BERLIOZ, Hector (1803-1869) - photo 1
BERLIOZ, Hector (1803-1869) - photo 2
BERLIOZ, Hector (1803-1869) - photo 3

BERLIOZ, Hector (1803-1869)

Starting price
£ 1 200
Auction dateClassic
14.12.2022 10:30UTC +01:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
United Kingdom, London
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 870685
Lot 80 | BERLIOZ, Hector (1803-1869)
BERLIOZ, Hector (1803-1869)

Autograph letter signed ('H. Berlioz') to 'Princesse' [Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein], 4, rue de Calais, [Paris], n.d. [1 February 1857].

In French. Four pages, 136 x 104mm. Provenance: with La Scala Autographs.



A lively letter, ridiculing a performance of Ambroise Thomas's 'Psyché'. Berlioz begs the Princess's pardon for his long silence, after 16 days in bed: 'How is Liszt? I hope he is more in gamba [in good health] than I am'. Berlioz is still suffering the after-effects of reporting on a performance of Ambroise Thomas's opera Psyché at the Opéra-Comique: 'It left me senseless. If only you could see the grating contrast between those fine Greek costumes and those coarse voices and that Parisian style! ... And the text ...'. He singles out the performance of the soprano Delphine Ugalde, ridiculing her appearance ('in the disguise of Love [she] had the air of an unwashed moutaineer'), and her voice and pronunciation ('Les Diu (Dieux) les ciu, les yu, (yeux) une morretaihaile (mortelle)!'), and recounts an anecdote of the King of the Netherlands who interrupted a performance of Beethoven piano sonata to declare 'There are only two composers for me: Donizetti and Thomas...'. Berlioz promises to promote the career of [Hans] Bronsart, who has been recommended by the Princess, but warns that the concert halls are booked up for the best days, and the public is indifferent. He ends by recounting a witticism of Daniel Auber on a performance by the tenor François Delsarte 'whose voice sounds like the rattle of an old punctured bellows'.



The Polish noblewoman and essayist Princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (1819-1887) is best known for her 40-year relationship with Franz Liszt, although their attempt to marry in 1861 was thwarted by the Church authorities. The pianist Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff (1830-1913) had moved to Weimar in 1853, and was particularly close to Liszt, who dedicated his 2nd Piano Concerto to him. Correspondance générale no. 2206 (published from a German translation, not from the original).







Special notice


This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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Preview
10.12.2022 – 13.12.2022
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