Sales catalogue 579: Maggs Bros

Date:
1932
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/13/123
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 579: Maggs Bros. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    172/184 (page 158)
    who took the part of Venus when Wagner’s ‘‘ Tannhauser ”’ was pro- duced. (Trans.):—‘‘. . . Your score has arrived but unfortunately, I have not yet been able to study it as it happens that just now I am incessantly engaged in very trying work at a time when I should like to be entirely free that 1 might be able to finish the instrumentation for my new opera without being disturbed. I must postpone the great pleasure (if the word is not too trivial!) till after Easter when I shall devote a few evenings to it: for nothing is more hateful to me than to hastily stumble through a work of art, even if it is a complete one. I require calm and a certain amount of comfort which passionate natures very seldom get. With great fervour I wish your work may have a very great success here for very many reasons—among others, that the taste of our German opera- going public may be raised from its disgustingly low standard. Who ever honestly wishes to do that, must, I believe, give up all hope of ever becoming rich; only he who quite makes up his mind to that, who is contented with what he has and lets God speak through him, untroubled about getting his living, can be successful and the frivolous nation will perhaps in the end respect him.’’ Etc. AUTOGRAPH LETTER (IN GERMAN) SIGNED TO GEORG UNGER. 4 pages, 8vo. Bayreuth, 20th October, 1875. With addressed envelope. £18 18s A fine and important letter to the tenor who sang ‘* Siegfried ”’ in the first performance of the ‘‘ Ring ’’ at Bayreuth in 1876, and this letter deals entirely with his engagement for this purpose. (Trans.) :—‘‘ Do ‘not worry yourself, but carry out unflinchingly what you think will be for your own good and for the good of our art. Only let there be no hesitation now! **Tt would indeed be agreeable to part from Director Scherbarth on good terms, and I have already tried this by appealing to his sense of fairness and of honour as an artist. To all of which he answered that as a Theatre Director he had nothing at all to do with such things and that he could not consider them. ‘‘T then made it clear to him that it would be much more sensible if he agreed to them; for if he would not release you by fair means it would have to be done by foul; he would no doubt bring an action against you, and we would have to defend it; whilst if he treated you well in this matter you would certainly show your gratitude which would be ah easy matter for you once you were a singer of great repute. _ ‘Neither your connection with me nor with Herbarth can do you any harm. If it should come to a law-suit, all the better; it will last a long time and I am not at all sure that judgment will be against us: by the time it is decided your engagemeht will be coming to an end, and you will have become ‘ Siegfried.’ Do not worry about anything in the world except your studies, so that these may bring you real joy and honour and glory.”’