Liszt, Franz

working manuscripts notated for piano in brown ink on up to eight staves per page, with many deletions, revisions and alterations, and autograph fingering added in ink and in pencil, comprising:

1) autograph manuscript of the final twenty-four bars of a movement in 6/8 time, a chromatic passage in A major and B-flat major, with at the end a quotation and adaptation of a passage from Chopin's 'Grande valse brilliante op.18, titled "Valse de Chopin", 3 pages, 4to



2) autograph manuscript of "Walse de Weber", in D-flat major, a working manuscript with deletions and corrections, probably preparatory to Liszt's Paraphrase über Weber's Aufforderung zum Tanz (1842) in the same key, which was based on Weber's celebrated Invitation to the Dance (1819), 2 pages, 4to 



3) autograph manuscript of a fragment of a work in 4/4 time, in C major, comprising five bars, 1 page, 4to



4) two passages in the hand of Liszt's assistant, containing transcripts from Weber's Polacca brillante op.72 (J.268) and Ignaz Moscheles's Grandes Variations sur un Theme militaire: La Marche d'Alexandre op.32 and other fragments, notated in brown ink with some fingering added by Liszt in pencil, 4 pages, 4to



10 pages (6 in the hand of Liszt), 5 blank pages at end, 8 leaves in all, 4to (c.35 x 26cm), 10-stave paper (watermark: "Cormatin" with IHS & a heart below and a Maltese cross), with a later note of provenance written in pencil at the bottom of the first page ("autograph de Liszt écrit pour grandmère quand elle a pris des leçons avec lui (4) arrangements de morceaux”), pink silk ties, later card folder, [almost certainly 1834], leading edges slightly affected by damp with some staining and paper loss, browning to first page, otherwise sound 

This manuscript derives from the estate of Alfred de Musset (1810-1857)

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This is a highly interesting example of Liszt's studies of music by his fellow composers Chopin and Weber.  The watermarked Cormatin paper indicates that it was probably written when Liszt visited his spiritual mentor the Abbé Lamennais in Brittany in the summer of 1834.  The music contains transcripts, alterations and arrangements of music that Liszt evidently found interesting enough for later embellishment.  Liszt filled a number  of similar sketchbooks during the 1830s, including the so-called "Nohant" and "Lichnowsky" sketchbooks of c.1837 and 1841.

Sotheby's is grateful for the assistance of Professor Rena Mueller in our description of this lot.