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Lot Number
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207
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Author
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BEETHOVEN, LUDWIG VAN.
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Title
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FINE AUTOGRAPH LETTER TO THE COMPOSER IGNAZ MOSCHELES, SIGNED
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Description
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FINE AUTOGRAPH LETTER TO THE COMPOSER IGNAZ MOSCHELES, SIGNED ("BEETHOVEN", IN LATIN SCRIPT) about Moscheles performing his music, assuring him that he is delighted to help him where he can, discussing a concert at the Opera House in Vienna (Hofoper), in which Moscheles had intended to perform Beethoven's "Namensfeier" Overture, enquiring about four missing horn parts he had supplied, whose absence he has only just noticed, but which Moscheles has certainly not returned to him, and asking him to extend his greetings to [the guitarist Mauro] Giuliani "Lieber Moscheles mit vergnügen deine ich ihnen wo ich kann--Es fehlen 4 Hornstimmen, welches ich jezt erst sehe, welche sie mir aber sicher nicht eingehändigt, da die Musik gerade auf selbem Plaz die ganze Zeit liegen geblieben..." 1 page oblong 4to (c.19.5 x 25cms), together with an autograph note by the recipient Ignaz Moscheles explaining the circumstances of Beethoven's letter (1 page, 8vo), modern green cloth folder, [Vienna: 26 December 1823]¸ slight wear at folds (tiny hole), but otherwise fine and fresh, Moscheles's letter laid down [Brandenburg, Beethoven: Briefwechsel, no.1761; Anderson no.1245]
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Lot Note
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This is a letter by Beethoven to another famous composer and pianist, Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870), together with the recipient's explanation of the circumstances of their exchange. This letter has never hitherto been offered for sale at auction: it comes to the present owners by decent through the Moscheles family (see also lots 304-312). Moscheles had moved to Vienna from Prague, specifically to study Beethoven's music and became a friend and supporter, just as he subsequently became to Mendelssohn. In 1814, Moscheles made the piano reduction of Beethoven's opera Fidelio for the first edition of the vocal score. When later he moved to London, Moscheles conducted the premiere there of the Missa Solemnis and gave important performances of other Beethoven works. In his informative letter, included in this lot, Moscheles provides the date he received Beethoven's letter and explains the background to it: Beethoven had lent him the as yet unpublished score and parts of his Overture in C Op.115 ("Namensfeier"), and also his Broadwood piano, for a planned performance of the work at the Vienna Court Opera on 15 December 1823. Through an unfortunate oversight by the stage manager, four horns parts had gone missing ("...Dieses Billetchen von Beethoven...bezieht sich auf seine M.S. Ouverture in C Op.115, die er mir zur Aufführung in meinem 3ten Concerte am 15t Dec, 1823 in Hofopern Theater in Wien geliehen hatte. Durch ein Versehen des Concert-Dieners waren die erwähnten 4 Hornstimmen verlegt--für dieses Concert lieh mir Beethoven auch seine englisches Klavier von Broadwood..."). Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829), whom Beethoven mentions at the end of his letter, had collaborated with Moscheles on a performance of Beethoven's "Namenfeier" Overture in 1818.
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Estimated Price
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GBP 15,000.00 - 20,000.00( USD 22650.00 - USD 30200.00)
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Actual Price
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GBP 63,650.00 ( USD 96111.50)
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