Musical Muses
Nadezhda – The Beloved Friend
In a new three part series Ian Fox tells the stories of the remarkable women who inspired, influenced and collaborated with some of the great composers. This week the extraordinary relationship between Tchaikovsky and his patron, Nadezhda von Meck. A wealthy widow when she first contacted the composer by letter in late 1876, von Meck supported him with an annual stipend of 6,000 rubles. The relationship lasted for 14 years and allowed Tchaikovsky to quit the job he hated, teaching at the Moscow Conservatory. Truly, Tchaikovsky would have not become Tchaikovsky without von Meck’s assistance.
RTÉ lyric fm, Friday 13th June, 7pm-8pm