[F. Chopin]--autograph letter by Chopin's brother-in-law Antoine Barcinski, about the 17 Polish Songs op.74, 1857

[CHOPIN, FRÉDÉRIC]--ANTOINE BARCINSKI

Autograph letter signed by Antoine Barcinski, on behalf of Chopin's sister, Isabella, about the 17 Polish Songs op.74, Warsaw, 12 September 1857

In French, to the music publisher Heinrich Schlesinger in Berlin, asking why his wife Isabella, Chopin’s younger sister, has received neither the copy of the contract signed by Schlesinger for acquiring and publishing the songs, nor payment of the thousand francs agreed for the sale, pointing out that his wife has sent him [on 4 August] two copies of the contract signed by her mother Justyna and the autograph manuscript of one of Chopin’s songs as requested, and that she has proof that her packet arrived safely, demanding to know by return how he intends to bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion ("...elle Vous a envoyé, d'après votre propre proposition, deux exemplaires du Contrat signé par Mme Justine Chopin et un exemplaire autograph d’une mélodie de Frederic Chopin, en Vous priant de lui renvoyer une exemplaire du Contrat signé par Vous et de lui remettre la somme convenue de 1000 F…")

1 page, 8vo (c.20.3 x 13.5cm), annotated and signed by Schlesinger with details of his reply ("sandte an M^e Justine Chopin 1 billet de banque de france Mille francs (direct par post)...H. Sch"), Warsaw, 12 September 1857 , browning and creasing to top margin, one hole from oxidation of the ink

Isabella Barcinska (1811-1881), was Chopin's only remaining sibling after Ludwika died in 1855. With help from Chopin's friends Julian Fontana and Titus Woyciechowski, she negotiated the sale of the 17 Polish songs with the Berlin publisher Heinrich Schlesinger, originally asking for two thousand francs (see our sales on 29 November 2019, lot 21 & 3 December 2019, lot 41). In his reply, Schlesinger offered only half that sum, pointing out that he had nothing by which to judge Chopin's vocal writing, and demanded to see an example of one of the songs. Isabella finally accepted his proposition and sixteen songs were published in 1859: the 16 Polnische Lieder op.74 in separate Polish and German editions. The seventeenth song was added to the edition only in 1872.  

Please note: Condition 11 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers (Online Only) is not applicable to this lot.

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