J. Strauss II. Five autograph letters and letters signed, all but one unpublished, about "Ritter Pásmán", 1891

Johann Strauss II

Five mostly unpublished letters, two entirely autograph, all signed (“Johann Strauss”) to Fritz Simrock, ABOUT HIS OPERA "RITTER PÁSMÁN", 29 March - 6 November 1891

1) Letter signed ("Mit herzlichen Grüssen Johann Strauss"), referring to the contract for his opera [Ritter Pásmán], accepting the changes he has suggested, discussing terms regarding the publication of his waltzes and polkas, observing that he was not aware of a binding agreement between them, noting that the case of the 'Chorwalzer' [i.e. the Gross-Wien waltz, Op.440] is somewhat different, and asking him to suggest a price himself, explaining that he does not wish to have it published before its performance in July ("...Den Walzer zu publicieren, ehe er vom heutigen Kämmergesangverein gesungen wird, würde Ihren Interessen...schaden..."), 2 pages, 8vo (20.2 x 12.4cm), Vienna, 29 March 1891,horizontal and vertical folds

2) Letter signed ("Johann Strauss"), expressing his anger at Simrock's last letter concerning his 'Chorwalzer', stating that he no longer wishes to discuss the matter as he has lost interest in completing it, complaining he is not to blame if he has little experience in this area [i.e. of choral waltzes], and objecting to his threatening to go to court, questioning whether he is really contractually obliged to him, demanding a clear statement of their business relations, and asking him to send him with the contract for his opera Ritter Pásmán a draft [contract] concerning the dance compositions ("...Es ist auch nicht meine Schuld, wenn Sie auf diesem Gebiete nicht genug Erfahrung haben, u. in Folge dessen einen Chorwalzer u. einen gewöhnlichen Walzer für gleichwertig halten..."), 4 pages, 8vo (20.2 x 12.5cm), annotated by the recipient, [Vienna,] 9 April 1891

3) Letter signed ("Johann Strauss"), continuing the discussion of their business relationship, going into the details of a possible contract and expressing the fervent wish that they may come to an agreement ("...Sie sehen, ich thue Alles möglich um Ihnen entgegenzukommen u. würde ich mich sehr freuen, wenn wir endlich im Reinen wären..."), 6 pages, 8vo (20.2 x 12.7cm), annotated by the recipient, [Vienna,] 17 April 1891

4) Autograph letter signed ("Johann Strauss"), describing a rehearsal for his opera Ritter Pásmán, noting that it had gone off to his satisfaction, remarking on the care and attention of the conductor Jahn, reporting on the merits of various singers ("...Reichenberg (Pasman) vorzüglich Ritter (Rodomonte) glänzend..."), discussing the ballet music, expressing his approval with the performers, but wondering how it will be performed elsewhere, confiding to him that as the time approaches for the birth [of the opera] he wonders whether he has not got him involved in something that he might regret, admitting that no one wants to believe that a Johann Strauss is capable of writing something better than a good waltz or a good operetta, and confessing that it is hard to fight against such prejudice ("...Kein Mensch will daran glauben, daß man etwas Besseres als einen guten Walzer, eine gute Operetta schaffen kann, wenn man Johann Strauss heist..."), 4 pages, 8vo (17.3 x 11.2cm), annotated by the recipient, [Vienna,] 29 October [1891]

5) Autograph letter signed ("Johann Strauss"), describing a stage rehearsal of the second act at which the librettist Dóczi was present, discussing the cuts to the opera and recording Dóczi's distraught reaction to them, noting that the ballet has not been shortened, and also referring to Hanslick ("...Derselbe [Dóczi] beklagt die beschlossenen Striche sehr - die Massenwirkung ist dadurch der Oper entrissen worden und heult fürchterlich über die verlorenen Effekte..."), 4 pages, 8vo (17.7 x 11.3cm), annotated by the recipient, [Vienna, c.6 November 1891]

UNPUBLISHED: only the second letter appears in Franz Mailer's edition, incomplete, undated and without recourse to the original manuscript (see Johann Strauss, Leben und Werke in Briefen und Dokumenten v (1996), pp. 165-166). Strauss discusses in detail the contracts, rehearsals and cuts for Ritter Pásmán, which received its premiere at the Hofoper in Vienna on New Year's Day, 1892.  

Sotheby's is most grateful to Peter Kemp, President of The Johann Strauss Society of Great Britain, for his assistance in our cataloguing of this lot.