Author Topic: Nicholas II's Favorite Things  (Read 90853 times)

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #150 on: October 19, 2008, 10:37:10 AM »
It occurred to me that perhaps Nicholas didn't care for VYROUBOVA singing, and was being polite by saying it was Alexandra when the two of them would sing together...We do know that both N and A could find Anya most trying at times....

Offline Sarushka

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #151 on: October 19, 2008, 11:43:09 AM »
It occurred to me that perhaps Nicholas didn't care for VYROUBOVA singing, and was being polite by saying it was Alexandra when the two of them would sing together...We do know that both N and A could find Anya most trying at times....

That strikes me as hilarious and infinitely possible. ; D

Offline Helen

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #152 on: October 19, 2008, 12:41:22 PM »
It occurred to me that perhaps Nicholas didn't care for VYROUBOVA singing, and was being polite by saying it was Alexandra when the two of them would sing together...We do know that both N and A could find Anya most trying at times....
That's an interesting thought and sounds like it may be true.  :D

The English violinist Anna Vyroubova mentioned may have been Johannes Wolff, who also played at Wolfsgarten Castle when Nicholas and Alexandra were there in October 1896 and who visited Russia later.
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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #153 on: November 17, 2008, 03:39:21 PM »
I am a professional musician, and don't think it is odd at all that Nicholas might not want to hear his wife sing.  We know that he had a good ear and was exposed to the best performers in Europe from an early age.  One of his good friends was Figner, a great tenor with the Imp. Opera company. Alix would not have had this degree of continuous exposure to really high-quality playing/singing, and would not have sung as well as professionals of this calibre. The artistic standard in St. Petersburg was, and still is, very high.  Nicholas played the piano but admits that he preferred to play by ear.  In his diaries, I believe in the late 1890's he remarks that nothing moved him so deeply as music.  So he really connected with music, and might not have appreciated his wife's vocalizing.  Or, as has been stated, it may have been a class perception, but I doubt it because the Romanov family had some accomplished musicians.  (Kostya, I think).

Offline amartin71718

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #154 on: November 17, 2008, 04:21:44 PM »
Nicholas played piano?
I'm back on my bull****.

Naslednik

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #155 on: November 18, 2008, 01:03:40 PM »
Marty -- I'll have to look up where I read that.  I'm not sure that he received any lessons, but indicated that he liked to play by ear.

WhiteRussian

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #156 on: November 19, 2008, 01:00:27 AM »
Hi everyone,
I was just curious if anyone has heard or read anything as far as what Nicholas II's favorite foods were. As well as where I could find the recipes. I really enjoy foreign foods and would much love to sample the Tsar's favorite dishes. Many thanks in advance,
WhiteRussian

Offline nena

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #157 on: November 19, 2008, 08:01:24 AM »
Welcome, WhiteRussian!  ;)

From I have read, on Alexander III's court (thanks to his mother Maria Feodorovna, who changed a bit tradition on court) -- NII,as others ate simply food -- what was his favourite - I am not sure. Russians often foods are soup, meat, flummery, etc.

Hope I helped, since I don't know which precisely Nicholas's food was favourite. We can only guess.

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #158 on: November 19, 2008, 10:35:50 AM »
Spiridovitch wrote:

The Marshal's office composed a menu for three days.  This menu was presented to the Empress at the evening tea. The Empress made her choice: scratched out that which displeased her, adding things she wanted. Every morning, the menu already having been changed, was then presented to her for final approval.  The workbook containing the proposed menus was covered with notes and observations written in the Empress' hand.
   According to the terminology of the Marshal of the Court, the luncheons and dinners were ordered "by the course". That is to say the each course was calculated for ten people, but large enough so that should the case arise it could be served to twelve.  This permitted Their Majesties to invite to luncheon or dinner up to ten people, without being obliged to advise the Kitchen staff in advance.  The children had their own separate table.  Whenever they invited more than ten people, they would give the necessary orders to the Kitchen.
   Luncheon was composed, without counting the hors d'oeuvres, of 4 courses, dinner 5 courses.  It often happened that the Empress would cancel a course, at the moment of making the order.The Tsar loved Russian dishes, above all "Tchitchi" (cabbage soup), "Kasha" and suckling pig.  He would often order for himself alone, under the title of an hors d'oeuvre, a slice of suckling pig seasoned with horseradish.  He never ate fresh caviar, having once had a case of serious indigestion from having eaten too much of it.

historyfan

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #159 on: November 19, 2008, 08:04:43 PM »
I also read that he liked simple foods and didn't have much taste for rich, fancy dishes.  I think he enjoyed borscht.  I don't like borscht.  lol 

Offline Olga Maria

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #160 on: January 26, 2009, 02:51:06 AM »
Spiridovitch wrote:

The Marshal's office composed a menu for three days.  This menu was presented to the Empress at the evening tea. The Empress made her choice: scratched out that which displeased her, adding things she wanted. Every morning, the menu already having been changed, was then presented to her for final approval.  The workbook containing the proposed menus was covered with notes and observations written in the Empress' hand.
   According to the terminology of the Marshal of the Court, the luncheons and dinners were ordered "by the course". That is to say the each course was calculated for ten people, but large enough so that should the case arise it could be served to twelve.  This permitted Their Majesties to invite to luncheon or dinner up to ten people, without being obliged to advise the Kitchen staff in advance.  The children had their own separate table.  Whenever they invited more than ten people, they would give the necessary orders to the Kitchen.
   Luncheon was composed, without counting the hors d'oeuvres, of 4 courses, dinner 5 courses.  It often happened that the Empress would cancel a course, at the moment of making the order.The Tsar loved Russian dishes, above all "Tchitchi" (cabbage soup), "Kasha" and suckling pig.  He would often order for himself alone, under the title of an hors d'oeuvre, a slice of suckling pig seasoned with horseradish.  He never ate fresh caviar, having once had a case of serious indigestion from having eaten too much of it.

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hahaha...Suckling pig? If he's alive, he can go here in my country where there are many of it (it's one of our specialties)!

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Br. Nikolai

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #161 on: February 07, 2009, 05:41:42 PM »
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Does anyone know if Tsar Nikolai smoked a pipe? If yes, are there any photos of him doing so? Thank you.

In Christ,
Br. Nikolai Steblez (Yelenev-Gorlenko)

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #162 on: February 07, 2009, 05:49:14 PM »
He did not smoke a pipe. He did chain smoke cigarettes however and was rarely without one.



Offline Sarushka

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #163 on: February 07, 2009, 05:59:34 PM »
According to Helen Rappaport, Nicholas II favored Turkish cigarettes. If the information is of use, I can check to see if she names the specific brand.

aleksandr pavlovich

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Re: Nicholas II's Favorite Things
« Reply #164 on: February 07, 2009, 06:05:26 PM »
Most Honored Brother:  In partial reply to your question, I am given to understand that HIM Nicholas II had several CIGARETTE holders in the shape of a small pipe, that were of different materials. (This is documented in one instance by a full page picture  showing the Emperor speaking with Count Freedericksz, Livadia, 1913, on page 157, illustration # 222, of Marvin Lyons' volume, "Nicholas II, The Last Tsar."  Needless to say, it would hold the cigarette at an odd angle, upright with a slightly forward slant!  (Not totally unusual, however, as  I have among my collection a late 19th century Russian silver and cloisonne enamel cigarette holder in the shape of a small hunting or drinking horn.  An insulating mouth piece, jade, etc., would have protected the lips from the heated silver in this case.)  I am not certain that I have seen a photo of His Imp. Majesty with a "real" pipe, though I know of no reason why he could not have used one, other than personal preference.   With regards,   AP
« Last Edit: February 07, 2009, 06:21:43 PM by aleksandr pavlovich »