MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY, FELIX. FINE AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED TO THE PUBLISHER KISTNER

giving detailed instructions about the choral and instrumental parts for Antigone, particularly in relation to the marked-up parts and score, providing information about which works are included or not; enclosing a letter to Schmidt giving further performance details; he mentions that he has given the harp part to Sterndale Bennett, who has set out for Leipzig with it, discusses the printing of the vocal parts for Paulus and a cantata by Mozart …Zu bemerken ist noch folgendes: Alle Bleistiftänderungen in der Chor-Partitur gelten nicht, die mit Tinte geschriebenen Noten sind richtig. Dagegen die Rothschriftcorrecturen, deren einige wenige sich finden, gelten. Dies sind Sie wohl so gut dem jenigen, da die Chorproben leitet, aus einander zu setzen. Gut wäre es, wenn diese Chorproben baldmöglichst anfingen, da ich die Aufführung nicht gern später als am 26ten Februar angesetzt säh… 2 pages, large 4to, integral autograph address-panel, red wax seal, Berlin, 24 January 1842

Sämtliche Briefe, no.3412.

An important letter about a work Mendelssohn held dear. The music for Antigone was first performed in Potsdam on 28 October 1841. It was an immediate success and was played throughout Germany in the following months. This letter must relate to a performance in Leipzig in early 1842. Kistner was in charge of the distribution of the parts. Mendelssohn took great pains to establish the form of the text he wished to be performed. A section of the incidental music was performed at the composer’s funeral in 1847.