Music Against the Night

Adelaide Field, a woman in Smolensk, Russia, learns of her estranged husband John’s death in January 1837 through a letter from their son Adrien, who lives in Moscow. John had left Adelaide decades earlier for another woman, Clotilde Charpentier, a mistress Adelaide despised. Despite being John’s legal wife, Adelaide was not invited to his funeral, nor did she attend. She reflects on the cruelty of society, which would gossip about her absence, and refuses to change her behavior to conform to others’ expectations. Adelaide had spent years preparing elaborate mourning clothes, symbolizing her commitment to her widowhood, even though she had effectively been a widow long before John’s death. She greets a visitor from Moscow, Nicholas Yakovlev, who delivers a message about John’s final moments, including a pun-filled exchange with a clergyman about John’s religious identity.

John Field, Adelaide’s husband, was an Irish composer living in Russia, known for his musical talent and wit. He was often compared to a claveciniste (a harpsichord player), though his reputation had faded by the time of his death. John’s final words, delivered during his deathbed, were a playful pun in French, mocking the clergyman’s attempts to categorize his religious beliefs. Adelaide dismisses these words as rehearsed, noting that John often struggled with French and that his wit was more performative than sincere. John’s life was marked by financial struggles and unfulfilled ambitions, leaving him in debt and reliant on others. Adelaide reflects on the irony that John, once celebrated, would be remembered only as a footnote in the life of Frédéric Chopin, another composer. His music, once influential, had become obscure, overshadowed by time and changing tastes.

Adrien, Adelaide and John’s son, had left home at 17 to live in Moscow, where he associated with musicians and moneylenders. He sent Nicholas Yakovlev to Smolensk to discuss unresolved business matters left by John, implying that Adrien was financially indebted or dealing with legal complications. Adrien’s actions suggest a strained relationship with his mother, as he did not visit her after John’s death nor attend to her emotional needs. Adelaide notes that Adrien, despite his talent, had squandered his promise, much like his father. She also mentions that Adrien’s household was managed by a man named Leon, a 22-year-old illegitimate son of John’s, who acted as a tenor and sought favor with women to advance his position.

Adelaide is acutely aware of how society judges women, particularly widows. She refuses to participate in the mourning rituals expected of her, such as attending the funeral or expressing public grief, as she believes it would only fuel gossip. The article highlights the hypocrisy of Moscow’s high society, where women like Countess Khomyakova and Princess Tuchkova prided themselves on attending the funerals of prominent men to preserve their legacies, despite their own questionable morals. Adelaide’s silence and composure are acts of defiance against a world that reduces women to their relationships with men. She sees herself as more than a widow or a wife, despite the societal roles imposed on her.

The article briefly mentions the death of Alexander Pushkin, a renowned Russian poet and friend of John Field, who died on the same day as John’s death in 1837. Pushkin’s death is described as an irredeemable loss for Russia and mankind, highlighting his cultural significance. Adelaide notes that Pushkin’s legacy would endure, unlike John’s, whose fame had already faded. She reflects on the fleeting nature of memory and legacy, observing that even the most brilliant lives eventually end in obscurity. Pushkin’s body, like any other, would decompose, emphasizing the inevitability of death and the transience of human achievements.

Seventeen years after John’s death, Adelaide learns that Adrien has died in a roadside tavern, where he often played music for vodka. She feels no tears, refusing to conform to the expectation of a grieving mother. Six years later, Adelaide herself dies in Smolensk. On her deathbed, she utters a cryptic phrase, Hold your tongue, which is interpreted by her attendants as a self-rebuke. Katerina, the orphan Adelaide raised, insists she was speaking to a ghost, though the others dismiss this as superstition. Adelaide’s final moments are marked by the sound of Chopin’s nocturnes, a more skilled performance than John’s, suggesting a bittersweet recognition of her own unfulfilled musical ambitions.