F. Mendelssohn. Unpublished autograph letter to his publisher Friedrich Kistner, Leipzig, 18 December 1839

MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY, FELIX

Autograph letter to his publisher Friedrich Kistner, signed ("Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy"), Leipzig, 18 December 1839

thanking Kistner for his forbearance regarding the long gestation of his Psalm setting (namely Psalm 95 op.46), and for his repeated and fulsome compliments, explaining that the drawing which Schleinitz has promised him has already been stuck in and is ready to be sent off, so that he cannot take up his kind offer of the pretty decoration for it ("...Die Zeichnung von der Ihnen Schleinitz gesagt hat ist aber bereits aufgeklebt und zum fortschicken fertig, so daß ich von Ihrem freundlichen Anerbieten und der hübschen Einfassung, die hiebei wieder erfolgt, keinen Gebrauch machen kann..."), thanking him nonetheless for his indulgence over the Psalm setting ("Psalmennachsicht"), and for some other items he had sent him

1 page, 8vo (c.18.5 x 12.5cm), laid down on a nineteenth-century albumleaf, inscribed below ("Brief von Mendelssohn an Herrn Kistner"), some light foxing

UNPUBLISHED: not in the Sämtliche Briefe, nor in R. Elvers, ed., Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Briefe an deutsche Verleger (1968).  Mendelssohn is somewhat allusive in this letter, and it is unclear what drawing he refers to, but the Psalm setting he mentions must be Psalm 95 ("Kommt, lasst uns anbeten"). This work was published by Kistner in 1842, although Mendelssohn had composed it around the time of this letter (in 1838-1839). Along with the Sechs schottische National-Lieder (1839), and the Sechs Lieder op.50 (1840), it was one of the earliest of Kistner's Mendelssohn publications. Sotheby's is happy to acknowledge the assistance of Dr Ralf Wehner in preparing the cataloguing of this lot.

PROVENANCE:

Puttick & Simpson 30 April 1891, lot 414.

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