Meck, Nadezhda von
Meck, Nadezhda von
Meck, Nadezhda von, Russian patroness of music; b. Znamenskoye, near Smolensk, Feb. 10, 1831; d. Wiesbaden, Jan. 13, 1894. She became interested in Tchaikovsky’s music through Nikolai Rubinstein, director of the Moscow Cons., of which she was a patroness. At first offering Tchaikovsky commissions, she later granted him a yearly allowance of 6,000 rubles in order that he might compose undisturbed by financial considerations. He lived for long periods in close proximity to her, at Brailov (near Kiev) and in Florence, Italy, but although they carried on an extensive and intimate correspondence (3 vols., Moscow, 1934–36), they never met face to face. Tchaikovsky’s allowance was abruptly cut off in 1890 on the pretext of financial difficulties, leading to a complete break between him and Mme. von Meck in 1891. She employed the youthful Debussy as a pianist in her household.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire