Marina Kostalevsky is an associate professor of Russian at Bard College. She is the author of many publications on Russian literature and music. Stephen Pearl is former chief of English interpretation at the United Nations. His translations have won the 2008 AATSEEL Prize (for Ivan Goncharov’s Oblomov) and been short-listed for the 2016 Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize (for Goncharov’s The Same Old Story).
“Essential in filling out a more humane and complete portrait of
the composer and his art.”—Jeremy Eichler, The Boston Globe
“These newly translated documents provide deeper insight both into
Tchaikovsky himself, and the family circle and larger society
in which he was active.”—Rebecca Mitchell, Canadian-American Slavic
Studies
“This English-language version of the ground-breaking original
Russian text has been prepared with great skill and care. The notes
are particularly admirable, and the translations of the letters and
other documents impeccable”– Arnold McMillin, The Slavonic and East
European Review
Winner of the Outstanding Academic Title for 2018 award sponsored
by Choice
"We are now at home with much that was once taboo about
Tchaikovsky—his tsarist loyalties, his homosexuality, how he died.
But the Sentimentalism of his letters, its emotional register,
still startles the modern reader. This revealing collection helps
us see that how one writes letters is only a small part of who one
is."—Caryl Emerson, Princeton University
“This collection of finely translated letters, documents, and
musical mementos moves Tchaikovsky considerably beyond the vapid
biographical clichés of yesteryear. Turns out, the genius was also
a human being —funny, coarse, germaphobic, borderline alcoholic,
with great friends and supportive siblings. Gay? Fine by
them.”—Simon Morrison, Princeton University
"This indispensable volume, containing copious unpublished private
correspondence, allows us to gain an unparalleled insight into
Tchaikovsky as a human being, and thus move beyond the clichés
surrounding the composer’s biography." —Rosamund Bartlett, author
of Tolstoy: A Russian Life
![]() |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
![]() |