- 96
Meyerbeer, Giacomo
Estimate
1,000 - 1,200 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Meyerbeer, Giacomo
- Fine and important autograph letter signed ("Giacomo Meyerbeer"), to the publisher Giovanni Ricordi, 24 April 1818
- paper
in idiosyncratic Italian, about his opera Romilda e Costanza, asking him to publish the music in full or vocal score, since, on his last visit to Italy, he has noticed a large number of pirated manuscript copies of a cavatina and a terzetto, in which the vocal parts, harmony and orchestration have been badly mangled, after they had been popularized by the contralto Benedetta Pisaroni (for whom he had written the opera), introducing them into other operas she sang; Meyerbeer agrees to send him 24 lire for a copy of Winter's Il sacrifizio interrotto, that not been accounted for, and asking if he can get hold of a copy of Mayr's Medea in Corinto
"...E' incredibile quanto siano sparse e quanto siano mutilate questi dui [sic] pezzi, Nell'armonia, nella Istromendazione, nella parte cantante, da per tutto si trovano sbaglie immensi...Bramo che la stampa ristabilisce questi dui pezzi nella lora forma primaria; se lei dunque avrebbe voglia di stampare (sia in partitura, sia ridotto per Cembalo) ve le darò con piacere..."
1 page, 4to (c.24.5 x 19cm), watermarked paper ("Al Masso"), integral autograph address leaf, Venice, 24 April 1818
"...E' incredibile quanto siano sparse e quanto siano mutilate questi dui [sic] pezzi, Nell'armonia, nella Istromendazione, nella parte cantante, da per tutto si trovano sbaglie immensi...Bramo che la stampa ristabilisce questi dui pezzi nella lora forma primaria; se lei dunque avrebbe voglia di stampare (sia in partitura, sia ridotto per Cembalo) ve le darò con piacere..."
1 page, 4to (c.24.5 x 19cm), watermarked paper ("Al Masso"), integral autograph address leaf, Venice, 24 April 1818
Condition
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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
UNPUBLISHED. Not in the Briefwechsel und Tagebücher, volume 1, ed H. Becker (1960). This is an important early letter about the music publisher Ricordi of Milan, dating from before it began issuing complete operas. Ricordi published only the cavatina "Se il fato barbaro" and the terzetto "Tu sai qual oggetto" from Romilda e Costanza in 1818. For another piece from this early opera, see previous lot.