Chapter 4, 18 March 1949

Title

Chapter 4, 18 March 1949

Subject

Igor Stravinsky

Creator

Nadia Boulanger

Date

18 March 1949

Source

Paul Sacher Stiftung

Type

Letter

Extracted Text

Boulanger to Stravinsky
March 18, 1949
Dear Igor,
This note is not what I need to write to you, but it is what I must write to you. It has to do with
the Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund. For reasons I believe you will judge to be unnecessary to
expose you to, I hope this year that the prize can be shared between Preger, whom you like and
appreciate as I do, and a little, immensely talented Czech student, Karel Husa, who must at all
costs be helped right now. I would rather have sent you one of his manuscripts, but he isn’t able
to photograph them. He has had many manuscripts lost and I don’t dare to ask him to send the
sole examples that he possesses. I therefore ask you to trust me. I am certain that you would
agree.
Thank you for the telegram that touched me so much. I have a million things to tell you, but this
cold has done me a nasty turn. I am, once again, very tired and can’t even do what is required of
me each day. I think of you ceaselessly and am more than sad not to see you anymore. It is such
a great sorrow.
I send you both my love, and know that I am your,
Nadia
[P.S.] I cannot speak to you about the Mass this way. It is of an incalculable importance, and an
unlimited significance. I love it more than I know how to say. It is ridiculous to try to express
such things. But you know them . . .
Boulanger à Stravinsky
18 March 1949
Cher Igor
Ce mot n’est pas celui que j’ai besoin de vous écrire, mais celui que je dois vous écrire. Il s’agit
du Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund. Pour des raisons que je crois vous jugeriez superflu de vous
voir exposer, je souhaite que le Prix cette année soit partagé entre Preger que vous aimez et
appréciez comme moi, et un petit Tchèque de grand talent, Karel Husa, qu’il faut à tous prix
aider en ce moment. J’aurais voulu vous envoyer un de ses manuscrits, mais il ne peut faire
photographier. Il a eu plusieurs partitions perdues et je n’ose lui demander d’envoyer les
exemplaires uniques qu’il possède. Je vous demande donc de me faire confiance. Je crois être sûr
que vous seriez d’accord.
Merci pour le télégramme qui m’a tant touchée. J’ai mille choses à vous raconter, mais la grippe
m’a joué un tour pendable. Je suis encore très fatiguée et ne fais pas même ce que chaque jour
exige. Je pense à vous sans cesse et suis plus que triste de ne plus vous voir. C’est un grand
chagrin.
Embrassez-vous tous de ma part, et sachez que je suis votre,
Nadia
[P.-S.] Ce n’est pas ainsi que je peux vous parler de la Messe. Elle, est d’une importance
incalculable, et d’une portée sans limites. Je l’aime plus et mieux que je ne sais vous le dire. Il
est si ridicule d’essayer d’exprimer de telles choses. Mais vous les savez…

Files

Citation

Nadia Boulanger , “Chapter 4, 18 March 1949,” Digital Exhibits, accessed March 28, 2024, https://digex.lib.uoguelph.ca/items/show/2447.

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