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Sale 86
Lot 39
Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Felix (1809-1847) German Romantic composer, pianist, organist and conductor. Letter signed ("Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy"), in German, 1 page, 9 7/8 x 7 7/8 in., Frankfurt, January 25, 1845. The letter is unevenly toned, lighter at top, with marks from an earlier framing; seal tear repair touches one word of closing. Script is quite legible and the signature is nice and clear. To the Leipzig publisher Julius Kistner, referring to the death of his brother, Friedrich Kistner, who died in December 1844 and who was Mendelssohn's publisher, thanking Julius Kistner for his letter of January 10th, and pressing for an answer on an urgent matter.
Translation: "Most Esteemed Sir, Since you write in your friendly letter dated the tenth that you have taken over the affairs of your late brother, I thus request of you to provide me a definite answer regarding the issue of the Parisian reprint (or rather pre-print) as soon as possible. [so richte ich die Bitte an Sie mir doch in der Pariser Nachdrucks (oder vielmehr Vordrucks) Sache bald möglichst eine bestimmte Antwort zu verschaffen]. You mention in your letter that the lawyer S. apparently wrote me or will supposedly do so. Neither of the two has happened, and I am in a bit of a problem on account of the prolonged absence of an answer. [Sie erwähnen in Ihrem Briefe, der Herr Advokat S. habe mir darüber geschrieben oder werde es thun, beides ist aber bis jetzt nicht geschehen, und ich gerathe durch das längere Ausbleiben der Antwort wirklich in Verlegenheit].Would you therefore be so kind and provide me with a decision immediately. I must dictate this letter because I have been bedridden for fourteen days, and although I am now getting better, I am still not able to hold the pen on my own. Hopefully your sister-in-law and niece are doing physically well. Tell them I send my warmest greetings. With fullest respect, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy / Frankfurt, January 25, 1845."
Mendelssohn forwarded this letter to Heinrich Conrad Schleinitz (1802-1881), the lawyer mentioned as "Herr Advokat S."; this explains the verso of the letter, which is addressed to "Herrn Advocat Conrad Schleinitz /
Eigenhaendig." Schleinitz became director of the Leipzig Conservatory after Mendelssohn's death in 1847.
This letter was printed in 1968 in Briefe an deutsche Verleger, edited by Rudolf Elvers. Kistner's letter of January 10th to Mendelssohn is in the Green Books Collection of Letters to Mendelssohn, held in the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford.
Thanks to Dr. Ralf Wehner of the Leipziger Mendelssohn Ausgabe for clarifying the recipient of this letter.
Estimated Value $800 - 1,000.
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