* * * * *
I forgot to ask another favor of you. F. David, the leader of our
orchestra, intends going to London next March, and wishes to play in
public, if possible at the Philharmonic. Can you and will you help him
to that end? I promised to ask you; and as he is a most excellent
player, one of the very best we have in Germany, and as, besides, his
compositions will give you pleasure,--for they are effective and
brilliant, and yet well conceived and worked out,--and as he is also my
very dear friend, I trust you may help him and oblige me.
* * * * *
LEIPZIG, Jan. 13, 1839.
MY DEAR FRIEND,--I write to-day to ask two favors of you. You once
kindly offered to interest yourself on behalf of my compositions in
England, and to use your influence to place them more advantageously
than I could (or than they deserve). I should never have thought of
accepting that kind offer, were it not for a particular case in which I
cannot help asking for your assistance. The Overture for two performers
which I forward to you was to have appeared simultaneously at Simrock’s,
in Bonn, and at Mori’s, in London; the date fixed for publication was
approaching, when, the day before yesterday, I got a letter from Mori,
in which he expresses himself in his usual curious way,--so much so,
that it makes it impossible for me to send him the piece. Now, I should
be much vexed if this were to prevent its publication in England, and so
I write to ask whether you can put it into the hands of some other
English firm, not Mori; I do not much mind on what terms. When you look
it over you will see that it is a former work numbered “Op. 24,” written
originally for wind instruments. I wanted it published because I thought
it would give some people pleasure, and because it is easy and there are
parts in it I like. If you find you can oblige me, please have it called
“Duet for Two Performers” (not Overture), and put on the titlepage
“Arranged from Op. 24.” I must ask you, too, to let me hear from you as
soon as possible, as I have written to Bonn to stop the publication till
I can receive and forward your answer (on account of the title). Pardon
my troubling you. It really does seem rather strong, my coming to you
with such a request, but you know it is your own fault if I treat you so
unceremoniously. I should prefer not to have Novello for the publisher,
but to Mori on no account would I give it. Rather than that, it should
not appear in England at all: not that I am at all angry with him; he is
too peculiar, and for all that he still remains what he was, “My dear
Sir.”
My second request is in reference to David, about whom I wrote in my
last long letter; an answer would much oblige him. He has written to his
sister Mrs. Dulcken, asking whether she advises him to go to London in
March for six or eight weeks, whether he would get an opportunity of
playing his new Concerto at the Philharmonic, and what she thinks of his
prospects, etc. But to this he has had no answer as yet. I had asked you
to use your influence with the Directors of the Philharmonic, his talent
being really remarkable both as regards his playing and his
compositions; and in addition he is my very dear friend, and I feel you
will be happy to know such a genuine German musician. As the time is
approaching and he would have some preparations to make, I should be
much obliged if you would give him a few words on the subject. Besides
which I should much like a series of answers to my long letter,
especially in reference to the Weimar plan. But no more bothering
to-day; there has been quite enough of it in this letter. Give the
kindest of messages from me to your wife, and ditto special ones from
Cécile; love to the children, and an extra piece of pudding to Felix.
Do you know, I have been wishing and planning to go to London for four
weeks in April (in May I must be back on the Rhine). It would be a very
foolish thing to do, but none the less delightful; and how well I could
bring my wife! As I say, I have the greatest desire, but I am afraid
that that is all it will come to. Now, good-by! I wrote a dreadfully
long letter to Klingemann, and he answered in quite a little tiny one;
but give him my best love all the same.
Yours,