Glinka Museum Research

So, I finished the majority of my research at the Tchaikovsky Museum yesterday.  I may have to go back next week to pick up the images, or we'll find some other way to get them to me.  I downloaded the first set of images yesterday (they gave them to me on DVD).  I have to go through and label all of them yet.  Hopefully I'll remember which is which.

I spent some time looking at the electronic Glinka catalog (online).  I could have protentially done this before, but I didn't have the Russian or research skills.  Even after just three days at the Tchaikovsky Museum, I know so much more.  When I was on the Glinka Museum website, I realized a couple of things:

1) Their research room is open, but all they can pull is printed sources, no manuscripts.  This is because the archivists are all on vacation.  I was told the reading rooms might be closed, and I emailed and asked two months ago.  I was told they would be open.  Well, it turns out they are, but it doesn't do me any good since the archivists are not there.  Beyond that, I have to order in person (at least, that's what they told me today).  And when I come back (hopefully I will), I have to have a new invitation from the director of the Museum.

2) They really don't have a lot of hand written documents.  I still want to look at what they have, but they don't have a lot.

3) I went to the Glinka Museum.  I signed in.  I looked at their card catalog, and there were a few things there that were not listed on the website.  However, they are even working on getting some things digitized.  Taneyev stuff, however, probably doesn't take priority.  At least that is my guess.  So, I made a list of things I would request.  They gave me their email, and when I come back to Russia, I can email them ahead of time with my requests, and they will be ready for me when I arrive.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now... I'm in a bit of a pickle.  There are works by Taneyev for which I cannot locate a manuscript.  When I originally did research, I was told the Tchaikovsky Museum at the majority of them, and the Glinka Museum had the rest.  That's just not true.  First, there is more music out there than New Grove lists (darn New Grove... never trust it!  Just kidding.  Do trust it, but know it might contain incorrect information).  There is no complete list of Taneyev choral works.  I don't know if I will be able to create one, but this will be the beginning of a lifelong project.  There are works that have not been considered choral works but were intended to be considered for choirs.  There are loads of canons, but I think most are still in manuscript form.

I checked the Moscow Conservatory Research Library, and they don't have anything I need.  Maybe some stuff I could check out at a later time, but nothing at the present.  So where are the manuscripts?  I read some Russian scholarship that said the manuscripts are missing for some of his Opus 35, which is a cycle of 16 choruses for men's voice.  Could they be in private collections?  In other museums that have not been listed or mentioned?  Could they be destroyed?  The answer is "yes" to all of these- but I just don't know.

So here is my recourse: I hope to schedule a meeting with the head conductor of the conservatory for Monday.  I don't know if that will happen.  I am going to email a Taneyev scholar.  She's retired and living in Moscow.  If I could meet with her, that'd be wonderful.  Even getting her knowledge over email would be great  I will also speak to the archivist at the Tchaikovsky Museum again- she would likely know where other manuscripts might be.  Additionally, one of my contacts in England has introduced me to a friend of hers in St. Petersburg that might be able to lead me in another direction.

It's a bit like being a detective.