Chapter 18 14

March 3, 1963 (translated from English) Dear Mira, I am very pleased to know that Cong and your father performed very successfully together at the end of January. I am especially happy that Cong got a lot of inspiration during the rehearsal and performance, which can promote his own musical insights.Cong is very critical of himself all the time, which makes us very relieved. March 17th, 1963, my dear child, I haven’t written for you for more than two months. I know that your whereabouts are uncertain and you are running around. Our letters may not be received, and we have no intention to read them carefully. .Received letters on the way to New York and in New Mexico; your idealistic fervor is astounding, and I'm an old man by comparison.In the past year, my heart has been stagnant, only my work is still relentless; my love for literature and art has not diminished slightly, but I often have a feeling of "turning back after giving up" and "lost as if lost".Maybe it's because the Chinese temperament is too strong, especially the negative spirit of the so-called "free and easy" and "transcendence". Maybe it's the shadow of childhood and the painful experience of family history that have invisibly taken root in my heart. The older I get, the easier it is Personality differentiation, it seems that from time to time, I will be placed on another planet to see the world, and it seems that I will lose consciousness anytime and anywhere and turn into material elements.The cosmology of astronomy and geology is often entrenched in my mind, like the state written by some short stories by Vold, which makes me more or less detached [transcendence] towards reality.However, at work and in daily life, the seriousness of every ounce is still the same, which is exactly the opposite of the above-mentioned mood. It can be said that the personality is divided; maybe the habit has become my nature, and my nature originally conflicts with my reason.

Intellectually [intellectually] I am purely oriental, and emo-tiona11v&instinctive1y [emotionally and innately] are very similar to Westerners.In fact, there are still two inherent outlooks on life: one is the view that all four things are empty, and the other is the spirit of knowing what can't be done.Perhaps the process from youth to adulthood to old age is basically a process from positive to negative, but some people are more obvious, and some people are not so obvious.Creatures in nature cannot escape this law.You are approaching thirty, which is the prime of life, just like late spring, you should be vigorous and prosperous on the road of growth.

The optimism and positivity of the two letters recently stimulated me somewhat, and I was really excited on the day I received the letters.Your sense of Chinese pride makes me proud of you, and I feel relieved that you are good at appreciating the merits of the nation and the broad masses of people.Only the combination of national pride and appreciation of others can prevent narrow chauvinism and prevent individuals from falling into arrogance and self-indulgence; and this is the real fusion of patriotism and internationalism.Our leaders have a clear view of the international situation and have never said that there is a possibility of a domestic revolution in the United States. What you believed before may be the speculation and incorrect extension of foreign journalists.Our problems, I think, mainly lie in how to build socialism, how to give full play to individual enthusiasm after changes in production relations, how to demonstrate the superiority of our system in terms of material achievements in practice, and how to turn "red" in words into career success. "Red", how to prevent collectivism from being dragged down by bureaucracy, how to improve the leadership level of the top and bottom cadres, how to seek truth from facts, how to popularize culture instead of lowering it, how to cultivate and care for the next generation...

My work is getting harder and harder.The first draft is translated around a thousand words a day, and the second revision (after the first draft is transcribed) can only change more than 3,000 words a day, which is almost a retranslation.But I am still not satisfied with the changes (the lines are too hard, the edges and corners are protruding, the colors are too monotonous, etc.).After the revised manuscript is transcribed (that is, the third draft), it has to be revised again. When the book is printed, there are still many problems.The situation is roughly the same as you would treat a record.

But I have reached the stage where I am at the end of my life, and my ability can only decline, and it is impossible to improve; it is not like you, although you are dissatisfied with yourself, you are always improving.When I think about it, I envy you for not putting it down.I have been in a low mood recently, probably related to my dissatisfaction with work.The books translated in the previous five years are being published one after another.Soon he will send "Pierrand, the parish priest of Tours".There is also "Secha Pirodo", which will be published in about April and May.This book was completed in the spring of 1958, but it happened to be the last to be published. "Philosophy of Art" has been sent to you first.For Balzac's books, I specially sent them in paperback, in case you would take them with you when you go out, paperback is more convenient.Old Man Goriot-Aunt Betty-Bons-Eugenie are all being reprinted. If you need to reprint which one, please let me know soon. (As soon as the book comes out, it will be sold out in ten or eight days.) You write cynic [cynicism] as scinic; naiveness, without this word, should be naivety [naive].

April 26, 1963... You have been running outside for nearly two months and you are overtired. You should also make arrangements to go to the countryside to live for three to five days.I don't know how many times I have told you about this matter in the past few years, but you always refused to accept our opinion.Life is multifaceted, and art must also be cultivated in many aspects. A proper balance between work and rest is only good for art. Three days without playing the piano will never damage your technique; you should have some confidence in that.What's more, the so-called "relax" cannot only be sought in terms of technique (skill), nor can it be abstractly pursued separately.It is impossible to have a real relax without leaving the piano for a long time; only when you are in close contact with nature and let go of everything, can you have a relaxed mood. Get what you want.I also suffer from the problem of being too nervous, but in the past two years, I have always taken time to go out for a few days in spring and autumn.After returning home, I really feel refreshed, and my work efficiency can be improved instead. Mrs. Kabos criticized you for not being able to re1ax as much as possible. I think the basic reason is that life is too stressful.I always keep my spirits up at ordinary times, whether I can relax or not!You are very stubborn, no matter how many people who love you, including Mira and us, they can't persuade you to take time out every year, at least take three or five days off by yourself.This is what we often think of and sigh, and feel that you have never understood our enthusiasm for loving you, especially us, your father-in-law, and Mira are people who deeply understand art. If you advise you to rest, it will never hinder your art!

Your too one-sided emphasis on art is also dangerous to art: if you don’t follow our advice, you will definitely regret it in three to five years, seven to eight years.My child, you are not wise [RB 智], and Mira is not very strong physically, so you have to think about her, and you cannot devote 100% of your life to art.Mrs. Bronstein did not neglect the family for the sake of art.You can go out once or twice a year, even for three days each time, which is good for Mira and not harmful for art. Why don’t you try it out and see the result? Yangzhou is an ancient city since the Sui and Tang Dynasties of the Five Dynasties and Six Dynasties. Unfortunately, after repeated wars, most of the world's best gardens have disappeared, but some of them have been restored recently.The scenery of Slender West Lake has the realm of Jiangnan.We played for five days, half rested and half played, and lived in a guest house, and everything was well supplied.Slowly send photos to you.

On the evening of June 2, 1963 Since the hostility of the critics has lasted for a year, it is better to analyze and analyze yourself more, and ask more objective, neutral, and high-level musical people's opinions.I know you are very self-critical, but the hostility of the outside world should still make us vigilant to ourselves: there may be some unconscious flaws that we and our close friends have never seen.There's no harm in discussing it a bit more.If it is really the critics who deliberately oppose it, of course you don't have to worry about it.I don’t know how many people have been criticized inexplicably in history, even the generations of Lilleux, Verde, and Balzac, not to mention me!The main thing is to measure people with the heart of a gentleman. As a reference, it is only good for yourself.There is an old saying: right and wrong have their own opinions, and after a long time, black and white will naturally become clear!

July 22, 1963 Dear child, I haven't written a letter for more than fifty days.There are thousands of words, but I can't write; I don't write letters all the time and feel uneasy;My mother and I often dream of you, with realistic voices and smiles.After dreaming, I always want to write a letter, and I have written it several times but failed.I know your mood fluctuates a lot too.If you have ideals, you will be depressed, and if you don't follow the trend, you will be in discord everywhere, but it is the same if you can think of changing places, maybe it will be calmer.Born less than a hundred years old, often worrying about a thousand years old: this second language can be a portrayal of you and me.I haven't heard from you for more than two months, I hope you are healthy and don't be too nervous.Neither of you has a very strong physique, so you always have to take good care of yourself.A good balance between work and rest is the long-term solution.We have nothing to worry about, except that you are overworked, and even Mira can't handle it.Any indulgence has disadvantages, and it is not wise to sacrifice one's life for the sake of indulging in art!

Since late June, many of my old problems have gradually subsided, and now only allergic rhinitis is bothering me.Arthritis cannot be cured at all, and it will recur when the weather changes or overwork.It can only be counted as one day, as long as the attack is not too severe and hinders work, it will be fine. July 22, 1963 (translated from French) Dear child: It has been almost three months, and although I have been thinking about you, I have not written a word to you, which is unique to me.Perhaps you can guess the reason why I have not heard from me for a long time.Idealism can indeed make people happy when they are still able to fantasize unaffected by the blows of reality; but more often than not, idealism will make people depressed and disappointed, dissatisfied with reality.I thought to myself that perhaps mediocrity is blessed. The ancients of our country once bitterly envied the ignorant and mediocre, but in fact, I don’t believe that they will be more carefree than others. Suffering from household chores?Generally speaking, my health is not bad, but apart from my daily work, I seldom pick up my pen. I hope you don't take offense.

September 1, 1963 Dear child, it's good to know you're finally taking a break.Switzerland is indeed the best place to escape the heat.Thirty-four years ago, I lived in a small French village at the west end of Geneva for three months. I saw the snow on Mont Blanc every day, which made people feel a sense of coolness even in the heat of summer. It's a pity that I haven't been to several lakes in northern Switzerland. I heard that it is more beautiful and quieter than Lake Geneva.Your letter from South Africa was supposed to be going to Greece, where it is too hot to go in summer.It would be wise of you to change the itinerary.Have you been to Venice?In fact, several lakes in northern Italy are also beautiful, and it is worth staying for a few days. I believe this trip will make you feel fresh and take a good bath mentally.Myra was very happy to think about it. How is she?What about the test results in the Zurich nursing home?Except for the postcard this time, she hasn't sent a letter since May 10th. I don't know if it was lost in the middle?Have you received my letter to Gstaad?Next time you write a letter, you'd better mention the serial number on my letter, don't just say "all letters have been received" in general.It's best to also mention the date of your last letter, otherwise you won't know if you lose it.In late July, Mrs. Blonstein wrote a letter, reporting your meeting in mid-February. It was a detailed description, not only in detail, but also after five months, the feelings between the lines are still so strong, I was really moved.There are not many people in the world who are so sincere and have such deep feelings! The part of Balzac's novel (Lost I11usions) started in 1961, and the first draft has only been translated recently.The first and second parts have been revised, and the third part still needs to be revised. Even the first and second parts have to be revised again. It is expected that the revision will be completed in April and May next year.There are a total of 500,000 words, and it will take me three and a half years.The Literary Research Institute intends to re-arrange the collection of literary masterpieces, so I am revising it from beginning to end in the past few days, and it will take ten or twenty days.In order to do a good job in translation, one must do one revision, three revisions and four revisions.It was still translated during the Anti-Japanese War. It was retranslated in 1952, and this time it was the third major revision.In addition, a preface must be written.After the Second World War, the research on Balzac in French academic circles developed greatly, and the enthusiasm and erudition were admirable. Min lived at home for a month, and has returned to Beijing.He is very interested in teaching, and he is also very enthusiastic and responsible, desperately looking for supplementary materials outside of class.The principal attaches great importance to him, and the students also like him. Although it is hard work, as long as he can do some work for the people in a down-to-earth manner, it is always worth it. ① Gstaad, Switzerland - place name. September 1, 1963 (translated from French) Dear child: In the summer of 1929, I lived for three months in the small village of St. Gingolphe (St. .See the snow on Mont Blanc every day.Who would have thought that thirty-four years later, a beloved child of the Chinese people would set foot in the same region, and even travel farther and more magnificently?Is this not a coincidence?Satoshi said in the postcard that you are going to drive yourself as far as Italy, and even as far as Venice; but driving as an amateur driver in the mountains, especially in the Alps, is really a bit "adventurous", so you can't drive on the road. Browse the scenery along the way.However, the tour is now over and you have returned safely to London.If possible, and if you have some time, I would love to read your detailed description of the journey. I can't rely on A Cong. He always writes letters with only a few words. October 14, 1963 Dear child, you have received both Hesinski's letter and Myra London's letter.It turned out that she had written a letter in Switzerland and lost it.She has fun writing long letters: the report on the trip to Italy is detailed and vivid. From then on, I think you must have a deeper understanding of Italian painting, especially the Venetian school.The lakes in Switzerland and Italy are all on the plateau, and the mountains are really high and the water is deep, which is unmatched by other places.Coupled with artificial modification, there are many historic sites, which make people nostalgic for the past and even more reluctant to go.The biggest disadvantage of our scenic spots is architecture: firstly, the brick and wood structure cannot resist natural disasters, man-made disasters, wind and rain erosion; secondly, architecture is also a relatively backward branch of Chinese art. After receiving Mira's letter, I looked it up in dictionaries, maps and travel guides.When I went to Rome in 1931, I bought a copy of "Italy" from "Cuide Bleu" ("Cuide Bleu"). It is a thick volume with more than 500 pages, like a dictionary.This is the most complete and detailed guidebook in France, including major cities in various countries (each country is a thick volume), it is actually a travel series.The lakes you have been to, Maggiore, Lugarno, Como, 1seo, Garda [Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano, Lake Como, Lake Iseo, Lake Garda], the streSa [Stresa] where you stayed ] and Bellagio [Bellagio].They are all found on the map, and each lake has its own detailed map.We flipped through it, as if following you on a "fugue tour".Mira drove all the way, after all, it was a steep mountain road, and she was often in the dark. It was really thanks to her. I don’t know if you are driving your own car or a rented car? At this moment, Jiangnan has also turned into late autumn, the sweet-scented osmanthus has withered, and the chrysanthemum is about to bloom.Unexpectedly, London is already windy O rain and fog, so dreary!I would love to see next month.I first went to Tianmu Mountain (western Zhejiang) to enjoy the autumn scenery, and I don't know if I can achieve my wish.In November 1948, I went to Dongxi Tianmu with Uncle Lunbu. The autumn colors were colorful, and the mountains and rivers were like beautiful scenery. For more than ten years, I often fell asleep. It has been revised, and the translation sequence has been written and sent.Nowadays, writing a preface requires criticism, and it is extremely difficult to write. I wrote for a week, and I almost forgot to sleep and eat, and I was so nervous.As for the translation, after many revisions, I always feel that my ability has reached the peak. Most of the dissatisfied parts know that they can be revised, but they are not competent, which is limited by my personal writing style.In the past four or five years, I have become more and more aware of my own limit, which seems to be an insurmountable gap. October 14, 1963 (translated from French) Dear Mira: It was a great pleasure to receive your long letter written between the 23rd of September and the end of the month, and sent from London on the 1st of October. It is our greatest pleasure to know how you are doing. And every time I receive a letter from you, it is always a big event at home.I read the letter over and over again, and talked about it non-stop until I received the next letter.This time, we followed you on a trip to Italy: I consulted the map in the 20th-century "La Rose Dictionary", and kept reading "Blue Guide" (do you have this "Guide" when you travel?) , in order to check the lakes you have been to in northern Italy, such as Maggiore, Lugarno, Como, Iseo, Garda [Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano, Lake Como, Lake Iseo, Lake Garda] and so on.Both Siresa [Stresa] and Bellagio [Bellagio] where you stayed overnight are found on the map.We also read the depiction of the city of Bergamo (also found in "Azur Guide").There is a high town, a low town, and medieval churches in this city, and now you know how we rejoice at your happiness!Don't people live with their loved ones unknowingly?We don't have holidays here, but you make us share all your pleasures and not your fatigues, and we're so refreshed! You two are so lucky to be able to travel around beautiful countries such as Switzerland and Italy.When I was a student, I only spent three months in 1929 in a small village on the shores of Lake Geneva, opposite vi11E-neuve [Villeneuve].Besides, I only went to Rome, Naples, and Sicily in May 1931, but failed to go to Florence and Venice.I was very young at the time, and students' pockets, as you can easily understand, were often very tight.On the contrary, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with outstanding people in Rome, Italian writers and professors, especially sinologists at that time, and local nobles, especially the Countess Basolini (a lady who is about 70 years old) , and her graceful daughter-in-law, Princess Borghese, were especially kind to me.Thanks to their recommendation, I was invited to speak at the Royal Geographical Society of Italy and the Rotary Club of Rome in June, talking about issues related to modern China.I was only twenty-three years old at the time, and it was a little ignorant to actually speak in front of an audience that was not only distinguished but also knowledgeable, including many ministers and generals.It is not like a dream to think that thirty years later my son, another young man, as a fine musician, without being somewhat of a connoisseur like his father, will play in front of an equally distinguished audience in Italy! I am thrilled to see the footage you describe visiting the Louvre, a great museum where I have spent countless hours learning and admiring.It is great news to know that the Mona Lisa, which was blackened and dusty in the past, has now been scientifically cleaned up and has a new look. I love the panoramic view from the Place de la Concorde at the end of the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe!I will never forget the night on the bridge, especially the intertwining of electric lights and gas lights, forming a magnificent reflection on the Seine River, sparkling in the water, white and rose (electric lights and gas lights), every time I sit on the public When a car passes by the bridge, it will never fail to browse.Tell me, boy, is the place still the same? ① In 1963, he revised the translation and wrote a preface, which was lost in the ten-year catastrophe. November 3, 1963 Dear boy, can you imagine how excited I was by the last letter?Sincere and hard-working artists will inevitably go through a rebirth every few years and reach a new peak.Being able to transform from pure feeling (sensatiOn) to concept (idea) is of course a big step forward, and this step is not something every artist can do, because it is related to each person's temperament.However, you should also beware of a pitfall in the conceptual world: when there are fewer and fewer people who can follow you spiritually, you will inevitably dig into the corners of your head, take the road that is too abstract, and break away from the masses.Both grandstanding (that is, blindly bluffing people with novelty) and vulgar flattery are both prohibited, and being too intoxicated with one's own ideals also has its dangers.I am not very clear about this, but specific examples can also serve as our warning.Some of Richter's certain performances and certain understandings can explain the problem very well.At the end of the day, it's still the old adage of "out" and "in".It is lofty and unconventional without losing the human touch, so that people will not feel cold [indifference].As you said, "Everything is far away, but at the same time everything is near", which is exactly the state reached by Mozart and Schubert's works in his later years. Most of the best Chinese people throughout the ages have this breath. Although sublime [sublime], it is not mysiic [mysterious] (Western style); although detached, it is still warm, intimate, human [warm, friendly, humane] to the extreme !Not only do you know this deeply, but your character has this tendency, and that is the safeguard of your art.Basically, my confidence in you is always the same. Some of the above words are just mentioned casually, as a reminder of "he who has heard it is enough to warn". My mother and I are very happy that your body is not swaying: this is not only a matter of impression to the audience, but also an attitude towards art, mastering your emotions, controlling performance, and being able to enter and exit. It also proves that you can Turning into an idea [idea], and surpassing the stage of being led by music and becoming involuntary.It can only be achieved when emotions are purified and personality is sublimated, from dramatic [fluctuating ups and downs] to contemplative [contemplative].It can be seen that such a detail can not be solved by attention alone. Once the self-cultivation is at home, it will be solved easily. (The feelings in the chest cannot be fully expressed with the hands, and the body will naturally swing, as if unconsciously wanting to "dance and dance" to help express. Is my analysis correct? ) In contrast, I am getting worse and worse.I can't tell whether it's a step backward, or whether my abilities are limited. I didn't feel as clearly about my shortcomings before as I do now.The more deeply I understand the original work, the more I appreciate the beauty of the original text, the more I feel weak, and the more I feel that the translation is far from conveying the charm of the original work. More and more rework takes more and more time, and the result is always unsatisfactory.Always see your own limit [limitation], the limit [limitation] of using the brain, the limit [limitation] of wording and making sentences, and the limit [limitation] of innateness-for example, the turning around of sentences is too blunt, the color is monotonous, and the reasoning is strong and descriptive Weakness, everything is related to the flaws and deviations of my character.Naturally, I am not discouraged by this, and I still "do what I know can't be done", but it is also difficult to be happy.Achievement in work is the greatest happiness: this is the same for you and me. Another thing is certain, that is, the way of thinking of Westerners is too far away from ours.People who don't do translation work probably won't understand it so deeply.When they portray their psychology and describe their emotions, there are some twists and turns and delicate places, which are complicated and cumbersome, which are simply out of tune with us.We tend to omit many trivial matters in life because they are not worth mentioning, and many are just listing facts without analysis; If you want to write love, write with the attitude of a poet; but most Western writers use the attitude of a scientist or historian (especially Balzac), like dissecting an insect.Although the translator understands it, he also feels It has its characteristics and beauty, but it is difficult for readers who think in a completely different way to understand it.The way of thinking reflects the entire outlook on life, the world, and the development of thousands of years of culture. How can it be possible to communicate with the thoughts of another nation at once?Fortunately for you, music is not as limited as language. You still use notes to express the notes of your predecessors, not another language or logic. Easterners who really understand the West, and Westerners who really understand Easterners, are not absent, they are just as rare as stars.People who have thoroughly digested their own cultural heritage will never become a burden. Instead, they will develop an all-encompassing mind. They understand both the strengths and weaknesses of their own nation and the strengths and weaknesses of other nations. Cut off the long and make up for the short, and absorb fresh nutrients.I am not afraid of any loneliness, only the loneliness of culture, the loneliness of spiritual thought.The so-called loneliness in your previous letter probably refers to this, right? Although we are so far apart, our hearts are always together, and I never feel any spiritual gap with you.It's not easy between father and son: I'm very pleased with that. November 3, 1963 (translated from English) Dear Boy: You must be as happy as we are that Satoshi's last tour gave him a big step forward in his music career.Not every musician, even the great ones, can enter such an ideal state of mind, so completely lost in himself, that he feels both remote and close to the real world.This depends not only on noble character, love of art, and infinite sympathy for human beings, but also on the personality and temperament of the artist. This "realm of the soul" is by no means mysterious, and there is no comparison between Western mysticism and Chinese The psychological state is even more incompatible (I say China means China's outstanding elements).This is nothing more than a sublimation of Enlightenment humanistic thought. I am very happy that Cong never stops improving in the process of moral evolution.If a person does not stay in it for a certain period of time, it means that his vitality has been exhausted, and if a person is addicted to this, then his artistic life will be exhausted. Another good news is that now Satoshi doesn't sway when playing!This is not only a good demeanor that a performer should have, but also a completely different attitude towards art. I wanted to correct his body swing ten years ago, and I have repeatedly reminded him in letters since then, but he must It takes time to become more mature and stable in order to stabilize the body.You see, I can't help but talk about these things with you because you know it's important and that the joy should be shared as a family. December 11, 1963 ?? In the past year or so, I started to do some research on Balzac, and found that after 1940, especially after the war, the French really made contributions in this regard.Over the past few decades, more than 4,000 biographies, book reviews, and works studies on Balzac have been published: the vast majority of them are French. I had to pick out dozens of the most important ones and entrust my friends in Paris to buy them for me.There are still not many French books in print, and many books are out of stock for a while, and they have to wait for reprints, or ask second-hand booksellers to find them. January 12, 1964 Mozart's Fantasy in BMin [Fantasia in B Minor] I remember mentioning it to you five or three years ago.Romain Rolland highly praised this work, thinking that his painful experience was revealed in this work, and the depth revealed may not be surpassed by Wei Bai and Beethoven.Romain Rolland's two masterpieces: (1) Muscians of the Past ["Ancient Musicians"], (2) Muscians V Today ["Contemporary Musicians"] have translations in English, so you might as well buy them and read them carefully.Among them, the chapters on Mozart, Berlioz, and Trepissy are very exciting.The music works of famous masters can help us understand past masters more accurately, and can also correct our subjective views.I think artists not only need to practice diligently in their own art, but also need to read a lot of books, and also need to do meditaiion [meditation] often to prevent their own biases and corners.People with strong emotions are afraid of nothing but objectivity; the way to prevent this is to learn from others, to test their own views and feelings in other people's mirrors.Secondly, the tape recorder is a necessity for your study, and it is also another mirror of yourself.I used to remind you that the way to manage money is to have the financial resources to buy such necessities. Does Mrs. Kabos still go there?Bye in December, did you take the opportunity to ask her for advice? Teachers and friends in culture and art must be in frequent contact and exchange.There are also disadvantages to just practicing the piano behind closed doors. Recently, apart from daily classes, I take the time to read some books every day.A lot of important books on Balzac abroad were published before and after World War II, but there was no time to make up lessons.Although many studies do not claim to be Marxism-Leninism, what they actually do is Marxism-Leninism work: for example, collecting newspapers and periodicals and memoirs from the first half of the nineteenth century to check against the politics, economy, law, and culture written in "Human Comedy" , to see how much truth there is in Balzac's realism.Many bookstores reprinted Balzac's works, either complete works or zero copies, and experts were invited to make detailed textual research and annotations.To be honest, since the last year, I have only started to do some further research on translating Balzac, but it is just the beginning, and I dare not say whether I will be able to achieve some results in five or ten years. ?? It's nice to know that you're going to spend a few years working hard against Bach, which (and Beethoven) must have.Ordered an Aibert Schweitzer from London for you in '53: Bach— "ranslated by Ernest Newman——2 vols [Albert Schweitzer: "Bach" translated by Ernest Newman, a total of two volumes], useless at home, has been published on January 4 Sent to you. The original author is an authority on contemporary Bach, and the English translator is a well-known music scholar and critic. It must be helpful to you. It is best to read these books from the beginning to the end, and then read them carefully later. ― ——All classical works cannot be absorbed in one pass. Today I saw Dorat on "Music and Musicians" in December: An AnatonyConducting [Dora, "The Analysis of the Conductor"] They have two wonderful sentences: -- "Increasing economy of means, employ-edto better effect, is a Sign of increasing maturity in every form of art.” [Regardless of any form of art, in order to obtain better results, the simpler the techniques the artist adopts, the more he is proficient and mature. "]——This principle is applied to playing the piano, from the stability of the body without swaying, to the simplicity and subtlety of interpretation [deduction]. When he mentioned art, he said:? calls for great pride and extreme hummtv at the same time［?? It requires both high self-esteem and great humiliation].The whole text is worth reading. March 1, 1964 "Financial management" is a difficult task if it is understood as "making money", but it is also easy to understand as "not going short and saving a little".As long as you have the will, determination, don't compromise with yourself, and have the fancy [temporary hobby] to suppress yourself ruthlessly!As the old saying goes: Open source is not as good as cutting expenditure.Our desires are endless, the so-called "desires are hard to fill", if you use as much as you want, even if you make money every day, you will not feel rich.Since you want to maintain your innocence and independence, and you also need to support your family and prevent disasters and fortunes, you have to tighten your belt and firmly hold the "exit" barrier. The "population" is in other people's hands, you can't and don't want to beg servilely; but the "exit" is completely in my hands and I decide.You should remember the so-called Qingliu in ancient China. Those who have made bones are all poor people who are content and indifferent.Why the word poverty is connected together is worth pondering.My understanding is that if you are clean, you will be poor, and if you are poor, you will be able to clean up!I don't want you to be "poor", just to restrain your own desires, so that you can live within your means, and you can't say that the requirements are too high Bar!You understand all these principles, and you don’t need me to babble, the problem lies in practice.You can think and do it in art, so you are successful; if you can say you can do it in life, as long as you reach half of your art, you will get eight out of ten of your life worries.Throughout the ages, most artists can't live. This is not their glory, but their failure.The reason for failure is not really being too clumsy for real life, but not paying attention and not making up your mind.Because my so-called "being able to live" does not mean making a fortune, exploiting people, or being miserly, but means living in an orderly manner, making ends meet with a little surplus.To achieve these two points, it is more than enough to apply a small part of the attention and determination to deal with art! ?? People like us, who never put love and family first, but put art and knowledge first, as the goal of life, it is easy to get rid of material troubles, but In order to avoid worries, better engage in art and learning, and arrange material life well; just look down on money and remove all negative attitudes, sooner or later it will affect your highest goal in life-art!I hope that Kekou will make up his mind and take action in this regard!Take care of everything! Don't write "compete" for "trembling with trembling", and don't write "it's not trivial" for "not the same". April 12, 1964 Dear child, you haven't written a letter since you came back from North America. How do you feel?It is true that you must be in the right mood to write a letter, and I often feel this way.After Mira goes to Miami, how will you solve your three meals a day?I am afraid that you will be lost in practicing the piano, and you are afraid of going out, so you can only eat coffee and bread, which is not the way of daily life.Especially if you consume a lot of work, don't eat too casually. Nutrition (eating regularly) is important after all.你行踪无定，即使在伦敦，琴声不断；房间又隔音，挂号信送上门，打铃很可能听不见，故此信由你岳父家转，免得第三次退回。瑞士的tour［游历] 想必满意，地方既好，气候也好，乐队又是老搭档，瑞士人也喜爱莫扎特，效果一定不坏吧？六月南美之行，必有巴西在内；近来那边时局突变，是否有问题，出发前务须考虑周到，多问问新闻界的朋友，同伦敦的代理人多商量商量，不要临时找麻烦，切记切记！三月十五日前后欧美大风雪，我们看到新闻也代你担忧，幸而那时不是你飞渡大西洋的时候。此间连续几星期春寒春雨，从早到晚，阴沉沉的，我老眼昏花，只能常在灯下工作，天气如此，人也特别闷塞，别说郊外踏青，便是跑跑书店古董店也不成。即使风和日暖，也舍不得离开书桌。要做的事，要读的书实在太多了，不能怪我吝惜光阴。从二十五岁至四十岁，我浪费了多少宝贵的时日！ 近几月老是研究巴尔扎克，他的一部分哲学味特别浓的小说，在西方公认为极重要，我却花了很大的劲才勉强读完，也花了很大的耐性读了几部研究这些作品的论著。总觉得神秘气息玄学气息不容易接受，至多是了解而已，谈不上欣赏和共鸣。中国人不是不讲形而上学，但不象西方人抽象，而往往用诗化的意境把形而上学的理论说得很空灵，真正的意义固然不易捉摸，却不至于橡西方形而上学那么枯燥，也没那种刻舟求剑的宗教味儿叫人厌烦。 西方人对万有的本原，无论如何要归结到一个神，所谓God[ 神，上帝］，似乎除了God[ 神，上帝］，不能解释宇宙，不能说明人生，所以非肯定一个造物主不可。好在谁也提不出证明God[神，上帝］是没有的，只好由他们去说；可是他们的正面论证也牵强得很，没有说服力。他们首先肯定人生必有意义，灵魂必然不死，从此推论下去，就归纳出一个有计划有意志的神！可是为什么人生必有意义呢？灵魂必然不死呢？他们认为这是不辩自明之理，我认为欧 洲人比我们更骄傲，更狂妄，更ambi-tious[野心勃勃] ，把人这个生物看做天下第一，所以千方百计要造出一套哲学和形而上学来，证明这个“人为万物之灵”的看法，访佛我们真是负有神的使命，执行神的意志一般。在我个人看来，这都是vanity［虚荣心] 作祟。东方的哲学家玄学家要比他们谦虚得多。 除了程朱一派理学家dogmatic［武断]很厉害之外，别人就是讲什么阴阳太极，也不像西方人讲God[ 神]那么绝对，凿凿有据，咄咄逼人，也许骨子里我们多少是怀疑派，接受不了大强的illsist[ 坚持]， 太过分的certainty［肯定〕。 前天偶尔想起，你们要是生女孩于的话，外文名字不妨叫Gracia[葛拉齐亚]①，此字来历想你一定记得。意大利字读音好听，grace［雅致］一字的意义也可爱。弥拉不喜欢名字太普通，大概可以合乎她的条件。阴历今年是甲辰，辰年出生的人肖龙，龙从云，风从虎，我们提议女孩子叫“凌云”（Lin Yunn），男孩子叫“凌霄”（Lin Sio）。what do you think?男孩的外文名没有inspiration[ 灵感］，或者你们决定，或者我想到了以后再告。这些我都另外去信讲给弥拉听了。 （凌云=totower over the clouds，凌霄= to tower over the sky，我和Mira[ 弥拉] 就是这样解释的。）一九六四年四月十二日*??最近一个月来，陆陆续续打了几件毛线衣，另外买了一件小斗篷，小被头，作为做祖母的一番心意，不日就要去寄了，怕你们都不在，还是由你岳父转的。我也不知对你们合适否？衣服尺寸都是望主做的，好在穿绒线衣时要九十月才用得着，将来需要，不妨来信告知，我可以经常代你们打。 孩子的名字，我们俩常在商量，因为今年是龙年，就根据龙的特性来想，前两星期去新城隍庙看看花草，有一种叫凌宵的花，据周朝帧先生说，此花开在初夏，色带火黄，非常艳丽，我们就买了一棵回来，后来我灵机一动，“凌霄”作为男孩子的名字不是很好么？声音也好听，意义有高翔的意思；传说龙在云中，那未女孩于叫“凌云”再贴切没有了，我们就这么决定了。再有我们姓傅的，三代都是单名（你祖父叫傅鹏，父雷，你聪），来一个双名也挺有意思，你觉得怎样？ 阿敏去冬年假没回来，工作非常紧张，他对教学相当认真，相当钻研，校方很重视他。他最近来信说：“我教了一年多书，深深体会到传授知识比教人容易，如果只教书而不教人的话，书绝对教不好，而要教好人，把学生教育好，必须注意身教和言教，更重要的是身教，处处要严格要求自己，以身作则。越是纪律不好的班，聪明的孩子越多，她们就更敏感，这就要求自己以身作则，否则很难把书教好。”他对教学的具体情况，有他的看法，也有他的一套，爸爸非常赞同。你看我多高兴，阿敏居然长成得走正路，这正是我俩教育孩子的目的，我们没有名利思想，只要做好本门工作就很好了，你做哥哥的知道弟弟有些成绩，一定也庆幸。 一九六四年四月二十三日亲爱的孩子，有人四月十四日听到你在BBC[英国广播公司〕远东华语节目中讲话，因是辗转传达，内容语焉不详，但知你提到家庭教育、祖国，以及中国音乐问题。 ① 葛拉齐亚，系罗曼罗兰小说《约翰?克利斯朵夫》中之人物。 我们的音乐不发达的原因，我想过数十年，不得结论。从表面看，似乎很简单：科学不发达是主要因素，没有记谱的方法也是一个大障碍。可是进一步问问为什么我们科学不发达呢？就不容易解答了。早在战国时期，我们就有墨子、公输般等的科学家和工程师，汉代的张衡不仅是个大文豪，也是了不起的天文历算的学者。为何后继无人，一千六百年间，就停滞不前了呢？为何西方从文艺复兴以后反而突飞猛晋呢？希腊的早期科学，七世纪前后的阿拉伯科学，不是也经过长期中断的么？怎么他们的中世纪不曾把科学的根苗完全斩断呢？西方的记谱也只是十世纪以后才开始，而近代的记谱方法更不过是几百年中发展的，为什么我们始终不曾在这方面发展？ 要说中国人头脑不够抽象，明代的朱载?（《乐律全书》的作者）偏偏把音乐当作算术一般讨论，不是抽象得很吗？为何没有人以这些抽象的理论付诸实践呢？西洋的复调音乐也近乎数学，为何法兰德斯乐派，意大利乐派，以至巴哈―亨特尔，都会用创作来作实验呢？是不是一个民族的艺术天赋并不在各个艺术部门中平均发展的，希腊人的建筑、雕塑、诗歌、戏剧，在纪元前五世纪时登峰造极，可是以后二千多年间就默默无闻，毫无建树了。文艺复兴时期的意大利艺术也只是昙花一现。右些民族尽管在文学上到过最高峰，在造型艺术和音乐艺术中便相形见继，例如英国，有的民族在文学，音乐上有杰出的成就，但是绘画便赶不上，例如德国。可见无论在同一民族内，一种艺术的盛衰，还是各种不同的艺术在各个不同的民族中的发展，都不容易解释。我们的书法只有两晋、六朝、隋、唐是如日中天，以后从来没有第二个高潮。我们的绘画艺术也始终没有超过宋、元。便是音乐，也只有开元、天宝，唐玄宗的时代盛极一时，可是也只限于“一时”。现在有人企图用社会制度、阶级成分，来说明文艺的兴亡。可是奴隶制度在世界上许多民族都曾经历，为什么独独在埃及和古希腊会有那么灿烂的艺术成就？而同样的奴隶制度，为何埃及和希腊的艺术精神、风格，如此之不同？如果说统治阶级的提倡大有关系，那末英国十八、十九世纪王室的提倡音乐，并不比十五世纪意大利的教皇和诸侯（如梅提契家族）差劲，为何英国自己就产生不了第一流的音乐家呢？再从另一些更具体更小的角度来说，我们的音乐不发达，是否同音乐被戏剧侵占有关呢？我们所有的音乐材料，几乎全部在各种不同的戏剧中。所谓纯粹的音乐，只有一些没有谱的琴曲（琴曲谱只记手法，不记音符，故不能称为真正的乐谱。）其他如笛、箫、二胡、琵琶等等，不是简单之至，便是外来的东西。被戏剧侵占而不得独立的艺术，还有舞蹈。因为我们不像西方人迷信，也不像他们有那么强的宗教情绪，便是敬神的节目也变了职业性的居多，群众自动参加的较少。如果说中国民族根本不大喜欢音乐，那又不合乎事实。我小时在乡，听见舟子，赶水车的，常常哼小调，所谓“山歌”。［古诗中（汉魏）有许多“歌行”，“歌谣”；从白乐天到苏、辛都是高吟低唱的，不仅仅是写在纸上的作品。]总而言之，不发达的原因归纳起来只是一大堆问题，谁也不曾彻底研究过，当然没有人能解答了。近来我们竭力提倡民族音乐，当然是大好事。不过纯粹用土法恐怕不会有多大发展的前途。科学是国际性的、世界性的，进步硬是进步，落后硬是落后。一定要把土乐器提高，和钢琴、提琴竞争，岂不劳而无功？抗战前（一九三七年前）丁西林就在研究改良中国笛子，那时我就认为浪费。工具与内容，乐器与民族特性，固然关系极大；但是进步的工具，科学性极高的现代乐器，决不怕表达不出我们的民族特性和我们特殊的审美感。倒是原始工具和简陋的乐器，赛过牙齿七零八落、声带构造大有缺陷的人，尽管有多丰富的思想感情，也无从表达。乐曲的形式亦然如此。 光是把民间曲调记录下来，略加整理，用一些变奏曲的办法扩充一下，绝对创造不出新的民族音乐。我们连“音乐文法”还没有，想要在音乐上雄辩滔滔，怎么可能呢？西方最新乐派（当然不是指电子音乐一类的u1tra modern［极度现代] 的东西）的理论，其实是尺寸最宽、最便于创造民族音乐的人利用的；无奈大家害了形式主义的恐怖病，提也不敢提，更不用说研究了。俄罗斯五大家――从特比西到巴托克，事实具在，只有从新的理论和技巧中才能摸出一条民族乐派的新路来。问题是不能闭关自守，闭门造车，而是要掌握西方最高最新的技巧，化为我有，为我所用。然后才谈得上把我们新社会的思想感情用我们的音乐来表现。这一类的问题，想谈的大多了，一时也谈不完。 一九六四年四月二十四日 孤独的感觉，彼此差不多，只是程度不同，次数多少有异而已。我们并未离乡别并，生活也稳定，比绝大多数人都过得好；无奈人总是思想大多，不免常受空虚感的侵袭。唯一的安慰是骨肉之间推心置腹，所以不论你来信多么稀少，我总尽量多给你写信，但愿能消解一些你的苦闷与寂寞。只是心愿是一件事，写信的心情是另一件事：往往极想提笔而精神不平静，提不起笔来；或是勉强写了，写得十分枯燥，好像说话的声音口吻僵得很，自己听了也不痛快。 一方面狂热，执著，一方面洒脱，旷达，怀疑，甚至于消极：这个性格大概是我遗传给你的。妈妈没有这种矛盾，她从来不这么极端。 ??你的精神波动，我们知之有素，千句并一句，只要基本信心不动摇，任何小争执大争执都会跟着时间淡忘的。我三月二日（No.559）信中的结论就是这话。人生的每个阶段都是一边学一边过的，从来没有一个人具备了所有的（理论上的）条件才结婚，才生儿育女的。你为了孩子而逞逞然，表示你对人生态度严肃，却也不必想得大多。一点不想是不负责任，当然不好； 想得过分也徒然自苦，问题是彻底考虑一番，下决心把每个阶段的事情做好，想好办法实行就是了。 人不知而不温是人生最高修养，自非一时所能达到。对批评家的话我过去并非不加保留，只是增加了我的警惕。即是人言藉藉，自当格外反躬自省，多征求真正内行而寿意的师友的意见。你的自我批评精神，我完全信得过； 可是艺术家有时会钻牛角尖而自以为走的是独创而正确的路。要避免这一点，需要经常保持冷静和客观的态度。所谓艺术上的il1usion[幻觉］，有时会蒙蔽一个人到几年之久的。至于批评界的黑幕，我近三年译巴尔扎克的，得到不少知识。一世纪前尚且如此，何况今日！二月号《音乐与音乐家》杂志上有一篇karayan[ 卡拉扬］的访问记，说他对于批评只认为是某先生的意见，如此而已。他对所钦佩的学者，则自会倾听，或者竟自动去请教。 这个态度大致与你相仿。 认真的人很少会满意自己的成绩，我的主要苦闷即在于此。所不同的，你是天夭在变，能变出新体会，新境界，新表演，我则是眼光不断提高而能力始终停滞在老地方。每次听你的唱片总心上想：不知他现在弹这个曲子又是怎么一个样子了。 旧金山评论中说你的萧邦太extrovert［外在，外向］，李先生说奇怪，你的演奏正是introvert［内在，内向]一路，怎么批评家会如此说。我说大概他们听惯老一派的cho-pin[萧邦］，软绵绵的，听到不sentimenta1［伤感] 的chopin[ 萧邦] 就以为不够内在了，你觉得我猜得对不对？