Sales catalogue 512: Maggs Bros

Date:
1928
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/13/69
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 512: Maggs Bros. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    338/358 page 290
    AUTOGRAPH LETTERS—continued. VERDI'S OPINION oF WacGNER’s “ TRASH.” [521] VERDI (Giuseppe, 1813-1901). The Famous Italian Composer. AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED To LEON EscuDieEr. 21% pp., 8vo. Turin, 22nd March, 1861. £10 Ios An extremely interesting letter of unusual interest, mainly referring to Wagner and his work. (Trans.) :—‘‘ What you say about Wagner’s fiasco is quite true; also the affair of the Ambassadress of Austria; but the tale of the officer who never trembled in the Crimean War or at Solferino but was afraid of Wagner’s music must be of your own invention. Apart from that it is highly pleasing and witty as are all your letters, and I laughed about it for half an hour. ‘* I am further displeased that Tannhiuser has not met’ with a good reception, as otherwise I should have come to hear it and to learn how the Music of the Future is being created. ‘‘ What fine big words! And what tosh! “ But instead of making such a fuss and preaching about the present and future and past, is’nt it better to write music as it comes from the mind and the heart and leave the public to judge it as it likes? ‘‘ This advertising and this boasting is so very objectionable on the part of the apostles of Art who would almost make art unpopular, were it not for the fact that from time to time the public passes judgment on it. ‘‘ I have never seen a note of Wagner, but I have read his Drama. By, God! I have never come across similar trash! When I was three years old my grand- mother used to tell me tales a thousand times more interesting! ‘* You ask me to write for the Opera Comique. My dear Leo, I have no desire to write, and should I at any time wish to write for Paris, I should much prefer the Opera. But I should want the Opera directed in my own way, and I should want to write as I feel about it. ‘* Of polities you know as much as I do. May Heaven grant that the Emperor quickly withdraws ‘his troops from Rome before things get entangled in Naples. If we can go to Rome soon, all will be well, and then we shall truly be able to sing Osianna.’ [522] ————— AvrocraprH LETTER SIGNED To ProrEssor LuckarDI1. 214 pp., 8vo. Genoa, 21st September, 1872. £7 Ios An interesting letter referring to the performance of the composer’s opera ‘** Aida ’’ at Rome. (Trans.) :—‘‘ On my honour, I think. you are half crazy! What are the interests contrary to giving ‘ Aida’ in Rome? It is certain that without sufficiently good conditions ‘ Aida ’ cannot and in fact will not be given. But a good Impresario ought to be found who is capable of providing the right artists. ‘‘ With an orchestra and a choir such as you have now in Rome, a good execution of the opera would not be possible. ‘* But give us an orchestra such as we have at Milan and singers like Walde- mar Pandolfini and a setting like that of the Scala, and there will be no obstacles in the way.”’
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3