Details
MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY, Felix (1809-1847). AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED TO A PUBLISHER, Leipzig, 31 March 1843, brown ink, 1½ pages, octavo, 253 x 196mm..
A revealing letter which gives a glimpse of the kind of pressure under which Mendelssohn worked at Leipzig, particularly in 1843, the centennial year of subscription concerts at the Gewandhaus and the inaugural year of the Conservatory there. He writes that he would be very pleased to send songs to the unnamed publisher. However, with all the demands made on him and the promises he has made but been unable to fulfil, it is not possible. He goes on to wonder whether he will ever escape this debt of unfulfilled promises.
The letter also indicates Mendelssohn's involvement in the Conservatory. In the first half of the letter, he writes that a Mlle Anton will definitely receive free tuition during the first half year and no doubt, as she is diligent and has done well in her examination, this concession will be continued. Mendelssohn makes the point that it was not easy for him to arrange this as the student is not from Saxony and normally full two year grants are only given to its citizens.
It is possible from the form of address used by Mendelssohn, implying a correspondent of some social standing, that the letter is addressed to the published Cotta, who was by birth a nobleman.
The letter appears to be unpublished.
A revealing letter which gives a glimpse of the kind of pressure under which Mendelssohn worked at Leipzig, particularly in 1843, the centennial year of subscription concerts at the Gewandhaus and the inaugural year of the Conservatory there. He writes that he would be very pleased to send songs to the unnamed publisher. However, with all the demands made on him and the promises he has made but been unable to fulfil, it is not possible. He goes on to wonder whether he will ever escape this debt of unfulfilled promises.
The letter also indicates Mendelssohn's involvement in the Conservatory. In the first half of the letter, he writes that a Mlle Anton will definitely receive free tuition during the first half year and no doubt, as she is diligent and has done well in her examination, this concession will be continued. Mendelssohn makes the point that it was not easy for him to arrange this as the student is not from Saxony and normally full two year grants are only given to its citizens.
It is possible from the form of address used by Mendelssohn, implying a correspondent of some social standing, that the letter is addressed to the published Cotta, who was by birth a nobleman.
The letter appears to be unpublished.