F. Mendelssohn. Corrected manuscript of the String Quartet op.12, with a letter about it to Ferdinand David, 1830

MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY, FELIX

Corrected manuscript of the String Quartet in E-flat major op.12, WITH ADDITIONS BY MENDELSSOHN, signed and dated ("Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy"), together with a letter about the manuscript sent to Ferdinand David, SIGNED TWICE, 1830

1) the manuscript titled "Quartetto (an B.P.)", notated in dark brown ink for string quartet on four systems per page, twenty-five bars in the first movement entirely in the hand of the composer, a few alterations and markings by him, and many corrections, emendations and performance markings in pencil in another hand, some possibly by Ferdinand David, signed and dated by the composer at the end: "London d. 14 Sept 1829" (the date of composition), 24 pages, 4to (c.32 x 25.5cm), 16-stave paper, nineteenth-century marbled card wrappers, with the ownership inscription of Ferdinand David ("fdavid") to cover, before 13 April 1830,

2) Important letter, signed twice and inscribed by the composer ("Lo stesso, lo stessissimo mit Variationen von Beethoven"), to Ferdinand David, about the above manuscript (which he has asked the violinist Kudelsky to bring him), his feelings for the dedicatee of the quartet op.12, Betty Pistor, and about Bach's St Matthew Passion, explaining that he is only dictating the letter because he has measles and is not allowed to read or write, discussing his latest compositions, his travels in Scotland, including seeing Fingal's Cave, expressing his despair at the engagement of Betty Pistor to the lawyer Adolf Rudorff, asking him to alter the dedication on the autograph of the quartet from "B.P. [Betty Pistor]" to "B.R. [Betty Rudorff]"; Mendelssohn also complains about Zelter's alterations to the score of Bach's St Matthew Passion, mentioning Schlesinger's score and vocal score of the work, giving details of an offer of Schlesinger's regarding a symphony he should compose, and other matters, 4 pages, 8vo (21.2 x 13.5cm), address panel, seal tear, with one page of typed recollections by Ernst Rudorff concerning Ferdinand David and Betty Pistor, Berlin, 13 April 1830,

"...auch mein Quartet hast Du durch Kudelsky bekommen...Höre und erschrick: Betty Pistor ist verlobt. Total verlobt. Sie gehört dem Dr. und Prof. jur. Rudorff erb- und eigenthümlich zu. Ich beauftrage Dich, sobald Du durch Berliner Blätter ihre vollzogene, eheliche Verbindung erfährst, über meinem Quartett...das B.P. durch einen kleinen Federschwung geschickt in ein B.R. zu verwandeln...Die Passion ist am Palmsonntag aufgeführt worden...Zelter hat mehrere Veränderungen darin gemacht, über die viel hin und her gemurrt worden ist..." 

This lot contains important source material for Mendelssohn's early String Quartet op.12 (1829), including a letter by the twenty-year-old composer about the manuscript and his love for the dedicatee of the work, Betty Pistor (1808-1887); both items were sent to the violinist Ferdinand David (1810-1873) and given by David to Betty in 1859.

The music manuscript incorporates Mendelssohn's revisions and corrections to the original draft found in his composing manuscript (now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris) and accords more closely with the contemporary first edition, which was published in parts. The twenty-five-bar autograph passage in the first movement (the lead into the coda) replaces thirty-four bars found crossed-out in the Paris autograph. However, some of the tempo markings in ink differ from the printed parts: for example the opening 'Allegro non tardante' is given as "Allegro non Andante", and the slow movement 'Canzonetta' is marked "Allegretto con moto" (revised to "Scherzando con moto" in pencil).  

The title above the music "Quartetto (an B.P.)" also appears in Mendelssohn's autograph manuscript in Paris, indicating his dedication of the work to Betty Pistor, the singer at the Singakademie and friend to his sisters. Mendelssohn was in love with Betty at this time and told his family that "Das Quartett an B.P." was ready for her, and referred to it as hers again in 1831. 

Sometime in January 1830 Mendelssohn sent this manuscript to the great violinist Ferdinand David (1810-1873), then in Dorpat (now Tartu in Estonia). Shortly afterwards, he followed this up with the present letter, describing his feelings about the impending marriage of his beloved Betty and suggesting that he alter the dedication on the manuscript accordingly (which he failed to do). It was not until 1859, when Betty finally received the score as a gift from the violinist, that she realized that the piece had always been dedicated to her. Also included in this lot are some typed recollections by Ernst Rudorff, in which he describes in some detail the nature of Mendelssohn's (unrequited) relationship with his mother, Betty.

Ferdinand David had become Mendelssohn's friend during his time as violinist at the Berlin Königstadt theatre in 1826-1829. In 1836 he became leader of the Gewandhaus orchestra under Mendelssohn, a position he retained for the remainder of his life. This is the original letter dictated, signed and sent by Mendelssohn. There is a copy in the Stadtgeschichtliches Museum, Leipzig, incorrectly described as autograph by the Sämtliche Briefe, and another in Berlin, from which the letter was first published in 1888. Sotheby's is grateful for the advice of Ralf Wehner in assisting our description of this lot.

LITERATURE:

MWV R 25 (Abschrift a); Sämtliche Briefe, volume 1 (2008) no.295

PROVENANCE:

Both items sent by Mendelssohn to the violinist Ferdinand David (1810-1873) in 1830; given by David to Betty Rudorff, née Pistor (1808-1887) in 1859 (the dedicatee of the quartet and the mother of Ernst Rudorff).