Boulanger to Stravinsky
Featherhill Ranch
Montecito
Santa Barbara, California
March 4, 1944
Dear Igor,
What Happiness to have the Sonata—how I love it, how balanced it is and how correct it is.
I cannot write to you, nor write about your music, because crushing humility overwhelms me
and my ridiculous attempt, but I know with unmistakable certainty that I love and understand it
as it must be, as it is. What pretension! I know . . . but this is the pretension I have, and every day
I thank God for having given me the dignity to measure my weakness, and furthermore the
privilege to know what it is.
THANK YOU
This is a “flippant” letter from a certain point of view, and absurd. This comes from being taught
to question and abolish all distance and to assume all liberties. But it’s a child who’s writing it,
and undoubtedly there is more [to this] than it seems, but . . . poor little one! And a few stamps to
settle the debt. Having stolen $4.36 of the $7.50 from you, I therefore steal from you $0.72 from
$15.00, and so as to not alert the police, here is what will spare me further complications.
With heartfelt affection,
Nadia B
Boulanger à Stravinsky
Featherhill Ranch
Montecito
Santa Barbara, California
4 mars 1944
Cher Igor,
Quel Bonheur d’avoir la Sonate—comme je l’aime, comme elle s’équilibre, et comme elle a
raison.
Ne peux pas vous écrire, ni écrire à propos de votre musique—car alors l’humilité devient
écrasante, et la tentative ridicule, mais je sais avec cette certitude qui ne trompe pas que je l’aime
et l’entends comme il faut, comme elle est. Quelle prétention ! Je sais…mais cette prétention là je
l’ai, et tous les jours je remercie Dieu pour m’avoir donné la dignité de mesurer ma faiblesse, et
pourtant le privilège de savoir ce qui est.
MERCI
La lettre est « flippante » d’un certain point de vue, et absurde, cela résulte de l’éducation
donnée, questionner, abolir toutes les distances, et s’arroger toutes les libertés. Mais c’est un
enfant qui l’écrit, et sans doute y a-t-il là plus que l’on ne croit, mais…pauvre petit ! Et quelques
timbres, pour faire de bons comptes. Vous ayant volé 4.36 sur 7.50. Je vous vole donc 0.72 sur
15.00 et afin de ne pas alerter la police, voilà ce qui m’évitera des complications.
Vous embrasse tous deux de tout cœur.
Nadia B
Nadia Boulanger , “Chapter 3, 4 March 1944,” Digital Exhibits, accessed October 6, 2024, https://digex.lib.uoguelph.ca/items/show/2344.
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