance of the concerto. Critics bashed it but Tchaikovsky caught wind of it and wanted to thank Brodsky for his efforts. Thus began a friendship that would last until Tchaikovsky died in Autumn 1893, pretty much as soon as the RMCM opened in Manchester.
In this letter Tchaikovsky discusses programming for forthcoming concerts, how he grows frustrated with the directorship of the Musical Society and how he is absolutely slammed preparing his new opera (likely to be Cherevichki). For a translation of the letter and more have a look at the fantastic Tchaikovsky Research website
www.tchaikovsky-research.net/
Reference: AB/667
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