MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY, FELIX. (1809-1847). German composer, and one of the most gifted musicians of the 19th century. ALS. (“Felix MB”). 1p. 4to. Dusseldorf, April 3, 1834. To his close friend and Hanoverian diplomat KARL KLINGEMANN (1798-1870). In German with translation.
Felix Mendelssohn
“Again, this letter to Horsleys must not leave without an envelope to you, if you damn me for postage, it is natural. But I cannot change, because I came upon the magnificent work of the girls yesterday, and had such great pleasure about it that it would really be too bad of me if for some reason I had postponed my answer to them for such a long time, and so I had to tell them in the letter that they came to me only yesterday. You indeed ordered me to do the opposite, but see for yourself if it is possible, since your letter about it February 28 (if I am not mistaken), and I would really have to be a rogue to wait from then until today before thanking them. So, now I am sending you the letter to give to them, to explain the whole story to them, and to tell them once again how very grateful I am. It really gave me too much joy; at the same time, the nice things are so characteristic, the elegant red, serious beautifully embroidered blanket, and then the curious little one with the Indian crow’s feet and the cheerful colors; but for God’s sake, where is the candlestick from? It amazes all my acquaintances, because no one had ever dreamed of such a magnificent thing from here, so magnificent and yet tasteful, and no one can fathom how the yellow is made. But from whom, did I get the gift? There was no note and no word with it, and so I cannot guess, write it to me. Oh, and please, occasionally write to your correspondent in Hanover, who sent this package to me, let him know, if he sends something to me again soon (which I hope) to always declare what is inside because there was a customs scandal here; that a package withe “Music” was noted on the address and that steel goods were in it. The difference in the price cannot be great, and I would much prefer it. – Thanks also for this and that and thank Moscheles for the damned Parisian newspaper. If I had read a lot of such things as a boy, I would have become a cooper or a roofer, they crawl for music, as they are used to doing with their mistresses, so there are just as few children to be seen. Stop, this is indecent. So, that is all for today. I missed the courier last Monday, so my shipment comes with scene, 4h. Ouv., etc., and Pervonte only Monday, 8 days later; but then it will come! And then Klingemann! But hush!…”
In the spring of 1829 Mendelssohn visited Klingemann, a young diplomat and close friend from Berlin residing in London. He introduced Mendelssohn to England’s grand salons and cultivated society enabling the 20-year-old composer to make many important musical contacts. With Klingemann he traveled north through the Scottish Highlands, a trip that inspired his Scottish Symphony and a voyage to the island of Staffa and its Fingal’s Cave, which led to his Hebrides Overture.
In May 1833, Mendelssohn premiered his Symphony No. 4 at Düsseldorf’s Lower Rhine Music Festival, and his success was such that after the festival Mendelssohn became that city’s music director. While in Dusseldorf, in 1834, Mendelssohn urged Klingemann to write a libretto for August von Kotzebue’s play Pervonte, referred to in our letter, but ultimately he found Klingemann’s efforts not to his liking. The following year Mendelssohn was appointed conductor of the celebrated Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, where he not only raised the standard of orchestral playing, but made Bach’s beloved city the center of Germany’s musical world.
Our letter mentions Mendelssohn’s former teacher Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870) and English composer William Horsley (1774-1858), whose son Charles Edward Horsley became Mendelssohn’s pupil in 1841.
Folded with some paper loss from a seal tear in the blank upper margin. In overall very good condition.
