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Sale 86
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Lot 17
Chopin, Fryderyk (1810-1849) Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. Autograph letter signed ("Ch."), in Polish, 1 page, 8vo from a larger sheet, with deletions and alterations by the author, Edinburgh, October 3 (1848). To Count Woychek Grzymala, informing him about his concerts in Scotland, Jenny Lind and Mario, informing Grzymala of his concert in Edinburgh the next day and admitting that he has not seen the hall or even decided on the program, discussing Lind's performances that season, and noting the weakness of her tenor (Gustave) Roger in Bellini's "La sonnambula." Partial translation: "…Grisi, Mario and Alboni and all the others have been here. After Glasgow Jenny Lind will be going to Dublin. They did not have quite the same success this year as last: the novelty has worn off. Roger was the tenor in Sonnambula, - but between ourselves--he was what he has always been--a complete mediocrity…." Chopin also asks Grzymala to convey his regards to Delacroix. With deletions and alterations by the author [Sydow 739; Opienski 265; Hedley 320; Kobylanska, p. 280]
This letter was written a year before Chopin's death, during his final tragic tour of Scotland, where he had gone as a result of the revolutionary turmoil in Paris and the consequent departure of all his friends and pupils. Although very ill, he had to undertake constant travel and endure the attentions of his Scottish pupil and admirer, Jane Stirling. He played at soirées in London; on May 27, at the home of the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland, his audience included Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and the Duke of Wellington. He then visited all of Jane's relatives and gave exhausting concerts in Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Chopin's concerts in London and Scotland typically took the form of four appearances, interspersed with songs sung by artists like Mario and Viardot. He had given one such concert on September 27.
Mario was a leading singer of Italian opera and sang frequently with Jenny Lind in one of her greatest successes, Bellini's "La sonnambula." Gustave Roger, however, was a tenor in the French mold, rather than in the more delicate Italian tradition of Mario and Rubini; he had sung in the premiere of Berlioz's "La damnation de Faust." The original manuscript contains some divergences from the text given by Kobylanska.
Estimated Value $15,000 - 20,000.
Sotheby's May 26, 2000, lot 36.
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| Realized $37,200 |
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