Last week we came across two instances of famous men receiving admiring letters from women who insisted that they never meet. Here is a brief account of the first’s story.
The first was Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who sustained a thirteen-year relationship with Nadezhda von Meck. She initiated their relationship by commissioning pieces to be played in her home. She later became his patron, providing him with a generous yearly pension that allowed him to quit his teaching job and concentrate on composing full-time. Their letters show that they were very close, sharing many confidences, but she insisted that they never meet. And they never did, even when both were in residence at her estate at the same time.
Check back later to find out about the other letter writer’s story ; )
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