Richard Wagner | Autograph letter signed, to the poet Karl Beck, 22 November 1868

Richard Wagner

Autograph letter signed ("Richard Wagner"), to the poet Karl Isidor Beck

thanking him for sending him his latest poem, acknowledging the pleasure his accompanying sentiments have given him, noting that they show that his hardship has been understood in the right place, and also asking him to convey his thanks to his publisher Herr Gotthard for his well-disposed expressions of interest ("...Hat mich der Eindruck Ihres heiter edlen und reinen Poëms an sich innig erquickt, so musste der Gedanke, der Ihnen diese Zusendung eingab ... mich wahrhaft beglücken...")

2 pages, 8vo (20.6 x 13.3cm), integral blank, some later pencil annotations, with an old carbon transcription and a dealer's description, Lucerne, 22 November 1868, lower third of first leaf torn and detached, affecting the text, integral detached, torn and chipped, with a number of loose tiny fragments, some paper loss, browning, sold not subject to return 

Wagner was not the only composer to find inspiration in the work of the Austrian poet Karl Isidor Beck (1817-1879): the phrase 'An der schönen blauen Donau', which is found in two of his poems, no doubt furnished the title for Johann Strauss II's most celebrated waltz.

LITERATURE:

Altmann 2081