fmb-1838-12-10-02

            Leipzig 10 Dec. 1838Dear Sir
Being quite recovered from my illness I have now perused Mr. Planchés libretto with the attention it deserves; but the subject is of so great an importance to me that I must address you a few questions which I hope you will answer quite sincerely & openly, as they are of consequence for the success of the Opera, in which you are interessted as I am. I should not like to begin my task before I am quite at my case on the subjects of these questions. You sent me a copy of the M. S., so I suppose you are fully acquainted with it & may tell me whether an Opera so thoroughly serious, without any comical or even lighter character in it would do for an English audience? And then I hear by an intimate friend of mine to whom I communicated the poem, that there already exists a theatrical piece on the same subject as this opera, & universally known in that form in England. If that is the case great part of the interest would be lost, & I do not know if I should be right in writing the music where the chance would be against its success. Of course I cannot put these questions to Mr. Planché himself, (whose beautiful verses & thorough skill I admired in this as in his other works) but I want to have an impartial opinion, & think it your own interest to it give me; to others I would not write because things as these ought to be kept secret. I beg you will not mention anything of this letter to Mr. Planché & answer it as soon as you possibly can.
I am very truly yours
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.          

            <TEI xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0 ../../../fmbc_framework/xsd/fmb-c.xsd" xml:id="fmb-1838-12-10-02" xml:space="default"> <teiHeader xml:lang="de"> <fileDesc> <titleStmt> <title key="fmb-1838-12-10-02" xml:id="title_b654f0b4-f27c-4e4a-8ee1-e821cbe60e68">Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy an William Chappell in London <lb></lb>Leipzig, 10. Dezember 1838</title> <title level="s" type="incipit" xml:id="title_8d88d563-ad39-4a1f-b4c1-ebc2eda82ded">Being quite recovered from my illness I have now perused Mr. Planchés libretto with the attention it deserves; but the subject is of so great an importance to me that I must address you a</title> <title level="s" type="sub" xml:id="title_39695a7c-3ffd-45ab-88c7-9e6c83bc617d">Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Correspondence Online (FMB-C)</title> <title key="not_yet_determined" type="precursor">noch nicht ermittelt</title> <title key="not_yet_determined" type="successor">noch nicht ermittelt</title> <author key="PSN0000001">Mendelssohn Bartholdy (bis 1816: Mendelssohn), Jacob Ludwig Felix (1809-1847)</author><respStmt><resp resp="writer"></resp><persName key="PSN0000001" resp="writer">Mendelssohn Bartholdy (bis 1816: Mendelssohn), Jacob Ludwig Felix (1809-1847)</persName></respStmt><respStmt resp="transcription"> <resp resp="transcription">Transkription: </resp> <name resp="transcription">FMB-C</name> </respStmt> <respStmt resp="edition"> <resp resp="edition">Edition: </resp> <name resp="edition">FMB-C</name> </respStmt> </titleStmt> <publicationStmt> <publisher>Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Correspondence Online-Ausgabe (FMB-C). Institut für Musikwissenschaft und Medienwissenschaft. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin</publisher> <address> <street>Am Kupfergraben 5</street> <placeName> <settlement>10117 Berlin</settlement> <country>Deutschland</country> </placeName> </address> <idno type="URI">http://www.mendelssohn-online.com</idno> <availability> <licence target="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)</licence> </availability> <idno type="MSB">Bd. 6, 2159</idno></publicationStmt> <seriesStmt> <p>Maschinenlesbare Übertragung der vollständigen Korrespondenz Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdys (FMB-C)</p> </seriesStmt> <sourceDesc source="edition_template_manuscript" xml:id="sourceDesc_61a3ad79-6b2a-4b1d-be07-87239e39361b"> <msDesc> <msIdentifier> <country>USA</country> <settlement>Washington, DC</settlement> <institution key="RISM">US-Wc</institution> <repository>Washington, DC, The Library of Congress, Music Division</repository> <collection>Whittall Collection</collection> <idno type="signatur">Box 2, folder 36.</idno> </msIdentifier> <msContents> <msItem> <idno type="autograph">Autograph</idno> <title key="fmb-1838-12-10-02" type="letter" xml:id="title_7a4b16c2-d2e1-44c5-b908-9a490cac82c0">Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy an William Chappell in London; Leipzig, 10. Dezember 1838</title> <incipit>Being quite recovered from my illness I have now perused Mr. Planchés libretto with the attention it deserves; but the subject is of so great an importance to me that I must address you a</incipit> </msItem> </msContents> <physDesc> <p>2 beschr. S.; Adresse, Notiz von fremder Hand auf der Adressenseite: »10th Decemr 1838.«</p> <handDesc hands="1"> <p>Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy</p> </handDesc> <accMat> <listBibl> <bibl type="none"></bibl> </listBibl> </accMat> </physDesc> <history> <provenance> <p>-</p> </provenance> </history> <additional> <listBibl> <bibl type="printed_letter">Planché, Recollections and Reflections, Bd. 1, S. 288 f.</bibl> </listBibl> </additional> </msDesc> </sourceDesc> </fileDesc> <encodingDesc><projectDesc><p>Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Correspondence Online-Ausgabe FMB-C: Digitale Edition der vollständigen Korrespondenz Hin- und Gegenbriefe Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdys auf XML-TEI-Basis.</p></projectDesc><editorialDecl><p>Die Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Correspondence Online-Ausgabe FMB-C ediert die Gesamtkorrespondenz des Komponisten Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy 1809-1847 in Form einer digitalen, wissenschaftlich-kritischen Online-Ausgabe. Sie bietet neben der diplomatischen Wiedergabe der rund 6.000 Briefe Mendelssohns erstmals auch eine Gesamtausgabe der über 7.200 Briefe an den Komponisten sowie einen textkritischen, inhalts- und kontexterschließenden Kommentar aller Briefe. Sie wird ergänzt durch eine Personen- und Werkdatenbank, eine Lebenschronologie Mendelssohns, zahlreicher Register der Briefe, Werke, Orte und Körperschaften sowie weitere Verzeichnisse. Philologisches Konzept,  Philologische FMB-C-Editionsrichtlinien: Uta Wald, Dr. Ulrich Taschow. Digitales Konzept, Digitale FMB-C-Editionsrichtlinien: Dr. Ulrich Taschow. Technische Konzeption der Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Correspondence FMB-C Ausgabe und Webdesign: Dr. Ulrich Taschow.</p></editorialDecl></encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <creation> <date cert="high" when="1838-12-10" xml:id="date_0e2fa1aa-1b25-4718-92b4-9a71c281b0bb">10. Dezember 1838</date></creation> <correspDesc> <correspAction type="sent"> <persName key="PSN0000001" resp="author" xml:id="persName_9ba7baa9-93a7-4425-87ae-7acd5fe2470c">Mendelssohn Bartholdy (bis 1816: Mendelssohn), Jacob Ludwig Felix (1809-1847)</persName><note>counter-reset</note><persName key="PSN0000001" resp="writer">Mendelssohn Bartholdy (bis 1816: Mendelssohn), Jacob Ludwig Felix (1809-1847)</persName> <placeName type="writing_place" xml:id="placeName_bda586ae-d050-4f27-a797-e62da6113189"> <settlement key="STM0100116">Leipzig</settlement> <country>Deutschland</country></placeName></correspAction> <correspAction type="received"> <persName key="PSN0110351" resp="receiver" xml:id="persName_7b05ca82-8868-4bd9-af22-24294bbae1bd">Chappell, William (1809-1888)</persName> <placeName type="receiving_place" xml:id="placeName_d481efb0-a401-4595-aa4d-2f342c74f29a"> <settlement key="STM0100126">London</settlement> <country>Großbritannien</country> </placeName></correspAction> </correspDesc> <langUsage> <language ident="en">englisch</language> </langUsage> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc status="draft">  </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text type="letter"> <body> <div type="address" xml:id="div_3d1e36b5-5419-49d1-b088-7a0cd1363fac"> <head> <address> <addrLine>To</addrLine> <addrLine>Mr. W. Chappell</addrLine> <addrLine>music publisher</addrLine> <addrLine>London</addrLine> <addrLine>Bond Street.</addrLine> </address> </head> </div> <div type="annotation" xml:id="div_5a30c236-d5dc-4774-855a-5300cd473d01"> <note type="other-third-party-annotation" xml:id="note_24b6b77f-4a77-4624-8830-726acf2fae43">Notiz von fremder Hand auf der Adressenseite: »10th Decemr 1838.«</note> </div> <div n="1" type="act_of_writing" xml:id="div_f6321ae2-1be2-47c9-bb16-7153c7b2e2f2"><docAuthor key="PSN0000001" resp="author" style="hidden">Mendelssohn Bartholdy (bis 1816: Mendelssohn), Jacob Ludwig Felix (1809-1847)</docAuthor><docAuthor key="PSN0000001" resp="writer" style="hidden">Mendelssohn Bartholdy (bis 1816: Mendelssohn), Jacob Ludwig Felix (1809-1847)</docAuthor><dateline rend="right">Leipzig <date cert="high" when="1838-12-10" xml:id="date_9a0c17c0-dd0f-49b4-8d67-d8098a111694">10 Dec. 1838</date></dateline><salute rend="left">Dear Sir</salute><p style="paragraph_without_indent">Being quite recovered from my illness I have now perused <persName xml:id="persName_8d86b16c-091f-49f7-9af6-38f4f95e4749">Mr. Planchés<name key="PSN0113896" style="hidden">Planché, James Robinson (1796-1880)</name></persName> libretto with the attention it deserves; but the subject is of so great an importance to me that I must address you a few questions which I hope you will answer quite sincerely &amp; openly, as they are of consequence for the success of the <title xml:id="title_33d163d5-7911-4640-a7ab-29f1ea5ea86b">Opera<list style="hidden" type="fmb_works_directory" xml:id="title_lsl2s7vy-go1o-ezmn-vs1n-8gaid3xvfeen"> <item n="1" sortKey="musical_works" style="hidden"></item> <item n="2" sortKey="works_not_executed" style="hidden"></item></list><name key="PSN0000001" style="hidden" type="author">Mendelssohn Bartholdy (bis 1816: Mendelssohn), Jacob Ludwig Felix (1809-1847)</name><name key="PRC0100703" style="hidden">The Brothers (auch: Edward III and the Siege of Calais / Eduard III. und die Belagerung von Calais)<idno type="MWV"></idno><idno type="op"></idno></name></title>, in which you are interessted as I am. I should not like to begin my task before I am quite at my case on the subjects of these questions. You sent me a copy of the M. S., so I suppose you are fully acquainted with it &amp; may tell me whether an <title xml:id="title_f6b9d00e-b93e-478f-8aea-7c5f135c3620">Opera<list style="hidden" type="fmb_works_directory" xml:id="title_etaglzcf-ug2k-x57k-w9ke-uouokhe03kqf"> <item n="1" sortKey="musical_works" style="hidden"></item> <item n="2" sortKey="works_not_executed" style="hidden"></item></list><name key="PSN0000001" style="hidden" type="author">Mendelssohn Bartholdy (bis 1816: Mendelssohn), Jacob Ludwig Felix (1809-1847)</name><name key="PRC0100703" style="hidden">The Brothers (auch: Edward III and the Siege of Calais / Eduard III. und die Belagerung von Calais)<idno type="MWV"></idno><idno type="op"></idno></name></title> so <hi rend="underline">thoroughly</hi> serious, without any comical or even <hi rend="underline">lighter</hi> character in it would do for an English audience? And then I hear by <persName xml:id="persName_8148624b-9dad-42b8-9c83-7e3a5a796437">an intimate friend<name key="PSN0109864" style="hidden">Bennett, (seit 1871) Sir William Sterndale (1816-1875)</name></persName> of mine to whom I communicated the poem, that there already exists a <title xml:id="title_59a9c635-c792-4c3a-974d-68dd4c6806e2"><title xml:id="title_2d94bb93-abca-4f37-90da-13231a5c6595">theatrical piece<name key="PSN0109541" style="hidden" type="author">Arnold, Samuel (1740-1802)</name><name key="CRT0113077" style="hidden" type="music">The Surrender of Calais op. 33</name></title><name key="PSN0110444" style="hidden" type="author">Colman, George d. J. (1762-1836)</name><name key="CRT0108458" style="hidden" type="dramatic_work">The Surrender of Calais</name></title> on the same subject as this opera, <hi rend="underline">&amp; universally</hi> known in that form in England. If that is the case great part of the interest would be lost, &amp; I do not know if I should be right in writing the music where the chance would be against its success. Of course I cannot put these questions to <persName xml:id="persName_5beef5bb-dec1-44cd-8aaa-d1d7f3df961f">Mr. Planché<name key="PSN0113896" style="hidden">Planché, James Robinson (1796-1880)</name></persName> himself, (whose beautiful verses &amp; thorough skill I admired in this as in his other works) but I want to have an impartial opinion, &amp; think it your own interest to it give me; to others I would not write because things as these ought to be kept secret. I beg you will not mention anything of this letter to <persName xml:id="persName_5a475ce5-f382-41f7-a293-243a1e88347f">Mr. Planché<name key="PSN0113896" style="hidden">Planché, James Robinson (1796-1880)</name></persName> <seg type="closer" xml:id="seg_42db66f9-9eac-4187-b03f-0507882d409a">&amp; answer it as soon as you possibly can.</seg></p><signed rend="right">I am very truly yours</signed><signed rend="right">Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.</signed></div></body> </text></TEI>