Stravinsky to Boulanger
1260 North Wetherly Drive
Hollywood California
June 15, 1954
Nadia dear,
Thank you for your kind letter (June 10). We just arrived (with Milène and André) from Lisbon;
what a flight! As fast as it was calm. I won’t forget the Webern arrangement of the Bach
Ricercare: as soon as I find it, I will have it copied for you.
I understand nothing of what you wrote to me about the Scherzo à la Russe and Lugano, where I
conducted a program of chamber music. You must have heard the broadcast from Rome where I
actually played it in my symphonic concert on April 15, and without cuts of course. The idiotic
cut of the First Trio (the canon with the piano and harp) was made, I suppose, by the
broadcasting station for reasons that I can only guess at; either they were short on time (the cut of
this canon would gain them 1 minute), or they didn’t care for the music of the canon, or, perhaps,
the two reasons together. In any case, I had nothing to do with it.
It was good to see you in London. How did your performance of the Septet go?
Love, kisses,
I Str.
Stravinsky à Boulanger
1260 North Wetherly Drive
Hollywood California
15 juin 1954
Nadia cherie,
merci [sic] de votre si gentille lettre (10 juin). Nous venons d’arriver (avec Milene et Andre) de
Lisboa; quel vol! aussi rapide que calme. N’oublierai pas l’instrumentation de Webern du Bach
Richercare : des que je la retrouverai je vous la ferai photostater.
N’ai rien compris de ce que vous m’ecrivez au sujet du Scherzo a la russe et de Lugano ou je
dirigeais un programme de musique de chambre. Vous avez du l’entendre transmit de Rome ou
je l’avais joue, en effet, dans mon concert symphonique du 15 avril et sans coupures bien
entendu. Cette coupure idiote du 1er
Trio (le canon du Piano et Harpe) était faite, je suppose, par
la station emettrise pour des raisons que je devine: ou [sic] etaient- ils a court de temps (la
coupure de ce canon leur faisait gagner 1 minute), ou la musique de ce canon leur deplaisait, ou,
encore, les deux raisons ensemble. Moi, en tout cas, je n’y suis pour rien.
C’etait bon de vous avoir eu a Londres. Comment c’est passee votre execution du SEPTET ?
Love, kisses
I. Str.
Igor Stravinsky , “Chapter 5, 15 June 1954,” Digital Exhibits, accessed December 22, 2024, https://digex.lib.uoguelph.ca/items/show/2707.
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