Strauss, Richard.

a setting of Karl Stieler's poem "Weißt du die Rose, die du mir gegeben?", notated in dark brown ink for [soprano] voice and piano on three or two systems per page, each of three-staves, dated by Strauss at the end: "11. September 1883", 3 pages, including title page, oblong 4to (26.5 x 35.5cms), 9-stave paper with printed braces (B & H. No.9.A), together with two autograph envelopes to Lotti Speyer and Otto Speyer, and a printed visiting card inscribed by Strauss "München, Neuhauserstrasse 11/3", small tears to margins, repairs to hinge

Trenner 119 (o.op 76)

This is the earliest Richard Strauss manuscript to be offered for sale for over a decade.  "Rothe Rosen" was unknown until published in New York in 1958, when it was also first performed by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf at the Carnegie Hall on 30 November.   Richard Strauss met Lotti Speyer, the granddaughter of Wilhelm Speyer, while on holiday at Bad Heilbrunn in 1883 and got to know her well enough to write love-letters and to dedicate three songs to her.  "Rothe Rosen" was the only one of these three that Strauss actually composed for her.  The manuscript of the other two songs "Die erwachte Rose" and "Begnegung" was sold in these rooms on 11 November 1982, lot 54.  Also included in this lot is a letter signed by Lotti Speyer, niece of the dedicatee,  to C.F.  Peters in New York in 1984, referring to the other two songs and the love letters from Richard Strauss to Lotti Speyer.