…The first movement of your Fourth Symphony is too long in proportion to the others. It seems to me like a symphonic poem to which three other movements have been added accidentally. The trumpet fanfare in the introduction, which is repeated in other sections, the frequent changes of tempo in the secondary themes – all this makes me think that you are describing a program here. Otherwise I like the movement. But the rhythm [drawing of the rhythm] is used too much and it gets boring. / The Andante is charming (I don’t particularly care for the middle theme). The Scherzo is exquisite and sounds wonderful. I cannot bear the trio; it sounds like a ballet piece. Nikolay Grigoryevich like the finale best, but I do not quite agree with him. Since I know the way you transcribed the Zhyravl and what you can do with a Russian theme, the variations on V o pole bereza stoyala seem rather unimportant and uninteresting. / I think the symphony has one weakness to which I shall never become reconciled. In each movement there are phrases that sound like ballet music: the middle section of the Andante, the trio of the Scherzo, and a sort of march in the Finale. When I hear the symphony my inner eye involuntarily sees Madame Soleshchanskaya [A ballerina], which disturbs me and spoils my pleasure at the many beautiful things in the work. / I have given you my frank opinion. Perhaps I have expressed it a little too freely, but don’t be hurt. It isn’t surprising that I don’t like the symphony. If you had not sent me Yevgeny Onyegin at the same time, perhaps I should have been satisfied with it. It’s your own fault for having composed such an opera, after which everything must seem less interesting than it really is. Onyegin has given me much pleasure and I’ve spent many enjoyable moments examining the score and I am unable to find any fault in it. A splendid opera! And still you say you want to give up composition. You have ever done so well. Be happy at having achieved such perfection, and profit by it. << less