F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Autograph letter to the music critic Dr. A.J. Becher in Vienna, 1842

MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY, FELIX

Fine long autograph letter signed ("Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy"), to the music critic Dr. A.J. Becher in Vienna, 29 May to 3 June 1842

3 pages, 4to (c.27.5 x 22cm), integral autograph address panel, postmarked in Leipzig and Vienna, modern inscribed folder, Ostend, 29 May 1842 and London, 3 June 1842

reacting with some irritation at Becher's intention to defend him against criticisms contained in an article by Heine, which he has not seen, noting that the best policy is not to reply at all and to write new and better music, declining Becher's request for an article concerning the Düsseldorf music festival, making plain his antipathy towards contributing in any form to musical journals, assuring him however that he will relay his request to Klingemann [for a report on German opera in London], thanking him for his interest concerning his desire to write an opera, observing that while nothing would claim his attention more at the moment than this, he cannot undertake to compose any such work whose libretto does not completely satisfy him, adding that there is no truth to the report that he is writing an opera for Paris, to a libretto by Scribe, just as there was no foundation to a claim in the Allgemeine Zeitung that he was applying for the post of Thomaskantor at Leipzig; in the central portion of the letter Mendelssohn relates in heartfelt fashion his dissatisfaction with his life and position in Berlin, noting that it is already certain that he will have nothing to do with the opera, and fearing that he will be excluded from all musical influence there, states that [in Berlin] he would have all the time to compose as well as receiving paid holiday in the summer, but agonises over whether, despite these advantages, he should remain in a city where the outlook is so poor for music and musicians, pointing out his reluctance to disappoint the king [Friedrich Wilhelm IV], and asking for Becher's objective advice in this matter; in the final section of the letter, written from London, Mendelssohn informs his correspondent of Benecke's intention to visit Vienna soon and of Klingemann's decision not to promise to write for his journal

...Aber warum fangen Sie auch einen ersten Brief nach so langer Zeit mit einem faulen ovo an, nicht lieber von irgend einem frischen, wohlschmeckenden? Ich weiß nicht, was das für ein Artikel von Heine ist, von dem Sie sprechen, und habe mich also erst darüber geärgert, weil Sie mir schreiben, daß Sie es gethan hätten...Sie wollen so freundlich sein, mich wieder dagegen zu vertheidigen; aber bitte thun Sie das doch nur im Falle er so gut oder so böse ist, daß Sie dergleichen geradezu nothwendig finden - auch nach reiflicher Ueberlegung nothwendig finden. Eigentlich ist es dich immer am besten, gar nicht zu antworten under immer neue und bessere Musik zu bringen...Gern möchte ich aus Berlin wieder fort, denn ich liebe das Leben dort nicht und bin entfremdet mit den Menschen und dem Wesen...Daß ich mit der Oper nichts zu thun bekomme, ist jedenfalls bestimmt, das Wahrscheinlichste ist mir aber, daß ich überhaupt nichts da zu thun bekomme, und auf das ganze dortige Musiktreiben ohne den geringsten Einfluß bleibe...  

This fine letter was written at the outset of Mendelssohn's 1842 visit to London, a trip which saw the English premiere of the Scottish Symphony. It formed a reply to a letter of 18 May 1842 to Mendelssohn by the German critic, composer and political revolutionary Alfred Julius Becher (1803-1848). At the time Becher was writing for the Allgemeine Wiener Musik-Zeitung, having been encouraged to do so by Mendelssohn. Admired also by Schumann and Wagner, the latter considering him 'passionate and exceedingly cultured', Becher was to meet an untimely death during the revolutionary year of 1848, when his political activities led to his being court-martialled for treason and shot. Some 27 letters by Becher to Mendelssohn are known (1833-1847), but only four by the composer to the critic (from the years 1841, 1842 and 1846). The text of this letter, whose autograph has been unavailable for consultation by modern Mendelssohn scholarship, differs in a number of details from that in Renate Federhofer-Königs' edition of 1992 and in the Sämtliche Briefe (vol.8) edition of 2013.

LITERATURE:

Renate Federhofer-Königs, 'Der unveröffentlichte Briefwechsel Alfred Julius Becher (1803-1848) Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847)', Studien zur Musikwissenschaft, vol.41 (1992), pp.7-94 [letter no.20a]; TNG, iii, p.37

PROVENANCE:

J. A. Stargardt, Catalogue 508 (5 May 1953), lot 67; Dr. Otto Liebmann; Antiquariat Hinterberger, Vienna