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Letters Of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy From 1833 To 1847

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

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LETTERS OF FELIX MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY, FROM 1833 TO 1847.

LETTERS OF FELIX MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY, FROM 1833 TO 1847.

EDITED BY PAUL MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY, OF BERLIN; AND DR. CARL MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY, OF HEIDELBERG: WITH A CATALOGUE OF ALL HIS MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS COMPILED BY DR. JULIUS RIETZ. Translated BY L A D Y W A L L A C E. LONDON: LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, ROBERTS, &amp; GREEN. 1863. PRINTED BY JOHN EDWARD TAYLOR, LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN’S INN FIELDS....

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PREFACE.

PREFACE.

The Letters of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy from Italy and Switzerland, have amply fulfilled the purpose of their publication, by making him personally known to the world, and, above all, to his countrymen. Those Letters, however, comprise only a portion of the period of Mendelssohn’s youth; and it has now become possible, by the aid of his own verbal delineations, to exhibit in a complete form that picture of his life and character which was commenced in the former volume. This has been distinct

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LETTERS. To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

LETTERS. To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

Berlin, March 4th, 1833. Since I set to work again, I feel in such good spirits that I am anxious to adhere to it as closely as possible, so it monopolizes every moment that I do not spend with my own family. Such a period as this last half-year having passed away makes me feel doubly grateful. It is like the sensation of going out for the first time after an illness; and, in fact, such a term of uncertainty, doubt, and suspense, really amounted to a malady, and one of the worst kind too. [1] I

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To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

Berlin, April 6th, 1833. My work, about which I had recently many doubts, is finished; and now, when I look it over, I find that, quite contrary to my expectations, it satisfies myself. I believe it has become a good composition; but be that as it may, at all events I feel that it shows progress, and that is the main point. So long as I feel this to be the case, I can enjoy life and be happy; but the most bitter moments I ever endured, or ever could have imagined, were during last autumn, when I

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To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

Coblenz, September 6th, 1833. Dear Schubring, Just as I was beginning to arrange the sheets of my oratorio, [2] and meditating on the music that I intend to write for it this winter, I received your letter enclosing your extracts, which appeared to me so good that I transcribed the whole text so far as it has gone, and now return it to you with the same request as at first, that you will kindly send me your remarks and additions. You will perceive various annotations on the margin as to the pass

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To I. Moscheles, London.

To I. Moscheles, London.

Berlin, 1833. ... Do you suppose that I have not gone to hear Madame B—— because she is not handsome, and wears wide hanging sleeves? This is not the reason, although there are undoubtedly some physiognomies which can never, under any circumstances, become artistic; from which such icy cold emanates that their very aspect freezes me at once. But why should I be forced to listen for the thirtieth time to all sorts of variations by Herz? They cause me less pleasure than rope-dancers or acrobats. I

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To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

Düsseldorf, October 26th, 1833. My dear Sister, The history of my life during the last few weeks is long and pleasant. Sunday, Maximilian’s day, was my first Mass; the choir crammed with singers, male and female, and the whole church decorated with green branches and tapestry. The organist flourished away tremendously, up and down. Haydn’s Mass was scandalously gay, but the whole thing was very tolerable. Afterwards came a procession, playing my solemn march in E flat; the bass performers repeat

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To his Father.

To his Father.

Bonn, December 28th, 1833. Dear Father, First of all, I must thank you for your kind, loving letter, and I rejoice that even before receiving it, I had done what you desired. [5] Strange to say, my official acceptance, I must tell you, was sent last week to Schadow; the biography was enclosed, so I expect the patent next week; but I must thank you once more for the very kind manner in which you write to me on the subject, and I feel proud that you consider me worthy of such a confidential tone.

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To His Family.

To His Family.

Düsseldorf, January 16th, 1834. We are leading a merry life here just now, casting aside all care; every one is full of fun and jollity. I have just come from the rehearsal of “Egmont,” where, for the first time in my life, I tore up a score from rage at the stupidity of the musici , whom I feed with 6-8 time in due form, though they are more fit for babes’ milk; then they like to belabour each other in the orchestra. This I don’t choose they should do in my presence, so furious scenes sometimes

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To I. Moscheles, London.

To I. Moscheles, London.

Düsseldorf, February 7th, 1834. My own poverty in novel passages for the piano struck me very much in the rondo brillant [10] which I wish to dedicate to you; these are what cause me to demur, and to torment myself, and I fear you will remark this. In other respects there is a good deal in it that I like, and some passages please me exceedingly; but how I am to set about composing a methodical tranquil piece (and I well remember you advised me strongly to do this last spring) I really cannot tel

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To his Father.

To his Father.

Düsseldorf, March 28th, 1834. Dear Father, A thousand thanks for your kind letter on my Mother’s birthday. I received it in the midst of a general rehearsal of the “Wasserträger,” otherwise I should have answered it, and thanked you for it, the same day. Pray do often write to me. Above all, I feel grateful to you for your admonitions as to industry, and my own work. Believe me, I intend to profit by your advice; still I do assure you that I have not an atom of that philosophy which would counse

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Düsseldorf, April 7th, 1834. Dear Fanny, You are no doubt very angry with such a lazy non-writing creature as myself? but pray remember that I am a town music director, and a beast of burden like that has much to do. Lately on my return home I found two chairs standing on my writing-table, the guard of the stove lying under the piano, and on my bed a comb and brush, and a pair of boots (Bendemann and Jordan had left these as visiting cards). This was, or rather is, the exact state of musical lif

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Düsseldorf, May 23rd, 1834. ... Yesterday week I drove with the two Woringens to Aix-la-Chapelle, as a ministerial order was issued, only five days before the festival, sanctioning the celebration of Whitsunday, and expressed in such a manner that it is probable the same permission may be given next year also. The diligence was eleven hours on the journey, and I was shamefully impatient, and downright cross when we arrived. We went straight to the rehearsal, and, seated in the pit, I heard a mov

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To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

Düsseldorf, July 15th, 1834. Dear Schubring, It is now nearly a year since I ought to have written to you. I shall not attempt to ask your forgiveness at all, for I am too much to blame, or to excuse myself, for I could not hope to do so. How it occurred I cannot myself understand. Last autumn, when I first established myself here, I got your letter with the notices for “St. Paul;” they were the best contributions I had yet received, and that very same forenoon I began to ponder seriously on the

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To I. Fürst, Berlin.

To I. Fürst, Berlin.

Düsseldorf, July 20th, 1834. Dear Fürst, I know only too well, that I have neither written to you, nor thanked you, since I received your passages for “St. Paul,” [13] but I assure you that every day, when I return to my work, I do feel sincerely grateful to you. I certainly, however, ought to have written, for if the work, which since the spring entirely absorbs and monopolizes me, turns out good, I shall have chiefly to thank your friendly aid for it, because I never otherwise could have procu

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To his Parents.

To his Parents.

Düsseldorf, August 4th, 1834. My dear Parents, For a week past, during which we have had heavy storms and a very sultry atmosphere, I felt so jaded that I was unable to do anything all day long; more especially I cannot compose, which vexes me exceedingly. I seem to care for nothing beyond eating and sleeping, and perhaps bathing and riding. My horse is a favourite with all my acquaintances, and deserves their respect from his good temper, but he is very shy; and when I was riding him lately dur

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To Pastor Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Schubring, Dessau.

Düsseldorf, August 6th, 1834. How could you for one moment imagine that I was annoyed by your showing the text to Schneider? Why should I take umbrage at that? I hope you do not consider me one of those who, when once they have an idea in their heads, guard it as jealously as a miser does his gold, and allow no man to approach till they produce it themselves. There is certainly nothing actually wrong in this, and yet such jealous solicitude is most odious in my eyes; and even if it were to occur

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Düsseldorf, November 4th, 1834. Dear Mother, At last I have leisure to thank you for your kind letters; you know the great delight your writing always causes me, and I would fain hope that it does not fatigue you, for you write in as distinct and classical characters at the end of the letter as at the beginning of the first line, as you always do; therefore I do entreat you frequently to bestow this pleasure on me; that I am truly grateful for it you will readily believe. You always take me at o

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Düsseldorf, November 14th, 1834. My dear Fanny, May every happiness attend you on this day, and in the year about to commence, and may you love me as well as ever. I should like this year also to have sent you some piece or other, underneath which I could have written November 14th, but the “weeks of the life of an Intendant” have swallowed up everything, and I am only slowly becoming myself again. A few days ago I sketched the overture of “St. Paul,” and thought I should at least contrive to ge

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To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

Düsseldorf, November 23rd, 1834. My dear, dear Rebecca, Can I still expect you to read anything that I write? I have been remiss, very remiss, in fact behaved shamefully, and I heartily wish it were not so; but I can’t help it now! Would that I had an opportunity to make up for it; but unluckily this is not the case; I can therefore only say that I hope I am still in your good graces, and that I was very foolish. I ought indeed to have said this to you long since, but I could not, for I was reso

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To Carl Klingemann, London.

To Carl Klingemann, London.

Düsseldorf, December 16th, 1834. ... So now in these lines you have read my whole life and occupations since I came here; for that I am well and happy, and often think of you, is included in them, and that I am also diligent and working hard at many things, is the natural result. I really believe that Jean Paul, whom I am at this moment reading with intense delight, has also some influence in the matter, for he invariably infects me for at least half a year with his strange peculiarities. I have

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To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

Düsseldorf, December 23rd, 1834. Dear Rebecca, Why should we not, like established correspondents, exchange repeated letters on any particular subject about which we differ? I on my part will represent a methodical correspondent, and must absolutely resume the question of révolution . This is chiefly for Fanny’s benefit, but are not you identical? Can you not therefore discuss the subject together, and answer me together, if you choose? And have I not pondered and brooded much over this theme si

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To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

Düsseldorf, January 12th, 1835. [ About a proposal as to some words for sacred music. ] ... What I do not understand is the purport—musical, dramatic, or oratorical, or whatever you choose to call it—that you have in view. What you mention on the subject—the time before John, and then John himself, till the appearance of Christ—is to my mind equally conveyed in the word ‘Advent,’ or the birth of Christ. You are aware, however, that the music must represent one particular moment, or a succession

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To Herr Conrad Schleinitz, Leipzig.

To Herr Conrad Schleinitz, Leipzig.

Düsseldorf, January 26th, 1835. Sir, Pray receive my thanks for your kind letter, and the friendly disposition which it evinces towards myself. You may well imagine that it would be a source of infinite pleasure to me, to find in your city the extensive sphere of action you describe, as my sole wish is to advance the cause of music on that path which I consider the right one; I would therefore gladly comply with a summons which furnished me with the means of doing so. I should not like, however,

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To Capellmeister Spohr, Cassel.

To Capellmeister Spohr, Cassel.

Düsseldorf, March 8th, 1835. Respected Capellmeister, I thank you much for your friendly communication. The intelligence from Vienna was most interesting to me; I had heard nothing of it. It strongly revived my feeling as to the utter impossibility of my ever composing anything with a view to competing for a prize. I should never be able to make even a beginning; and if I were obliged to undergo an examination as a musician, I am convinced that I should be at once sent back, for I should not hav

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To Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, from his Father.[19]

To Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, from his Father.[19]

Berlin, March 10th, 1835. This is the third letter I have written to you this week, and if this goes on, reading my letters will become a standing article in the distribution of the budget of your time; but you must blame yourself for this, as you spoil me by your praise. I at once pass to the musical portion of your last letter. Your aphorism, that every room in which Sebastian Bach is sung is transformed into a church, I consider peculiarly appropriate; and when I once heard the last movement

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To his Father.

To his Father.

Düsseldorf, March 23rd, 1835. Dear Father, I have still to thank you for your last letter and my “Ave.” I often cannot understand how it is possible to have so acute a judgment with regard to music, without being yourself technically musical; and if I could express , what I assuredly feel, with as much clearness and intuitive perception as you do, as soon as you enter on the subject, I never would make another obscure speech all my life long. I thank you a thousand times for this, and also for y

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To his Father.

To his Father.

Düsseldorf, April 3rd, 1835. I am delighted to hear that you are satisfied with the programme of the Cologne Musical Festival. I shall not be able to play the organ for “Solomon,” as it must stand in the background of the orchestra and accompany almost every piece, the choruses and other performers here being accustomed to constant beating of time. I must therefore transcribe the whole of the organ part in the manner in which I think it ought to be played, and the cathedral organist there, Weber

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To Herr Conrad Schleinitz, Leipzig.

To Herr Conrad Schleinitz, Leipzig.

Düsseldorf, April 16th, 1835. Sir, I thank you cordially for your last letter, and for the friendly interest which you take in me, and in my coming to Leipzig. As I perceive by the Herr Stadtrath Porsche’s letter, as well as by that of the Superintendent of the concerts, that my going there does not interfere with any other person, one great difficulty is thus obviated. But another has now arisen, as the letter of the Superintendent contains different views with regard to the situation from your

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To the Herr Regierungs-Secretair Hixte, Cologne.

To the Herr Regierungs-Secretair Hixte, Cologne.

Düsseldorf, May 18th, 1835. I thank you much for the kind letter you have gratified me by addressing to me. The idea which you communicate in it is very flattering for me, and yet I confess that I feel a certain degree of dislike to do what you propose, and for a long time past I have entertained this feeling. It is now so very much the fashion for obscure or commonplace people to have their likeness given to the public, in order to become more known, and for young beginners to do so at first st

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To his Family.

To his Family.

Leipzig, October 6th, 1835. For a week past I have been seeking for a leisure hour to answer, and to thank you for the charming letters I have received from you; but the London days, with their distractions, were not worse than the time has been since Fanny left this till now. At length, after the successful result of the first concert, I have at last a certain degree of rest. The day after I accompanied the Hensels to Delitsch, Chopin came; he intended only to remain one day, so we spent this e

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To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

Leipzig, December 6th, 1835. Dear Schubring, You have no doubt heard of the heavy stroke that has fallen on my happy life and those dear to me. [24] It is the greatest misfortune that could have befallen me, and a trial that I must either strive to bear up against, or must utterly sink under. I say this to myself after the lapse of three weeks, without the acute anguish of the first days, but I now feel it even more deeply; a new life must now begin for me, or all must be at an end,—the old life

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To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

Leipzig, December 9th, 1835. I received your kind letter here, on the very day when the christening in your family was to take place, on my return from Berlin, where I had gone in the hope of alleviating my Mother’s grief, immediately after the loss of my Father. So I received the intelligence of your happiness, on again crossing the threshold of my empty room, when I felt for the first time in my inmost being, what it is to suffer the most painful and bitter anguish. Indeed the wish which of al

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To Ferdinand Hiller.

To Ferdinand Hiller.

Leipzig, January 24th, 1836. My dear Ferdinand, I now send you my promised report of the performance of your D minor overture, which took place last Thursday evening. It was well executed by the orchestra; we had studied it repeatedly and carefully, and a great many of the passages sounded so well as to exceed my expectations. The most beautiful of all was the first passage in A minor, piano , given by wind instruments, followed by the melody,—which had an admirable effect; and also at the begin

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Leipzig, January 30th, 1836. Dear Fanny, To-day at length I can reply to your charming letters, and lecture you severely for saying in your first letter that it was long since you had been able to please me by your music, and asking me how this was. I totally deny this to be the fact, and assure you that all you compose pleases me. If two or three things in succession did not satisfy me as entirely as others of yours, I think the ground lay no deeper than this, that you have written less than in

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To Dr. Frederick Rosen, London, (PROFESSOR OF ORIENTAL LANGUAGES.)

To Dr. Frederick Rosen, London, (PROFESSOR OF ORIENTAL LANGUAGES.)

Leipzig, February 6th, 1836. My dear Friend, I had intended writing to you long ago, but have always delayed it till now, when I am compelled to do so by Klingemann’s announcement that your ‘Vedas’ is finished. I wish therefore to send you my congratulations at once; and though I understand very little of it, and consequently can appreciate its merits as little, still I wish you joy of being able to give to the world a work so long cherished, and so interesting to you, and which cannot fail to b

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Leipzig, February 18th, 1836. Dear Mother, I cannot write home without enclosing a few lines for you, and thanking you a thousand times for your dear letter, and begging you to write to me as often as you wish to make me very happy. I have scarcely thanked you, and Fanny, and Rebecca, for the beautiful presents you sent to me on the 3rd, and which made the day so pleasant to me. The leader of the orchestra, when I went to rehearsal on the morning of that day, addressed me in a complimentary spee

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Düsseldorf, June 1st, 1836. Dear Mother, I hope you have forgiven my long silence. There was so much to do, both before and during my journey here, that I was scarcely able to attend even to the duties of the passing hour; and what has gone on here since my arrival [26] you know better than if I had myself written, for I trust Paul and Fanny are now happily returned, and of course described everything verbally to you. On Saturday, the 4th, I am to go to Frankfort, a week hence to direct, for the

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To Herr Advocat Conrad Schleinitz, Leipzig.

To Herr Advocat Conrad Schleinitz, Leipzig.

Cologne, July 5th, 1836. Dear Schleinitz, I have in vain sought a moment of leisure, after the Musical Festival, to send you my first greeting and letter since my journey. In Düsseldorf the bustle was great, and no end to all kinds of music, fêtes , and recreations, which never left me a quiet moment. I have been staying a day here to revive and to rest, with my old President, [27] and as evening is now approaching, about the time when you often used to peep into my room, I feel an impulse, if o

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To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

Frankfort, July 2nd, 1836. ... Such is my mood now the whole day; I can neither compose nor write letters, nor play the piano; the utmost I can do is to sketch a little, [28] but I must thank you for your kind expressions about “St. Paul;” such words from you are the best and dearest that I can ever hear, and what you and Fanny say on the subject the public say also ... no other exists for me. I only wish you would write to me a few times more about it, and very minutely as to my other music. Th

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To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

Leipzig, January 8th, 1837. ... Last Wednesday there was a fête at the Keils’, where it rained Christmas gifts and poems; among others I got one, celebrating my betrothal in a romantic vein “at Frankfort-on-the-Zeil,” and which was much admired. As they began to sing songs at table, and I was looking rather dismal, Schleinitz suddenly called out to me that I ought to compose music for my romance on the spot, that they might have something new to sing, and the young ladies bringing me a pencil an

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To Ferdinand Hiller.

To Ferdinand Hiller.

Leipzig, January 10th, 1837. ... You once extolled my position here because I had made friends of all the German composers: quite the reverse; I am in bad odour with them all this winter. Six new symphonies are lying before me; what they may be God knows, (I would rather not know,)—not one of them pleases me, and no one is to blame for this but myself, who allow no other composer to come before the public,—I mean in the way of symphonies. Good heavens! should not these “Capellmeisters” be ashame

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Frankfort-a.-M., May 29th, 1837. This is but a sorry time for musicians. Look at the St. Cecilia Association,—experienced singers, good respectable people, obliging chiefs,—nothing requisite but a little pianoforte playing, and a little goodwill towards music, and a little knowledge; neither genius, nor energy, nor politics, nor anything else very particular. I should have thought that fifty people at least would have offered themselves, so that we might have had a choice; but scarcely two have

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Frankfort, June 2nd, 1837. ... You write to me about Fanny’s new compositions, and say that I ought to persuade her to publish them. Your praise is, however, quite unnecessary to make me heartily rejoice in them, or think them charming and admirable; for I know by whom they are written. I hope, too, I need not say that if she does resolve to publish anything, I will do all in my power to obtain every facility for her, and to relieve her, so far as I can, from all trouble which can possibly be sp

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Bingen, July 13th, 1837. Dear Mother, We have been here for the last eight days, having suddenly left Frankfort; and as it is nearly decided that we are to reside here for some weeks, I now write to thank you for your affectionate letters. I feel rather provoked, that Fanny should say the new pianoforte school outgrows her,—this is far from being the case; she could cut down all these petty fellows with ease. They can execute a few variations and tours de force cleverly enough, but all this faci

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To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

Bingen-a.-R., July 14th, 1837. Dear Schubring, I wish to ask your advice in a matter which is of importance to me, and I feel it will therefore not be indifferent to you either, having received so many proofs to the contrary from you. It concerns the selection of a subject of an oratorio, which I intend to begin next winter. I am most anxious to have your counsels, as the best suggestions and contributions for the text of my “St. Paul” came from you. Many very apparent reasons are in favour of c

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Leipzig, October 4th, 1837. Dearest Mother, It ought to have been my first occupation to write to you as soon after the busy time of the last few weeks as I had some leisure, to thank you for so many loving letters. I wished also to let you know of our safe arrival here, and yet two days have elapsed without the possibility of doing so. I seize the early morning for this purpose, or people will again come, one succeeding another till the post hour is passed, which happened yesterday and the day

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, October 29th, 1837. Dear Brother, First of all, my most cordial congratulations on the day when this letter will reach you; may you pass it happily, and may it prove a good harbinger of the coming year. You mention in your letter of yesterday, that your quiet, settled and untroubled position sometimes makes you almost anxious and uneasy; but I cannot think you right in this feeling; as little as if you were to complain of the very opposite extreme. Why should it not be sufficient for a

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To Ferdinand Hiller, Milan.

To Ferdinand Hiller, Milan.

Leipzig, December 10th, 1837. My dear Ferdinand, You have written to me in spite of my want of punctuality last month, for which I am heartily grateful, though I really could scarcely have hoped it. The arrangement of a new house, taking possession of it, the numerous concerts and affairs, in short, all the various hindrances of whatever nature, that a steady-going civilian, like myself, can venture to enumerate to a joyous, lively Italian like you,—my installation as master and tenant of the ma

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To Edouard Franck, Breslau, (now director of the berne conservatorium.)

To Edouard Franck, Breslau, (now director of the berne conservatorium.)

Leipzig, January 8th, 1838. I did not receive your letter of the 25th of October till two days ago, and at the same time a splendid copy of your “Études.” I was afraid you had given up the completion of the work, as it was so long since I had heard anything of it; I was therefore the more agreeably surprised by its arrival. You wish me to give you an opinion about the compositions themselves; but you are well aware how superfluous I consider all such criticisms, whether of my own or of others; t

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To the Hon. Committee of this year’s Lower Rhine Musical Festival.

To the Hon. Committee of this year’s Lower Rhine Musical Festival.

Leipzig, January 18th, 1838. I am deeply grateful for the invitation contained in your letter of the 8th of January. Your kind remembrance is not less prized by me than the prospect of again attending such a pleasant festival, and deriving from it as much enjoyment as that for which I have already to thank the Rhenish Musical Festivals. I therefore accept your invitation with sincere delight, if God grants health to me and mine, and if we can mutually agree on the selection of the music to the f

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To Rebecca Dirichlet.

To Rebecca Dirichlet.

Leipzig, February, 1838. ... In our concerts we are playing a great deal of what is called historical music, so in the last but one we had the whole of Bach’s suite in D major, some of Handel and Gluck, etc. etc., and a violin concerto of Viotti’s; in the last of all, Haydn, Righini, Naumann, etc.; and in conclusion Haydn’s “Farewell Symphony,” in which, to the great delight of the public, the musicians literally blew out their lights, and went away in succession till the violinists at the first

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To his Family.

To his Family.

Leipzig, April 2nd, 1838. ... This evening Madame Botgorscheck’s concert takes place,—an excellent contralto singer, who persecuted me so much to play, that I agreed to do so, and it did not occur to me till afterwards that I had nothing either short or suitable to play, so I resolved to compose a rondo, not one single note of which was written the day before yesterday, but which I am to perform this evening with the whole orchestra, and rehearsed this morning. [34] It sounds very gay; but how I

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To A. Simrock, Bonn.

To A. Simrock, Bonn.

Berlin, July 10th, 1838. In recommencing our correspondence, I must first of all thank you for the great friendliness you showed towards me in Cologne. It is the first time that any publisher ever assured me of his satisfaction at the success of my compositions; this occurrence would in itself have been a source of lively gratification to me, but it is much enhanced by the kind and flattering manner in which you manifest your satisfaction, and for which I shall ever feel indebted to you. From th

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To Ferdinand Hiller.

To Ferdinand Hiller.

Berlin, July 18th, 1838. ... The whole condition of music here is connected with the sand, with the situation, and with official life, so that though you may have great satisfaction in individuals, it is not easy to be on terms of intimacy with any one. Gluck’s operas are indeed most charming. Is it not remarkable that they always attract a full house, and that the public applaud, and are amused, and shout? And that this should be the only place in the world where such a thing seems possible? An

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To Concertmeister Ferdinand David, Leipzig.

To Concertmeister Ferdinand David, Leipzig.

Berlin, July 30th, 1838. Dear David, Many thanks for your letter, which gave me great pleasure. Since I came here I have been constantly thinking how really delightful it is that we are to meet and live together, instead of your being in one place and I in another, following our avocations without hearing much of each other, which is, no doubt, the case with many good fellows in our dear yet rather aggravating Fatherland; but on reflecting further, I discovered that there are not many musicians

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To Herr Advocat Conrad Schleinitz, Leipzig.

To Herr Advocat Conrad Schleinitz, Leipzig.

Berlin, August 1st, 1838. Dear Schleinitz, ... What you write me about your increased business rejoices me much. You know how often we have talked over the subject, but I cannot share your sentiment, that any one profession is preferable to another. I always think that whatever an intelligent man gives his heart to, and really understands, must become a noble vocation; and I only personally dislike those in whom there is nothing personal, and in whom all individuality disappears; as, for example

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To I. Moscheles, London.

To I. Moscheles, London.

Leipzig, October 28th, 1838. My dear Friend, A thousand thanks for your continued friendship towards me, and also for occasionally assuring me of it; a letter from you cheers me for a long time to come, and what you write of yourself and others is always so fertile, and as much yourself, as if I heard you speaking, and were agreeing with you, and rejoicing in doing so. If I were a little more mild, and a little more just, and a little more judicious, and a good many other things a little more, p

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To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

Leipzig, November 2nd, 1838. Dear Schubring, Many, many thanks for your letter, which I received the day before yesterday, and for the parcel, which came to-day. You have again rendered me an essential service, and I feel most grateful to you; how can you ask whether I wish you to proceed in the same way? When all is so well put together, I have almost nothing to do, but to write music for the words. I ought to have previously told you, that the sheets you took away with you are by no means to b

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To his Family.

To his Family.

Leipzig, November 5th, 1838. I have felt unequal to resume the train of my musical compositions since the measles. You cannot conceive the chaos that accumulates round me, when I am obliged neither to write, nor to go out, for three weeks. At last, here I am, correcting the parts of my three violin quartetts, which are to appear this winter, but I never can contrive to complete them, owing to so many letters, and affairs, and other odiosa . The Shaws are here, who don’t know one word of German,

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To Professor Schirmer, Düsseldorf, (now director of the carlsruhe academy.)

To Professor Schirmer, Düsseldorf, (now director of the carlsruhe academy.)

Berlin, November 21st, 1838. So I am said to be a saint! If this is intended to convey what I conceive to be the meaning of the word, and what your expressions lead me to think you also understand by it, then I can only say that, alas! I am not so, though every day of my life I strive with greater earnestness, according to my ability, more and more to resemble this character. I know indeed that I can never hope to be altogether a saint, but if I ever approach to one, it will be well. If people,

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To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

Leipzig, December 6th, 1838. Dear Schubring, Along with this you will receive the organ pieces and “Bonifacius” which I also enclose. Thank you much for the latter, and for the manuscripts you have from time to time sent me for “Elijah;” they are of the greatest possible use to me, and though I may here and there make some alterations, still the whole affair, by your aid, is now placed on a much firmer footing. With regard to the dramatic element, there still seems to be a diversity of opinion b

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To A. Simrock, Bonn.

To A. Simrock, Bonn.

Leipzig, March 4th, 1839. The manuscripts which I ought to have sent you last year are not yet finished; I wished to make them as perfect as I could; but for this both leisure and good humour were requisite, and during the period of constant concerts these too often failed. Now I hope shortly to complete the pieces, and thus free myself from debt. But they are not “songs without words,” for I have no intention of writing any more of that sort, let the Hamburgers say what they will! If there were

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Leipzig, March 18th, 1839. You wish to know how the overture to “Ruy Blas” went off. Famously. Six or eight weeks since an application was made to me in favour of a representation to be given for the Theatrical Pension Fund (an excellent benevolent institution here, for the benefit of which “Ruy Blas” was to be given). I was requested to compose an overture for it, and the music of the romance in the piece, for it was thought the receipts would be better if my name appeared in the bills. I read

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Frankfort, June 18th, 1839. Dear Fanny, Give me your best advice! The eccentric Capellmeister Guhr is become my particular friend, and we are quite inseparable. Lately we were in a pleasant cordial mood, and I was eagerly questioning him about his extensive and rare collection of Bach’s works, among which are two autographs, the choral preludes for the organ, and the “Passecaille,” with a grand fugue at the end of it,— when he suddenly said, “I’ll tell you what, you shall have one of these autog

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To Carl Klingemann, London.

To Carl Klingemann, London.

Hochheim, near Coblenz, August 1st, 1839. My dearest Friend, I earnestly hope that you may fulfil your intention of visiting us late in the autumn. The time seems to me endless till you become acquainted with my wife; besides, it is indeed very long since you and I have conversed in the unreserved confidence of home. When I was in England, two years ago, my wife kept a small diary, which she began after our marriage, and every day during my stay in England she left a blank space in its pages, th

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Frankfort, July 3rd, 1839. Dear Mother, We are leading the most agreeable, happy life imaginable here. I am therefore resolved not to go away till obliged to do so, and to give myself up entirely for the present to a sense of comfort and pleasure. The most delightful thing I ever saw in society was a fête in the forest here: I really must tell you all about it, because it was unique of its kind. Within a quarter of an hour’s drive from the road, deep in the forest where lofty spreading beech-tre

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.[37]

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.[37]

Leipzig, September 14th, 1839. Dear Fanny, Wishing to note down a great many things for your benefit, I examined my diaries, but found very little in them, and say to myself, “Hensel will show her and tell all this a hundred times better than I can.” So only with a view to perform my promise:— Isola Bella. —Place yourself on the very highest point, and look right and left, before and behind you,—the whole of the island and the whole of the lake are at your feet. Venice. —Do not forget Casa Pisan

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To Professor Naumann, Bonn.

To Professor Naumann, Bonn.

Leipzig, September 19th, 1839. Sir, Pray accept my thanks for the great proof of confidence you show me, by the purport of your esteemed letter of the 12th of this month. Believe me, I thoroughly appreciate it, and can indeed feel how important to you must be the development and future destiny of a child so beloved and so talented. My sole wish is, like your own, that those steps should be taken, best calculated to reward his assiduity and to cultivate his talents. As an artist, I consider this

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To I. Moscheles, London.

To I. Moscheles, London.

Leipzig, November 30th, 1839. My dear Friend, Your letter from Paris delighted me exceedingly, although the proceedings you describe are not very gratifying. The state of matters there must be very curious. I own that I always felt a kind of repugnance towards it, and this impression has not been diminished by all we have recently heard from thence. Nowhere do variety and outward consideration play so prominent a part as there, and what makes the case still worse is, that they not only coquet wi

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To Fanny Hensel, Rome.

To Fanny Hensel, Rome.

Leipzig, January 4th, 1840. You see my letter begins in the true ballad-monger style; if you chance to be in the Coliseum at the moment you receive it, the contrast will be rather grotesque. Whereabouts do you live in Rome? Have you eaten broccoli and ham? or zuppa Inglese ? Is the convent of San Giovanni and Paolo still standing? and does the sun shine every morning on your buttered roll? I have just played to Ferdinand Hiller your Caprices in B flat major, G major, E major, and F major, which

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To I. Fürst, Berlin. [On the subject of a Libretto that he was writing for an Opera.]

To I. Fürst, Berlin. [On the subject of a Libretto that he was writing for an Opera.]

Leipzig, January 4th, 1840. Dear Fürst, You upbraid me extravagantly in the beginning of your welcome letter, but at its close you draw so admirable a moral, that I have only to thank you anew for the whole. You do me injustice in suggesting that my sole reason for wishing to see the scenarium is that I may raise difficulties from the starting-point, and bring the child into the world forthwith in its sickly condition. It is precisely on opposite grounds that I wish this, in order to obviate sub

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, February 7th, 1840. Dear Brother, Every word, alas! that you write about Berlin and the course of things there, corresponds but too well with my own views on the subject. The proceedings there are far from gratifying, and what strikes me as the most hopeless part is, that all its inhabitants are of one accord on the subject, and yet, in spite of this universal feeling, no change to what is good and healthy is ever effected. But where cannot the individual man live and thrive? especially

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Leipzig, March 30th, 1840. The turmoil of the last few weeks was overpowering. Liszt was here for a fortnight, and caused quite a paroxysm of excitement among us, both in a good and evil sense. I consider him to be in reality an amiable warm-hearted man, and an admirable artist. That he plays with more execution than all the others, does not admit of a doubt; yet Thalberg, with his composure, and within his more restricted sphere, is more perfect, taken as a virtuoso; and this is the standard wh

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To the Kreis-Director von Falkenstein, Dresden.

To the Kreis-Director von Falkenstein, Dresden.

Leipzig, April 8th, 1840. Sir, Emboldened by the assurance of your kind feelings in our recent conversation, and by the conviction that you have sincerely at heart the condition of art here, and its further cultivation (of which you have already given so many proofs), permit me to lay before you a question which seems to me of the highest importance to the interest of music. Would it not be possible to entreat his Majesty the King, to dispose of the sum bequeathed by the late Herr Blümner for th

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Leipzig, August 10th, 1840. On Thursday I gave an organ concert here in the Thomas Church, from the proceeds of which old Sebastian Bach is to have a monument erected to his memory in front of the Thomas School. I gave it solissimo , and played nine pieces, winding up with an extempore fantasia. This was the whole programme. Although my expenses were considerable, I had a clear gain of three hundred dollars. I mean to try this again in the autumn or spring, and then a very handsome memorial may

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Leipzig, October 24th, 1840. Dear Fanny, I make use of my first morning’s leisure since my return from England, to thank you for your most admirable and charming letter, which welcomed me on my return here. When I first saw it lying, and broke the seal, I had somehow a kind of presentiment that it might contain some bad news—(I mean, something momentous). I don’t know how this was, but the very first lines made me see it in a very different light, and I read on and on with the greatest delight.

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Leipzig, October 27th, 1840. Dear Mother, A thousand thanks for your kind letter, received yesterday, which was truly charming, in spite of the well-merited little hit at the beginning. I ought indeed to have written to you long since; but during the last three months, you can have no idea how entirely I have been obliged to play the part of “Hans of all work.” There are trifling minute occupations too, such as notes, etc., of daily recurrence, which seem to me as tiresome and useless in our exi

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Leipzig, November 14th, 1840. Dear Fanny, My brightest, best, and most heartfelt good wishes for this day! Once upon a time, I used to send you a new manuscript, bound in green, in honour of the occasion; now I must content myself with a mere scanty letter, and yet the old custom pleases me very much better. No doubt, in the course of your birthday, you too think of us here; but that does not mend matters much for me. This evening, at the recommencement of the Quartett Soirées, I am to play to t

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To Carl Klingemann, London.

To Carl Klingemann, London.

Leipzig, November 18th, 1840. My dearest Friend, I am living here in as entire quiet and solitude as I could possibly desire; my wife and children are well, God be praised! and I have work in abundance; what can any man wish for beyond this? I only long for its continuance, and pray that Heaven may grant it, while I daily rejoice afresh in the peaceful monotony of my life. At the beginning of the winter however, I had some difficulty in avoiding the social gatherings which bloom and thrive here,

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, November 20th, 1840. Dear Paul, How much I wish that you would perform your promise, and come here for the “Hymn of Praise;” I shall be glad to know what you think of it, and to hear if it pleases you, for I own that it lies very near my heart. I think too that it will be well executed by our orchestra; but in spite of this, if by arriving in time for its performance, your proposed visit must be in any degree shortened, then I would urge you to come on some other occasion, for our happy

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, December 7th, 1840. Dear Brother, Just as I was about to write to you yesterday, to thank you cordially again and again for the fresh proof of your true brotherly love which you have given me, [44] your letter arrived, and I can only repeat the same thing. Even if the affair leads to nothing further than to show me (what is the fact) that you participate in my wish once more to pass a portion of our lives together, that you, too, feel there is something wanting when we are not all unite

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, December 20th, 1840. Dear Brother, You wish to have some tidings from me as to our affair (for well may I call it so). The letter from Massow came eight days since, and I answered it on Wednesday, just as I would have written or spoken to yourself, without reservation or disguise, but still without that eager acceptance which was probably expected. I think you would have been satisfied with my letter, and I hope and trust Massow may be so also. He wrote far less explicitly about the det

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, Jan. 2nd, 1841. Dear Paul, Receive my heartfelt good wishes, and may God grant us all a happy new year! Now I have one earnest request to make. Do not allow any misunderstanding between Massow and me, to impair that delightful and perfect harmony between us which always rejoices me, and makes me so happy. I will not say, let us not become more mistrustful, but not even more reserved towards each other. Since the great sacrifice that you unhesitatingly made for my sake in coming here, I

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, Jan. 9th, 1841. Dear Paul, Your letter of yesterday made me very happy; God knows why I could not get it out of my head that you were angry with me, for delaying an affair which you wished to expedite, and have so kindly expedited. I however see from your letter that I was entirely and totally wrong, and I thank you much for it, and subscribe to all you say on the subject. But there is one idea you must dismiss from your thoughts as much as I have done the other, and that is the dread o

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To Herr X——.

To Herr X——.

Leipzig, January 22nd, 1841. Sir, I beg to offer you my thanks for the confidence you have shown me by your polite letter, and the accompanying music. I have looked over your overture with much pleasure, and discovered many unmistakable traces of talent in it, so that I should rejoice to have an opportunity of seeing some more new works of yours, and thus to make your musical acquaintance in a more intimate and confidential manner. The greater part of the instrumentation, and especially the melo

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Leipzig, January 25th, 1841. ... This is the thirty-fifth letter I have written since the day before yesterday; it makes me quite uneasy to see how the flood swells, if a few days elapse without my stemming it, and guarding against it. Variations from Lausitz and Mayence; overtures from Hanover, Copenhagen, Brunswick, and Rudolstadt; German Fatherland songs from Weimar, Brunswick, and Berlin, the latter of which I am to set to music, and the former to look over and take to a publisher: and all t

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, February 13th, 1841. My dear Brother, It is curious how certain years elapse, when both time and people seem to stand quietly still; and then again come weeks, when everything seems to run about like billiard balls, making cannons, and losing and winning hazards, etc. etc. ( vide the Temperance Hotel in Gohlis). Such has been the case with me during the last few months. Since you were here, everything is so far advanced and altered, that it would take me a week at least, and walks innum

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Leipzig, February 14th, 1841. Salut et Fraternité! Have you read the wrathful letter which the Emperor of China wrote to Lin, with a bright red pencil? Were this the fashion with us, I would write to you to-day with a grass-green pencil, or with a sky-blue one, or with whatever colour a pleasant pencil ought to assume, in gratitude for your admirable epistle on my birthday. My especial thanks also for the kind and friendly interest you have shown in the faithful Eckert; he is a sound, practical

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To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

Leipzig, February 27th, 1841. Dear Schubring, Thank you a thousand times for your friendly letter, which caused me much pleasure, and was a most welcome birthday gift. Our correspondence had certainly become rather threadbare, but pray don’t give up sending me your little notes of introduction; large letters would indeed be better, but in default of these I must be contented with little ones, and you well know that they will always be received with joy, and those who bring them welcomed to the b

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, March 3rd, 1841. Dear Paul, You gave me extreme pleasure by the brochure [46] you sent me yesterday, and after having exulted not a little in its contents, I must now thank you much for having forwarded it to me. I read of it in the ‘Allgemeine Zeitung,’ but had it not been for your kindness, this clever publication would not have found its way to my room for many a day. I have read it through twice with the deepest attention, and agree with you that it is a most remarkable sign of the

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To Julius Rietz, Music Director at Düsseldorf, (now capellmeister at dresden.)

To Julius Rietz, Music Director at Düsseldorf, (now capellmeister at dresden.)

Leipzig, April 23rd, 1841. Add Dear Rietz, Yesterday evening we performed your overture to “Hero and Leander” and the “Battle Song,” amid loud and universal applause, and with the unanimous approbation of the musicians and the public. Even during the rehearsal of the overture, towards the end in D major, I perceived in the orchestra those smiling faces and nodding heads, which at a new piece of yours I am so glad to see among the players; it pleased them all uncommonly, and the audience, who yes

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Report to his Majesty the King of Prussia,[49] from the Wirklich Geheimrath Herr von Massow.

Report to his Majesty the King of Prussia,[49] from the Wirklich Geheimrath Herr von Massow.

Berlin, May 20th, 1841. Your Majesty was pleased verbally to desire me to enter into communication with Herr Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, in Leipzig, with a view to summon him to Berlin, and to fix his residence there by appointment. I therefore on the 11th of December last wrote to Herr Mendelssohn, in accordance with your Majesty’s commands, and made the following offer:— That he should be appointed Director of the musical class of the Academy of Arts, with a salary of three thousand thalers.

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Memorandum by Mendelssohn, on the subject of a Music Academy to be established at Berlin.

Memorandum by Mendelssohn, on the subject of a Music Academy to be established at Berlin.

Berlin, May, 1841. It is proposed to establish a German Music Academy in Berlin, to concentrate in one common focus the now isolated efforts in the sphere of instruction in art, in order to guide rising artists in a solid and earnest direction, thus imparting to the musical sense of the nation a new and more energetic impetus; for this purpose, on the one side, the already existing institutes and their members must be concentrated, and on the other, the aid of new ones must be called in. Among t

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, July 9th, 1841. Dear Brother, I send you with this, a copy of the Minister Eichhorn’s letter, which I received this evening. It is evident from it, that the King only intends to make me Capellmeister, if the plan, for the Academy is carried out; not otherwise. If this be his irrevocable determination, I have only to choose between two alternatives; to go to Berlin on the 1st of August without the title, and without any further public appointment, and merely receive the salary there—or a

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To Carl Klingemann, London.

To Carl Klingemann, London.

Leipzig, July 15th, 1841. My dear Friend, To-morrow I go with some pleasant friends to Dresden to hear Ungher and Moriani sing, to see Raphael and Titian paint, and to breathe the air of that lovely region. A few days after my return I am off for a year to Berlin, one of the sourest apples a man can eat, and yet eaten it must be. Strangely enough, there seems to be a misunderstanding between us on this affair, and hitherto we have scarcely ever had one. You think I want your advice, and mean to

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To Concert-Meister Ferdinand David, Leipzig.

To Concert-Meister Ferdinand David, Leipzig.

Berlin, August 9th, 1841. Dear Friend, You wish to hear some news about the Berlin Conservatorium,—so do I,—but there is none. The affair is on the most extensive scale, if it be actually on any scale at all, and not merely in the air. The King seems to have a plan for reorganizing the Academy of Arts; this will not be easily effected, without entirely changing its present form into a very different one, which they cannot make up their mind to do; there is little use in my advising it, as I do n

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To President Verkenius, Cologne.

To President Verkenius, Cologne.

Berlin, August 14th, 1841. Dear and esteemed Herr President, Though so much delighted by recognizing on the address of your letter of yesterday the well-known writing, I was equally grieved by the grave and mournful tone of your words, and I cannot tell you how much the intelligence of your continued illness alarms and distresses me. It is, indeed, often the case, that in moments of indisposition, everything seems to us covered with a black veil,—that illness drags within its domain, not only th

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To President Verkenius, Cologne.

To President Verkenius, Cologne.

Berlin, August 23rd, 1841. Dear Herr President, You see that I take advantage of your permission, and write constantly; if it be too much for you, let me know it, or do not read my letters. May it please God that I shall soon receive good news of your returning health! I think of it every day, and I wish it every day! In my previous letter, I promised you some details of musical life here, so far as I am acquainted with it. Unfortunately, there is very little that is cheering to relate. Here, as

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To Franz Hauser, (PRESENT DIRECTOR OF THE CONSERVATORIUM IN MUNICH.)

To Franz Hauser, (PRESENT DIRECTOR OF THE CONSERVATORIUM IN MUNICH.)

Berlin, October 12th, 1841. ... I do not know what you have been told about Berlin and its prospects. If, however, you allude to the project of which all the people and all the journals are speaking, that of establishing a Musical Conservatorium here, then I regret to be obliged to say, that I know no more about it than every one else seems to know. It is said the desire for it exists, and perhaps a remote prospect, but far too remote for anything to be told about it with the least certainty at

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To Concert-Meister Ferdinand David, Leipzig.

To Concert-Meister Ferdinand David, Leipzig.

Berlin, October 21st, 1841. Dear David, Thanks for your having at once read through ‘Antigone.’ I felt assured beforehand that it would please you beyond measure when you did so; and the very impression which reading it made on me, is in fact the cause of the affair being accomplished. There was a great deal of talking about it, but no one would begin; they wished to put it off till next autumn, and so forth, but as the noble style of the piece fascinated me so much, I got hold of old Tieck, and

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To Professor Dehn, Berlin.[52]

To Professor Dehn, Berlin.[52]

Berlin, October 28th, 1841. Sir, The kind and amiable feelings which your letter of yesterday testified towards me, caused me great pleasure, and I beg to thank you very sincerely and truly. Although I entirely agree with you that my choruses to ‘Antigone’ will furnish an opportunity for a number of unfair and malignant attacks, still I cannot meet these unpleasant probabilities by the means which you are so good as to propose to me. I have always made it an inviolable rule, never to write on an

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To Professor Köstlin, Tübingen.

To Professor Köstlin, Tübingen.

Berlin, December 15th, 1841. ... When I was lately in society, I was seated next a lady at supper who spoke the South German dialect, and seemed at home in Stuttgart, so I thought I would ask her if she knew anything of Tübingen, and inquired about Professor Köstlin. She said she did not know him, but one of her acquaintances had written to her that he had been recently betrothed. This was the first happy news. She did not know the name of the bride, but so far she remembered, that she was from

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

London, June 21st, 1842. Dear Mother, Your letter of yesterday was most charming, and gave us so much pleasure, [54] that I must thank you for it in detail to-day; I could scarcely do so as I wished for the previous one, containing quite a kaleidoscope of events in Berlin, which through the glasses of your description assumed constant novel and pleasing forms. If I could write half as well, you should receive to-day the most charming letter, for we are daily seeing the most beautiful and splendi

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To Carl Eckert, Paris.

To Carl Eckert, Paris.

Berlin, January 26th, 1842. Dear Eckert, I have been long in your debt for an answer to your kind letter; pray forgive this. I have been living such a stirring, excited life this year, that I am more than ever unable to carry on any correspondence. I need not tell you the great pleasure I felt in hearing from you, and always shall feel every time that I do so. You know how entirely you won my regard during the years when you resided in Leipzig, and how highly I both honour and estimate your tale

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Interlachen, August 18th, 1842. My dearest Mother, Do you still remember our staying, twenty years ago, in a pretty small inn here, shaded by large walnut-trees (I sketched some of them), and our lovely young landlady? When I was here ten years ago, she refused to give me a room, I looked so shabby from my pedestrian journey; I believe that was the only single vexation I at that time experienced, during the whole course of my tour. Now we are living here again as substantial people. The Jungfrau

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Zurich, September 3rd, 1842. Dear Mother, I am not so hard-hearted a correspondent as to rest satisfied with only writing to you once from Switzerland. Indeed, our Swiss expedition is drawing nearly to a close for the present. There are few more herdsmen’s huts to be seen; neither glaciers, nor anything of the kind; rocks, and so forth, just as little; but we still have the greenish-blue lake, and the clean houses, and the bright gardens, and a chain of mountains, such as could only stand on the

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To A. Simrock, Bonn.

To A. Simrock, Bonn.

Frankfort, September 21st, 1842. Dear Herr Simrock, I write to you to-day on a particular subject, relying on your most entire discretion and perfect secrecy; but I know too well from experience, your kindly feeling towards myself, to doubt the fulfilment of my wish, and in full confidence in your silence I shall now come to the point. During my stay here I heard by chance that my friend and colleague in art, Herr X——, had written to you about the publication of some new works, but hitherto had

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To A. Simrock, Bonn.

To A. Simrock, Bonn.

Berlin, October 10th, 1842 Sir, If I ever was agreeably surprised by any letter, it was by yours, which I received here yesterday. Your kind and immediate compliance with my request, and also the very handsome present you make me for my “Songs without Words,” render it really difficult for me to know how to thank you, and to express the great pleasure you have conferred on me; I must confess that I had not expected such ready courtesy, and satisfactory compliance with my letter of solicitation.

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To Marc-André Souchay, Lübeck.[57]

To Marc-André Souchay, Lübeck.[57]

Berlin, October 15th, 1842. ... There is so much talk about music, and yet so little really said. For my part I believe that words do not suffice for such a purpose, and if I found they did suffice, then I certainly would have nothing more to do with music. People often complain that music is ambiguous, that their ideas on the subject always seem so vague, whereas every one understands words; with me it is exactly the reverse; not merely with regard to entire sentences, but also as to individual

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To Wirklich Geheimrath Herr von Massow.

To Wirklich Geheimrath Herr von Massow.

Berlin, October 23rd 1842. Your Excellency, Permit me respectfully to ask whether you will be so good as to assist in procuring me an audience of his Majesty, to place before him my present position here, and my wishes with regard to it. Your Excellency is aware that I am not so situated as to be able to accept the proposal of Herr Eichhorn to place myself at the head of the whole of the Evangelical Church music here. As I already told the Minister (and your Excellency quite agreed to this in ou

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To His Majesty the King of Prussia.[59]

To His Majesty the King of Prussia.[59]

Berlin, October, 28th, 1842 Your Majesty, In the memorable words your Majesty was pleased to address to me, you mentioned that it was intended to add a certain number of able singers to the existing Royal Church choirs, to form a nucleus for these choirs, as well as for any amateurs of singing who might subsequently wish to join them, serving as a rallying-point and example, and in this manner gradually to elevate and to ennoble church music, and to ensure its greater development. Also, in order

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To Carl Klingemann, London.

To Carl Klingemann, London.

Leipzig, November 23rd, 1842. We are now again settled in Leipzig, and fairly established here for this winter and till late in the spring. The old localities where we passed so many happy days so pleasantly are now re-arranged with all possible comfort, and we can live here in great comfort. I could no longer endure the state of suspense in Berlin; there was in fact nothing certain there, but that I was to receive a certain sum of money, and that alone should not suffice for the vocation of a m

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To his Mother.

To his Mother.

Leipzig, November 28th, 1842. Dearest Mother, As pen and paper must again serve instead of our usual evening hour for tea, I begin by making a suggestion, which is, whether you would like me to write to you regularly every Saturday (perhaps only a few words, but of this hereafter); and that one of the family, as often as you cannot or will not write, should undertake to send me a punctual reply. In addition to the joy of knowing beforehand the day when I am to hear of you, it is in some degree i

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, December 5th, 1842. My dear Brother, As we agreed (and indeed very properly) that I was to take no step with regard to my affairs in Berlin without informing you immediately of every detail, I write you these lines to-day, although I am over head and ears in business. I received yesterday from the King the following communication:— “By the enclosed written document you will perceive the tenor of the communication I have this day made on the subject of an Institute for the Improvement of

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To His Mother.

To His Mother.

Leipzig, December 11th, 1842. Dearest Mother, On the 21st or 22nd, we give a concert here for the King, who has sworn death and destruction to all the hares in the country round. In this concert we mean to sing for his benefit (how touching!) the partridge and hare hunt out of the “Seasons.” My “Walpurgis Nacht” is to appear once more in the second part, in a somewhat different garb indeed from the former one, which was somewhat too richly endowed with trombones, and rather poor in the vocal par

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To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

Leipzig, December 16th, 1842. My dear Schubring, I now send you, according to your permission, the text of “Elijah,” so far as it goes. I do beg of you to give me your best assistance, and return it soon with plenty of notes on the margin (I mean Scriptural passages, etc.). I also enclose your former letters on the subject, as you wished, and have torn them out of the book in which they were. They must, however, be replaced, so do not forget to send them back to me. In the very first of these le

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, December 22nd, 1842. [64] My dear Brother, I wrote to you the day after our arrival here that we were all well, and living in our sorrow as we best could, dwelling on the happiness we once possessed. My letter was addressed to Fanny, but written to you all; though it seems you had not heard of it, and even this trifle shows, what will day by day be more deeply and painfully felt by us,—that the point of union is now gone, where even as children we could always meet; and though we were n

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To Professor Köstlin, Tübingen.

To Professor Köstlin, Tübingen.

Leipzig, January 12th, 1843. Dear Herr Köstlin, or rather, dear Herr Godfather, You have caused me much joy by your kind letter of yesterday, and by the happy intelligence it contained, and above all, by your wish that I should be godfather! Indeed, you may well believe that I gladly accede to the request, and after reading your letter, it was some moments before I could realize, that I could not possibly be present at the baptism. In earlier days, no reasoning would have been of any avail; I wo

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Leipzig, January 13th, 1843. ... We yesterday tried over a new symphony by a Dane of the name of Gade, and we are to perform it in the course of the ensuing month; it has given me more pleasure than any work I have seen for a long time. He has great and superior talents, and I wish you could hear this most original, most earnest, and sweet-sounding Danish symphony. I am writing him a few lines to-day, though I know nothing more of him than that he lives in Copenhagen, and is twenty-six years of

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To A. W. Gade, Professor of Music, Copenhagen.

To A. W. Gade, Professor of Music, Copenhagen.

Leipzig, January 13th, 1842. Sir, We yesterday rehearsed for the first time your symphony in C minor, and though personally a stranger, yet I cannot resist the wish to address you, in order to say what excessive pleasure you have caused me by your admirable work, and how truly grateful I am for the great enjoyment you have conferred on me. It is long since any work has made a more lively and favourable impression on me, and as my surprise increased at every bar, and yet every moment I felt more

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To Carl Klingemann, London.

To Carl Klingemann, London.

Leipzig, January 13th, 1843. I cannot as yet at all reconcile myself to distraction of thought and every-day life, as it is called, or to life with men who in fact care very little about you, and to whom what we can never forget or recover from, is only a mere piece of news . I now feel however more vividly than ever what a heavenly calling Art is; and for this also I have to thank my parents; just when all else which ought to interest the mind appears so repugnant, and empty, and insipid, the s

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To Madame Emma Preusser.

To Madame Emma Preusser.

Leipzig, February 4th, 1843. Dear Lady, I send “Siebenkäs,” according to your desire. May it cause you half the pleasure it caused me when I first read it, and very frequently since. I believe that the period when we first learn to love, and to know such a glorious work, is among the happiest hours of our lives. As you have read very little of Jean Paul, were I in your place, I would not concern myself much about the prologues, but at first entirely discard the “Blumenstücke,” and begin at once

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To A. W. Gade, Professor of Music, Copenhagen.

To A. W. Gade, Professor of Music, Copenhagen.

Leipzig, March 3rd, 1843. Sir, Your C minor symphony was performed for the first time yesterday at our eighteenth subscription concert here, to the lively and unalloyed delight of the whole public, who broke out into the loudest applause at the close of each of the four movements. There was great excitement among the audience after the scherzo, and the shouting and clapping of hands seemed interminable; after the adagio the very same; after the last, and after the first,—in short, after all! To

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To I. Moscheles, London.

To I. Moscheles, London.

Leipzig, April 30th, 1843. ... Our Music Academy here has made a famous beginning; fresh notices of students arrive almost daily, and the number of teachers, as well as of lessons, have been necessarily very much increased. Two serious maladies, however, are apparent, which I mean vigorously to resist with might and main so long as I am here: the Direction is disposed to increase and generalize,—that is, to build houses, to hire localities of several stories,—whereas, I maintain that for the fir

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To M. Simrock, Bonn.

To M. Simrock, Bonn.

Leipzig, June 12th, 1843. Sir, Herr Herrmann, some time since, inquired of you once, in my name, about the printed score of the “Zauberflöte;” but I now apply to yourself to know whether any copy of it still exists in the original German, or if any ever did exist? And if neither be the case, I should like to know whether you are disposed to allow the original correct text to be substituted in your plates of this opera, and some proofs to be taken? It appears to me almost a positive duty, that su

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To G. Otten, Hamburg.

To G. Otten, Hamburg.

Leipzig, July 7th, 1843. My best thanks for your obliging letter, which contains much that is really far too kind and flattering about myself and my music. Gladly, in compliance with your friendly invitation, would I at some future time come to express my thanks to you personally, and to play to you as you wish me to do. Since we met in Dessau I have learnt a good deal more, and have made progress. But you must not compare my playing with my music; I feel quite embarrassed by such an idea, and I

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, July 21st, 1843. Dear Brother, I had almost hoped to be able to answer your letter in person, for I was very nearly taking a journey to Berlin again. Herr von Massow has sent me a communication connected with that tedious everlasting affair, which irritated me so much that it almost made me ill, and I do not feel right yet. In my first feeling of anger, I wished to go to Berlin to speak to you and break off the whole affair; but I prefer writing, and so I am now writing to you. Instead

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, July 26th, 1843. Dearest Brother, I have just received your kind letter, and indeed at the very moment when I was about to write to you and beg you to give me quarters. Next Tuesday, the 1st of August, I am obliged to return to Berlin to rehearse and perform the “Tausendjährige Reich,” and to hear from the King his views with regard to the composition of the Psalms. He yesterday summoned me for this purpose, and of course I must go, and of course I must live with you; but is it also of

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, August 26th, 1843. Dear Brother, I yesterday received a letter from Herr von Massow containing the intelligence that the King had fully sanctioned the affair of the Wirklich Geheimrath; I wished to write this to you instantly. [69] To-day I got a second letter, with the information that the King desires to have three representations in the New Palace in the second half of September, namely, 1, “Antigone; ” 2, “The Midsummer Night’s Dream;” 3, “Athalia” (“Medea” is to be given between No

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, September 16th, 1843. Six days ago, Herr von Küstner (after a silence of ten days, in spite of all my letters and messages) wrote to me, that the whole project of the representations in the New Palace was postponed till October. So of course I receive from him a letter to-day, saying that “on Tuesday, the 19th, ‘Antigone’ is to be given.” Luckily I smelt a rat, and shall set off to Berlin by the first train the day after to-morrow. I defer all else till we meet. You gave me permission t

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To the Hoch Edelrath of Leipzig. (THE CORPORATION.)

To the Hoch Edelrath of Leipzig. (THE CORPORATION.)

Leipzig, October 3rd, 1843. To the Corporation of the City of Leipzig, I am indebted for the privilege of considering myself as in every sense belonging to that city. I therefore take the liberty to address myself to the Corporation on a subject which, though it does not personally concern me, is closely connected with the interests of Art in this place, and with the city itself. I hope on this account for their indulgence, and esteem it my plain, bounden duty as a citizen, not to be idly silent

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To the King of Prussia.

To the King of Prussia.

Berlin, 1844. Your Majesty, I venture in these lines to bring before you a petition which I have much at heart. Among the vast number of compositions sent to me from musicians here and in other places, I lately received some works of a young man of the name of G——, in which I perceived such unmistakable talent and such genuine musical feeling, that they seemed to me like an oasis in the desert. They consisted of a set of songs, and a grand piece of music for Good Friday, which, (each in its own

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From Wirklich Geheimrath Ritter Bunsen, to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Frankfort-on-the-Maine.[71]

From Wirklich Geheimrath Ritter Bunsen, to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Frankfort-on-the-Maine.[71]

Berlin, Sunday morning, April 28th, 1844. My dear and esteemed Friend, I hope that these lines may find you free from all cares and anxieties. I send them to you in a kindly spirit for the sake of the cause and yourself. You have hurt the feelings of the King by your refusal to compose music for the “Eumenides.” I was with him when Graf Redern gave him back the book with this decision. As I saw this touched the King very nearly, though he was not in the least excited , I remarked that perhaps yo

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To the Wirklich Geheimrath Bunsen.

To the Wirklich Geheimrath Bunsen.

Frankfort-a.-M., May 4th, 1844. Your Excellency’s kind letter I received here when on the point of setting off for England. First of all, I hasten to thank you in the most heartfelt manner for this fresh proof of your friendly feelings towards myself. I wish I may one day be able to express more clearly my gratitude for all your kindness and friendship! I know how to appreciate these to the fullest extent, and am proud of them, as the best and dearest which can ever be my portion in this world.

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To Julius Stern, Paris, (now professor in berlin.)

To Julius Stern, Paris, (now professor in berlin.)

London, May 27th, 1844. Dear Herr Stern, You well know the very great pleasure your kind letter was sure to cause me; at the same time I was perfectly aware that in the first moments after the representation [72] you would view in far too favourable a light, and far too highly prize, my music and its success. But that you should do so, and feel yourself thus rewarded for the many and great efforts which this representation has cost you, is indeed to me a source of the highest gratification. Acce

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To Carl Klingemann, London.

To Carl Klingemann, London.

Soden, near Frankfort-a.-M., July 17th, 1844. My dearest Friend, I found all my family well, and we had a joyful meeting when I arrived here on Saturday, in health and happiness, after a very rapid journey. Cécile looks so well again,—tanned by the sun, but without the least trace of her former indisposition; my first glance told this when I came into the room, but to this day I cannot cease rejoicing afresh every time that I look at her. The children are as brown as Moors, and play all day long

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Soden, July 19th, 1844. My dear Brother, I am once more on German ground and soil; well, fresh, and happy at home, having found all my family in the best health possible; and we now pass our days pleasantly here, in this most lovely country. My visit to England was glorious; I never was anywhere received with such universal kindness as on this occasion, and I had more music in these two months than elsewhere in two years. My A minor symphony twice, the “Midsummer Night’s Dream” three times, “St.

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Soden, July 25th, 1844. If you refuse to come to Soden for a fortnight, to enjoy with me the incredible fascinations of this country and locality, all my descriptions are of no avail; and, alas! I know too well that you will not come. I therefore spare you many descriptions. My family improve every day in health, while I lie under apple-trees and huge oaks. In the latter case, I request the swine-herd to drive his animals under some other tree, not to disturb me (this happened yesterday); furthe

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To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

To Fanny Hensel, Berlin.

Soden, August 15th, 1844. Look again in the music shelves, in the compartment where there is a great deal of loose music lying; among it you will find an open red portfolio, which contains a quantity of my unbound manuscript music—songs, pianoforte pieces, printed and unprinted; there you will positively find the organ piece in A major. It is just possible that I may in so far be mistaken; that it is in a bound music-book which lies in “ my compartment,” and in which many similar pieces are boun

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To Professor Verhulst, the Hague.

To Professor Verhulst, the Hague.

Berlin, November 17th, 1844. Sir, Pray accept my thanks for your kind letter, and the accompanying parcel, with its rich and valuable contents. If you are like me, you can hear nothing more welcome about your works, than when you are told that you have made progress in them; and in those you have now sent me, this is very manifest throughout them all. They are almost in every respect masterly and defined, and devoid of all that is false or incongruous, in individual passages; and when taken as a

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From Minister Eichhorn,[79] to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, at Frankfurt-am-Main.

From Minister Eichhorn,[79] to Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, at Frankfurt-am-Main.

Berlin, March 2nd, 1845. Sir, You may remember that I made a report to his Majesty, some years since, on proposals which had been suggested for the establishment of a Conservatorium here; his Majesty, however, was pleased to declare that the establishment of such a Conservatorium was not at present in accordance with his Majesty’s views. The affair has consequently remained since that time in abeyance. The absolute necessity of a reform in the Royal Academy of Arts seems daily to be more urgent,

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To Minister Eichhorn, Berlin.

To Minister Eichhorn, Berlin.

Frankfurt-am-M., March 6th, 1845. I must first of all thank your Excellency for the flattering proof of confidence contained in the letter I have received from your Excellency, and also for your wish to hear my opinion in so important a matter. That the reform of the Academy of Arts and its musical section, which your Excellency refers to in your letter, will be of the greatest value to the whole musical condition of Berlin, does not admit of the smallest doubt. Your Excellency informs me that i

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To Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, from the Geheim Cabinetsrath Müller.[81]

To Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, from the Geheim Cabinetsrath Müller.[81]

Berlin, March 5th, 1855. It is proposed to set to music the choruses of the trilogy of “Agamemnon,” the “Choëphorœ,” and the “Eumenides,” to be combined and curtailed for performance. According to Tieck’s information, you declined the composition in this form. The King can scarcely believe this, as his Majesty distinctly remembers that you, esteemed Sir, personally assured him that you were prepared to undertake this composition. I am therefore commissioned by the King to ask, whether the affair

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To Geheim Cabinetsrath Müller, Berlin.

To Geheim Cabinetsrath Müller, Berlin.

Frankfort, March 12th, 1845. His Majesty the King never spoke to me on the subject of the choruses in the combined and curtailed trilogy of “Agamemnon,” the “Choëphorœ,” and the “Eumenides.” His Majesty certainly was pleased to appoint me the task last winter of composing music for the choruses in Æschylus’s “Eumenides.” I could not promise to supply this music, because I at once saw that the undertaking was beyond my capabilities; still I promised his Majesty to make the attempt, not concealing

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Answer from Müller.

Answer from Müller.

Berlin, March 19th, 1845. Immediately on receipt of your esteemed letter of the 12th instant, I took an opportunity to inform his Majesty of its contents. The King laments being obliged to resign the great pleasure it would have caused his Majesty to see the Æschylus choruses composed by you, but rejoices in the completion of the Sophocles trilogy, and also in that of “Athalie.” The King hopes for your presence here in the approaching summer, as his Majesty wishes to become acquainted with these

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To I. Moscheles, London.

To I. Moscheles, London.

Frankfort, March 7th, 1845. My dear Friend, It is so good and kind of you to write me a gossiping letter again, as in the good old times. I leave everything undone and untouched till I have answered you, and thanked you for all your continued friendship and kindness towards me. What you say of the English musical doings certainly does not sound very satisfactory, but where are they really satisfactory? Only within a man’s own heart; and there we find no such doings, but something far better. So

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To Rebecca Dirichlet, Florence.

To Rebecca Dirichlet, Florence.

Frankfort, March 25th, 1845. Dear Sister, I continue faithful to the new custom I have adopted, and answer your welcome letter on the spot; it is just come, and brings spring with it. For the first time to-day we have, out of doors, that kind of atmosphere in which ice and winter cold melt away, and all becomes mild, and warm, and enjoyable. If, however, you have no driving ice in Florence, you ought to envy us , instead of the reverse, for it is a splendid spectacle to see the water bubbling un

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To Emil Naumann, (NOW MUSIC DIRECTOR AT BERLIN.)

To Emil Naumann, (NOW MUSIC DIRECTOR AT BERLIN.)

Leipzig, March, 1845. Dear Herr Naumann, I have observed with much pleasure very important progress in the compositions which you have sent me, and essential improvement in your whole musical nature and efficiency. I consider these works in every particular preferable to your earlier ones, and consequently they cause me most extreme gratification. There is much in them to be unreservedly commended; almost all, when compared with your productions of past years, awaken in me a fresh hope that you

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To Senator Bernus, Frankfort.

To Senator Bernus, Frankfort.

Leipzig, October 10th, 1845. ... I cannot tell you how often, indeed almost daily, I think of the last winter and spring which I passed so pleasantly with you in Frankfort. I could scarcely myself have believed that my stay there would have caused such a lasting and happy impression on my mind! So strong is it, that I have often pictured to myself, in all earnest, giving you a commission (according to your promise) to buy or to build for me a house with a garden, when I would return permanently

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To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

To Pastor Bauer, Beszig.

Leipzig, May 23rd, 1846. Your kind letter and the book caused me great pleasure. I received the parcel some weeks since, but as I have very little time left for reading, and as a work like yours cannot be quickly perused by a layman, you will be able to understand the delay in expressing my thanks. I have learnt much from your book, for it is in fact the first summary of Church history that I ever read; but from this very circumstance you are mistaken in my position if you think I could attempt

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To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

To Pastor Julius Schubring, Dessau.

Dear Schubring, Once more I must trouble you about “Elijah;” I hope it is for the last time, and I also hope that you will at some future day derive enjoyment from it; and how glad I should be were this to be the case! I have now quite finished the first part, and six or eight numbers of the second are already written down. In various places, however, of the second part I require a choice of really fine Scriptural passages, and I do beg of you to send them to me! I set off to-night for the Rhine

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To I. Moscheles, London.

To I. Moscheles, London.

Leipzig, June 26th, 1846. My dear Friend, The cause of this letter is a line in a recent communication from Mr. Moore, who writes, “Nearly the whole of the Philharmonic band are engaged; [85] a few only are left out who made themselves unpleasant when you were there.” [86] This is anything but pleasing to me, and as I think that you have the principal regulation of such things, I address my remonstrance to you, and beg you to mention them to Mr. Moore. Nothing is more hateful to me than the revi

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To Herr Velten, Carlsruhe.

To Herr Velten, Carlsruhe.

Leipzig, July 11th, 1846. Sir, When I received your letter of May the 10th, I felt most anxious to convey to you a word of consolation, and the assurance of my heartfelt sympathy; but I could find no words for such a loss as yours, or adequately express what I wished to say. Far more could I appreciate the extent of this loss when I had become acquainted with the musical compositions which you so kindly sent me, in the name of your deceased son. Every one who is in earnest with regard to Art, mu

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Birmingham, August 26th, 1846. My dear Brother, From the very first you took so kind an interest in my “Elijah,” and thus inspired me with so much energy and courage for its completion, that I must write to tell you of its first performance yesterday. No work of mine ever went so admirably the first time of execution, or was received with such enthusiasm, by both the musicians and the audience, as this oratorio. It was quite evident at the first rehearsal in London, that they liked it, and liked

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To Frau Doctorin Frege, Leipzig.

To Frau Doctorin Frege, Leipzig.

London, August 31st, 1846. Dear Lady, You have always shown such kind sympathy in my “Elijah,” that I may well consider it incumbent on me to write to you after its performance, and to give you a report on the subject. If this should weary you, you have only yourself to blame; for why did you allow me to come to you with the score under my arm, and play to you those parts that were half completed, and why did you sing so much of it for me at sight? Indeed, on this account you in turn should have

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, October 31st, 1846. My dear Brother, From my only being able to-day to wish you joy of yesterday, that is, in writing and by words, you will at once see that I have even more than my full share of affairs at this moment. What I wish most to do, I cannot accomplish all day long, and what I most particularly dislike often occupies my whole day,—but no more Jérémiades , and now for true heartfelt good wishes. A thousand good wishes, which may all be summed up in one,—health for you and you

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To Professor Edward Bendemann.

To Professor Edward Bendemann.

Leipzig, November 8th, 1846. ... Have I already thanked you for your excellent contributions, and advice about “Elijah”? All your notes on the margin are most acceptable, and are a fresh proof that you have not only a different, but a much deeper insight than almost any one else into a subject of this kind. You recommend that the “Sanctus” should be followed by the command of God to Elijah to resume his mission; such was indeed my original intention, and I think of replacing it, but I cannot dis

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To Carl Klingemann, London.

To Carl Klingemann, London.

Leipzig, December 6th, 1846. ... Montaigne says, and so does Vult, that a man can have but one friend; you will find this too in the ‘Flegeljahre.’ I also said this from my heart when I received your letter, my one friend! How gladly would I have burst forth into joy and gratitude, at the news it contained, and have replied in a gay and happy spirit; but this was impossible, as at the time your letter arrived, we were in great anxiety about our servant Johann, who had been confined to bed for th

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To his Brother-in-Law, Professor Dirichlet, Berlin,

To his Brother-in-Law, Professor Dirichlet, Berlin,

Leipzig, January 4th, 1847. Dear Dirichlet, I write you these lines to say that I wish for my sake, I might say for your sake also, that you should remain at Berlin. [89] Jesting apart, I would gladly repeat in writing, and at this new year’s time, all that I said to you about it personally. The more I reflect on this plan here (not in Berlin), the more I feel convinced that its execution would grieve me, first, for your own sake, and secondly, for mine (which comes to one and the same thing); f

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To Frau Geheimeräthin Steffens, geb. Reichardt, Berlin.

To Frau Geheimeräthin Steffens, geb. Reichardt, Berlin.

Leipzig, February, 1847. Dear Madam, When I meet any one who knew my Father, and who loved and esteemed him as he deserved, I immediately look on such a one as a friend, and not as a stranger, and a meeting of this kind always makes me glad and happy. As you no doubt feel the same, I trust you will excuse the liberty I take in addressing you. I wish to relate to you how touched and delighted the friends of music in Leipzig were yesterday by the composition of your father; we felt as if his spiri

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To his Nephew, Sebastian Hensel.

To his Nephew, Sebastian Hensel.

Leipzig, February 22nd, 1847. Dear Sebastian, I thank you very much for the drawing, which, as your own composition, pleases me extremely, especially the technical part, in which you have made great progress. If, however, you intend to adopt painting as a profession, you cannot too soon accustom yourself to study the meaning of a work of art with more earnestness and zeal than its mere form ,—that is, in other words (as a painter is so fortunate as to be able to select visible nature herself for

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To General von Webern, Berlin.[91]

To General von Webern, Berlin.[91]

Frankfort, May 24th, 1847. Your letter did me good, even in the depths of my sorrow, when I received it; above all, your handwriting, and your sympathy, and every single word of yours. I thank you for it all, my dear, kind, faithful friend. It is indeed true that no one who ever knew my sister can ever forget her through life; but what have not we, her brothers and sister, lost! and I more especially, to whom she was every moment present in her goodness and love; her sympathy being my first thou

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To his Nephew, Sebastian Hensel.

To his Nephew, Sebastian Hensel.

Baden-Baden, June 13th, 1847. Dear Sebastian, I must send you my good wishes on your birthday, the most mournful one you have yet known. The retrospect of its celebration last year will deeply grieve you, for then your mother was still by your side; may, however, the anticipation of the future birthdays which you may yet be spared to see, comfort and strengthen you! for your mother will stand by your side in these also, as well as in everything that you do or fulfil. May all you do be estimable

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To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

To Rebecca Dirichlet, Berlin.

Thun, July 7th, 1847. Dear Sister, In your letter of yesterday to Paul, [92] you said you wished I would write to you again; I therefore do so to-day, but what to write I cannot tell. You have often laughed at me and rallied me because my letters assumed the tone around me or within me, and such is the case now, for it is as impossible for me to write a consistent letter as to recover a consistent frame of mind. I hope that as the days pass on they will bring with them more fortitude, and so I l

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Interlachen, July 19th, 1847. My dear Brother, Scarcely were you gone, when a storm arose, and the thunder and rain were tremendous. Then we dined, and found an unfilled place at table. Then I reflected for two hours on Schiller’s chorus in the ‘Bride of Messina,’ “Say what are we now to do?” and then the children brought the two enclosed letters for you, and said, “I wonder where our Uncle is now!” But it is no longer any use telling you such commonplace, indifferent things, and yet life is mad

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To Rebecca Dirichlet.

To Rebecca Dirichlet.

Interlachen, July 20th, 1847. Dear Sister, When your dear letter arrived, I was writing music; I force myself now to be very busy, in the hope that hereafter I may become so from inclination, and that I shall take pleasure in it. This is “weather expressly calculated for writing, but not for gipsying.” Since Paul left us, the sky has been so dismal and rainy that I have only been able to take one walk. Since the day before yesterday, it has been quite cold besides, so we have a fire in-doors, an

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Interlachen, August 3rd, 1847. Dear Brother, We are all well, and continue to live the same quiet life that you enjoyed with us here. It was, indeed, most solitary the first days after you left us, when each of us went about with dismal faces, as if we had forgotten something, or were looking for something,—and it was so, indeed! Since then, I have begun to write music very busily; the three elder children work with me in the forenoon; in the afternoon, when the weather permits, we all take a wa

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To General von Webern, Berlin.

To General von Webern, Berlin.

Interlachen, August 15, 1847. My dear, kind Friend, I send you a thousand thanks for your letter of the 14th of July, which had been much delayed, as I only received it here a short time ago. You have, no doubt, seen my Brother since then, and he has probably told you more minutely of my intention to visit Berlin this autumn. But I cannot delay sending you an immediate answer to your kind and friendly proposal about the three concerts, but, indeed, I would rather not at present agree to announce

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To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

Leipzig, October, 25th 1847. Dearest Brother, I thank you a thousand times for your letter to-day, and for the hint you give about coming here, which I seize with the utmost eagerness of heart. I really did not know till to-day what to say about my plans. God be praised, I am now daily getting better, and my strength returning more and more; but to travel this day week to Vienna (and that is the latest period which will admit of my arriving in time for a rehearsal of their Musical Festival) is a

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PREFACE.

PREFACE.

In the first section of this Catalogue a few compositions are omitted, because the autograph notes, by which Mendelssohn was in the habit of recording the date and place of composition of his pieces, are wanting; the precise date at which these works were composed cannot therefore be given. They are as follows:— These may all be placed between 1824 and 1828; the symphony, probably the earliest of all, about 1824; it was not published, however, till much later, and was then marked as Opus 11, tha

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I. PUBLISHED WORKS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

I. PUBLISHED WORKS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

1822. Quartett for Pianoforte, Violin, Tenor, and Violoncello, in C minor, op. 1. Berlin. [97] 1823. Quartett for Pianoforte, Violin, Tenor, and Violoncello, in F minor, op. 2. Berlin. Sonata for Pianoforte and Violin, in F minor, op. 4. Berlin. 1824. Quartett for Pianoforte, Violin, Tenor, and Violoncello, in B minor, op. 3. Berlin. “Die Hochzeit des Camacho,” Opera in Two Acts, op. 10. First Act. Berlin. Overture for a Military Band, in C major, op. 24. Dobberan. Originally composed for the Ba

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II. WORKS NOT PUBLISHED.

II. WORKS NOT PUBLISHED.

Sacred Music. “Magnificat” for Chorus and Orchestra, in D. 1822. “Juba Domine” for Chorus and Soli, without Orchestra. 1822. “Gloria” for a four-part Chorus and Orchestra, in E flat. “Kyrie” for two Choruses and Soli, in C minor. “Jesus meine Zuversicht,” Chorale, four and five Voices. 1824. “Ich bin durch der Hoffnung Band,” Chorale and Fugue, for four and five Voices. “Kyrie” for a five-part Chorus and Orchestra. 1825. “Und ob du mich züchtigest, Herr,” Canon for five Voices. “O Beata,” Chorus

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GENERAL LIST OF WORKS PUBLISHED BY MESSRS. LONGMAN, GREEN, AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.

GENERAL LIST OF WORKS PUBLISHED BY MESSRS. LONGMAN, GREEN, AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.

THE CAPITAL OF THE TYCOON : A Narrative of a Three Years’ Residence in Japan. By Sir Rutherford Alcock , K.C.B., Her Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Japan. 2 vols. 8vo with Maps and above 100 Illustrations. SIR JOHN ELIOT : a Biography. By John Forster . With Two Portraits, from original Paintings at Port Eliot. [ Just ready. HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION IN EUROPE IN THE TIME OF CALVIN. By J. H. Merle D’Aubigné , D.D., President of the Theological School of Geneva, an

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LAURIE’S ENTERTAINING LIBRARY.

LAURIE’S ENTERTAINING LIBRARY.

In course of publication, in Quarterly Volumes, from January 1863, each volume in square 18mo, with Six full-page Illustrations, price One Shilling cloth, or Ninepence sewed, THE SHILLING ENTERTAINING LIBRARY, Adapted to the requirements of School Libraries, Families, and Working Men. By J. S. LAURIE, Editor of the Graduated Series of Reading-Lesson Books , &amp;c. The First Three Volumes are now ready, viz. ROBINSON CRUSOE. GULLIVER’S TRAVELS. CHRISTMAS TALES. The object of the Entertaining

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