BERLIOZ, HECTOR. (1803-1869). French composer; creator of Harold in Italy, Symphonie Fantastique and other masterpieces. ALS. (“H. Berlioz”). 1p. 12mo. N.p., Tuesday. To Mr. Berschtold. (Perhaps Alexis Berchtold, 1829-1886, a friend of Hector’s son, Louis). In French with translation.
“Here are two tickets for the beautiful concert of Mrs. Pleyel (this evening). I will be very happy if you can make use of them. I hope that one of these days to be able to send you something for Orpheus. Your most devoted…”
Marie Pleyel
Possibly the only contemporary pianist equal to Franz Liszt was Belgian pianist Marie Pleyel (1811-1875). Born Camille Moke, she conducted a passionate love affair with Berlioz, to whom she became engaged in 1830, before marrying Camille Pleyel, a pianist and heir to the famous piano manufacturing company. When Camille’s mother told Berlioz of her daughter’s intention to break off their engagement, the enraged composer set out for Paris to murder them both but changed his mind before arriving. Her marriage to Pleyel ended in 1834 due to her ongoing infidelity. In 1835, she and Liszt were discovered using Chopin’s apartment for their romantic trysts, after which they both fell out with Chopin, who had dedicated his Nocturnes Op. 9 to her in 1822. Her ongoing and well-known relationship with Liszt led to his being suspected of fathering her child when she became pregnant in the 1840s. During the 1830s and 1840s, Pleyel’s concertizing caused a sensation from London to St. Petersburg, and she occasionally appeared with Liszt, who dedicated his Réminiscences de Norma and Tarantelle di Bravura to her. Heinrich Heine praised her as a “sibyl,” and Belgian teacher, musicologist and composer “François-Joseph Fétis, who helped Pleyel become the head of the piano department at the Brussels Conservatory [in 1848], wrote: ‘I have heard all the celebrated pianists from Hullmandel and Clementi up to Liszt but I say that none of them has given me, as has Mme. Pleyel, the feeling of perfection,’” (“Liszt, or the Art of Running after Women!,” Interlude, Predota).
Our letter likely refers to Glück’s Orfeo ed Euridice, which Berlioz arranged for his close friend mezzo-soprano Pauline Viardot and which she performed at the Théâtre Lyrique in November 1859. Berlioz was a great admirer of Glück whose work inspired his grand opera Les Troyens.
Folded with two red pencil lines in the upper left corner and in very fine condition.
