Composers. Collection of autograph letters, including by Spohr, Spontini, Pacini and Leoncavallo, 1818-1916

Composers

Collection of autograph letters, including by Spohr, Spontini, Pacini and Leoncavallo

LOUIS SPOHR. Two autograph letters signed ("Louis Spohr"), to Friedrich Treitschke, UNPUBLISHED, and to Carl Schlesinger, UNRECORDED AND UNPUBLISHED, the letter to Treitschke ordering the performance material for Joseph Weigl's opera Nachtigall und Rabe, noting that now is the best time for learning new things, the letter to Schlesinger in Berlin about his opera Pietro von Abano, providing him with details of the numbers, setting out his terms for publication, including of the vocal score prepared by his brother under his supervision, forbidding publication in its original form of any number apart from the overture, and enclosing a copy of the score [not included here] for use with the arranging ("...daß ich den Verkauf der Partitur mir allein vorbehalte, bedarf wohl kaum eine Erinnerung..."), 4 pages in all, integral autograph address panels, annotated by the recipients, traces of seals, Frankfurt, 21 May 1818 [letter to Treitschke] and 27 September 1827 [letter to Schlesinger], integral of letter to Schlesinger detached, the letter to Schlesinger chipped and torn, tear with loss to integral of the letter to Treitschke, browning; GASPARE SPONTINI. Seven autograph letters signed ("Spontini"), in French, including six to the publisher A.M. Schlesinger in Berlin, one criticizing him in strong terms, noting that he has never found his candour agreeable, observing that he has never asked for anything concerning the theatre or Madame Devrient, nor Mr Weber of Prague, but only for himself, pointing out sarcastically that he has never taken a penny ("pas un liard") of his "immense wealth", claiming that Schlesinger refused his request most disagreeably and humiliated him, the other letters to Schlesinger discussing the proofs of Olimpie, the publication rights to Alcidor, his conducting of Righini's Te Deum, Nurmahal and other matters ("...Vous m'avez depuis longtemps par trop habitué à votre franchise qui n'a jamais été agréable pour moi..."), 7 pages, various sizes, two with autograph address-panels, the majority docketed by the recipient, one with the composer's embossed monogram, [Berlin and elsewhere,] 1825-1846; GIOVANNI PACINI. Three fine autograph letters signed ("GPacini"), about Verdi, his memoirs, and the state of music in Naples: 1) to the impresario Leoni in Milan (about his opera Carmelita, explaining why it cannot be performed that season, and asking to be released from his contract); 2) to the publisher G.G. Guidi in Florence (about his "memorie artistiche", asking the publisher to send a copy to the critic Abramo Basevi); and 3) to Luigi Mazzoni, director of the Gazzetta Musicale di Napoli, lamenting the lack of opportunities afforded young composers in Naples, with the decline of the conservatories, compared with the days of Mercadante and Bellini, noting that even Verdi failed to voice his concern over the matter at a recent conference in Bologna ("...L'arte erasi rallegrata quando seppe che fra gli Onorevoli a rappresentare la Nazione sedevasi L'Illustre Verdi! Ma egli tacque. Quale ne fosse la cagione non posso, nè debbo indagarla...L'impresa, assumeva L'onore di produrre il lavoro di un giovane compositore che fosse stato educato nel Conservatorio della Città. E di fatto... Il celebre Mercadante, a S. Carlo, con L'Apoteosi d'Ercole. Bellini sulla stessa scena con la sua Bianca e Gernando..."), 8 pages, 4to and 8vo, Milan, 24 February 1863; Pescia, 20 March 1864 (autograph envelope laid down); Pescia, 26 July 1865; FRIEDRICH VON FLOTOW. Autograph letter signed, in French, about the staging of his opera at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, complaining that a French composer had persuaded the management of Du Locle to replace his opera, which he had incorrectly called “Marianne”, with a work of his own, so consequently he will go to Turin instead, 3 pages, 8vo, 27 August 1873---Autograph musical quotation signed of the aria 'Ach so fromm' ("M’apparì") from Martha, signed and inscribed ("Martha 3ten Act…Fr von Flotow, Teutendorf, den 14ten Mai 1875"), 1 page, 9.2 x 15.3cm, 1875; with a cabinet-style photograph of Massenet, signed and inscribed on the mount (“à mon ami & excellent interprète Mr G. Dupuis. 1896. Massenet”), by Hanfstaengl of Frankfurt, c.16.7 x 11cm, 1896; PIETRO MASCAGNI. Autograph letter signed ("P.Mascagni"), to Nicola d'Arenzio, composer and director of the Royal Music Conservatory of Naples, about a Haydn symphony (no.88?), in which he explains that he will be conducting Haydn's symphony in his concert, a jewel of refinement and sentiment, requiring special attention to the strings parts, and seeks permission for three performers to attend a rehearsal for strings alone, from which they are currently prevented by their teaching commitments ("...c'è la Sinfonia in Sol No.13 di Haydn, un vero gioiello di finezza e di sentimento; ma per eseguirla come si deve occorre una cura speciale negli strumenti ad arco..."), 3 pages, 8vo (c.18 x 14.5cm), printed stationery of the "Grand Hôtel de Londres", Naples, 28 April 1910; RUGGERO LEONCAVALLO. Six autograph letters about his operettas, with an autograph love poem signed ("R. Leoncavallo" and "Leoncavallo"), including five long letters to the librettist Edmondo Corradi, about their operetta Prestami tua moglie, discussing the contract and publication by Renzo Sonzogno, comparing other possible plots, including some based on the silent films Guerra in tempo di pace (G. von Moser, 1914) and In cerca di un marito per mia moglie (De Riso, 1915), and Dumas's Le Verron de la Reine, mentioning his work on his opera Goffredo Mameli and discussing many financial matters pertaining to his operettas, the love poem written to an unidentified person ("...mi sono veramente innamorato ma l'amor mio dee rimanersi ascoso"), 28 pages, 8vo, Florence and Viareggio, 24 January 1914; 20 December 1915 to 7 February 1916 (and one undated letter from Milan)

A rich collection of letters mostly by Italian composers. Giovanni Pacini (1796-1867) was one of the major rivals of Donizetti and Bellini. His most famous opera is Saffo (Naples, 1840), composed to a libretto by Cammarano. His other major contribution is Le mie memorie artistiche, published by G.G. Guidi in 1865, which gives a valuable insight into the world of Italian opera after Rossini settled in Paris. The important group of unpublished letters by Leoncavallo were written to Edmondo Corradi (1873-1931), his librettist and collaborator on operettas written for Montecatini Terme, Prestami tua moglie (Lend me your Wife), and the Teatro Adriano, Rome, A chi la giarrettiera? (Who gets the Garter?).