Tchaikovsky and the village children

Tchaikovsky lived in a village Maidanovo.  When Tchaikovsky would go for works, he would also be hailed by groups of village children.  As Sofya Nikolayevna recalled: “They had discovered the times he went out and, as he always liked to gave them something, sweets or a coin, they used to lie in wait for him.”

On one occasion, he and Kashkin were walking and Tchaikovsky realised he had forgotten to bring anything for the children.  He told Kashkin to continue and meet in the forest they headed for, and he would detour and find something.  But the children saw Kashkin alone, guessed what had happened and ran off and rounded up Tchaikovsky. In the end, Tchaikovsky was running towards Kashkin saying “Nikolai Dmitrievich, lend me a coin or two, will you?”

Cited in: Hanson, Lawrence and Elisabeth (1965) Tchaikovsky: A New Study of the Man and His Music. London: Cassell & Company, p.246-247.

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