[186] A Day in St. Petersburg.
[187] Jurgenson had commissioned Tchaikovsky to send him as many songs and pianoforte pieces as he liked, and while awaiting at Klin the day of his departure for London, the composer determined to write one number every day.
[188] Karl Albrecht, who was on his death-bed.
[189] The Quartet Night.
[190] This was before Sir Charles Villiers Stanford was knighted.
[191] Portraits et Souvenirs, Saint-Saëns, p. 141.
[192] This was merely a playful threat because his nephew had neglected to answer his letters.
[193] There was no other witness of this incident but myself. But it is clear from the programme of the concert of October 16th (28th) that this title had not then been given to the work. Moreover, anyone can see by a glance at the title-page that this name was written later than the rest.
[194] As several English versions exist of many of Tchaikovsky’s songs, and some of these so-called translations have not even titles in common with the original texts, it is less misleading to keep to the German titles.—R. N.
[195] The Introduction is the Malo-Russian variant of “Down by Mother Volga,” the Finale is based upon a popular tune called “The Crane.”—R. N.