[H. BERLIOZ]--P. CORNELIUS, AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED, ABOUT BERLIOZ, WEIMAR, 16 FEBRUARY 1855

informing him about Berlioz’s stay in Weimar with Liszt, discussing his conducting commitments including L'enfance du Christ and the Symphonie fantastique, mentioning his fascination with the song La captive, suggesting that if he wished to publish it, he might supply a nice anecdote concerning its genesis which he heard from Berlioz's mouth, and recommending it as a work which will be sung in many years to come; in the last part of the letter Cornelius describes the magical and captivating effect of Berlioz's music, and requests his correspondent to send some people over from Leipzig to the concert, since they need that kind of audience and since the audience is sorely in need of Berlioz   "...Berlioz ist ganz in seinem Element, der Gegenstand schliesst alle Extravaganzen aus, alles im schönsten Maaß, mit der grössten Feinheit. Die Wirkung ist eine zauberische, hinreissende!..." 3 pages, 8vo (18.5 x 12.4cm), decorative embossed borders, annotated by the recipient on the final blank, some later pencil and ink annotations, Weimar, 16 February 1855, tiny hole at hinge

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
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A remarkable account of Berlioz and of the rehearsals and reception of his music at Weimar by the composer  and writer Cornelius, whose German translation of L’enfance du Christ was used in the Weimar performance. The letter is written the day before a large Berlioz concert, which included La captive. The instigator of these events was Franz Liszt, whose first piano concerto was premiered in the same concert. Four days later, after much rehearsal, Berlioz conducted his oratorio and several other works to great acclaim. Berlioz describes the performances in his Memoirs, vol.ii.