Sales catalogue 476: Maggs Bros

Date:
1926
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/13/42
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 476: Maggs Bros. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    97/138 (page 71)
    — 151 others. . . His orchestration is such a frightful muddle, such an incongruous mess, that one ought to wash one’s hands after handling one of his scores. ; Just now all my time is taken up by the rehearsals of the * Wassertrager.’ . . . I have lately read Shakespeare's ‘ King John ° for the first time. I do assure you it is downright heavenly like everything else of his.”’ “>, My ‘ Oratorio” is making great progress... . having just written a chorus in F. sharp (a lively chorus of heathens) which I thoroughly relish myself. . . . I have lately written some fugues, songs without words and with words and a few studies. sili ee Today I am quite dissatisfied with my work, and should just like to write my ‘ Oratorio ’ over again from beginning’ to end. But I am quite decided to bring it out at Frankfurt next winter, and at the Diisseldorf Musical Festival at Whitsuntide, so I must finish it now. . . In the course of the winter I am going to write a Symphony in A minor and get my ‘ Walpurgisnacht * ready for publica- tion. ies We recently played a most remarkable aud interesting Symphony by Franz Schubert. It is without doubt one of the best works we have heard lately. Throughout bright, fascinating and criginal, it stands quite at the head of his instrumental works. Spohr’s Symphony which we performed before, I suppose you will give it in the Philharmonic, Lachner’s I liked but little. . .° F have written a new overture that has been quite a source of pleasure to me; also a Psalm, some songs without words (according to the ‘ Hegira ’ otf David) some other words, and now a Trio in D. and a Symphony in B. of which I will tell you more when they are finished.’’ Ktc., etc. AutocrarH LETTER SIGNED (IN GERMAN). 214 pp., 8vo. Baden Soden in Taunus, 18th July, 1845. £6 10s A long and exceedingly interesting letter, as to a command; performance before the King of Saxony of his famous ‘* Gfdipus Coloneus.”’ Mendelssohn had been for some time Chapel-Master to the King of Saxony, and, after a short rest, he was about to return to his old position in Leipzig. (Trans.) :—‘‘ Herr v. Kiistmer has the score of my music to C(idipus in hand, and no doubt will do the same for the copying out . . . so that my presence in person is not actually necessary for the rehearsals of the music, now that, as you say, His Majesty has fixed the end of this, or the commencement of next month for the performance, so I have arranged to arrive in Berlin about the middle of August, in about three weeks time, and there will be no hindrance on my side to carrying out the King’s wishes: .”. . ‘“The King, Herr von Masson writes me, will come back to ‘ Sans Souci ’ towards the end of August, inj any case, but will go to the manceuvres in September, and will not return until the end of September. If the performance is postponed now, it would have to wait over until the end of September, when I should be in a great difficulty; it would be most difficult if not impossible, to be in Berlin then , therefore, I beg vou, dear sir, to set to work with all speed on the prepara- tions for the performance.’’ Lite.