Skip to main content

Mendelssohn (Felix), autograph letters mainly to Ignaz Moscheles

Archive Series: BC MS Mendelssohn/Letters

Details

Type of record: Archive

Title: Mendelssohn (Felix), autograph letters mainly to Ignaz Moscheles

Level: Series

Classmark: BC MS Mendelssohn/Letters

Creator(s): Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix (1809-1847)()

Date(s): 1824-1846

Language: German; English

Size and medium: 1 album containing a total of 73 autograph manuscript letters, mostly bound but some loose; two autograph letters bound at the front of a manuscript score of Mendelssohn's choral work "Christe du Lamm Göttes"; and one autograph letter bound into an album from the Egerton-Leigh collection of manuscript letters.

Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/8801

Description

76 letters from all periods of Mendelssohn's life, 65 of them to his friend, the Bohemian composer and piano virtuoso Ignaz Mosceheles, of whom he was at one time a pupil. The letters are full of references to Mendelssohn's compositions and contemporaries, and to the publication of his works. Other letters are to a range of individuals with musical connections. The three in English are to the music critic and editor Henry F. Chorley and (two) to the composer Thomas Attwood. The main album, which also contains a number of letters from other members of the Mendelssohn family, was assembled by Moscheles, whose detailed manuscript calendar of the letters ("Verzeichnis") and summary of Mendelssohn's life occupy the opening leaves. Manuscript notes in his hand frequently occur at the top of the pages on which Mendelssohn's letters have been mounted. Not all the letters are complete (for example, some have had their signatures cut off) and two (nos 14 and 59) are missing. Pasted on the inside
front cover of the album is a manuscript title-page in Mendelssohn's hand reading "Rondeau brillant pour le Pianoforte avec accompagnement d'Orchestre composé & dedié Ë son ami I. Moscheles par Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy".


The album is enclosed in a red morocco case with a watered green silk lining, now worn, equipped with a lock and key, made by the binders Riviere & Son.

Biography or history

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847, the German romantic composer.

Provenance

Formerly part of the Mendelssohn collection assembled by W.T. Freemantle of Rotherham, Yorkshire (for whose obituary see "Transactions of the Hunter Archaeological Society", 4 (1929-37), 131-32).

System of arrangement

The letters in the main album are arranged chronologically. The numbering system in use takes account of all 81 letters now preserved in the album, including those not by Mendelssohn himself and those not addressed to Moscheles. Mendelssohn's own letters are nos 3-4, 6-13, 15, 17-23, 25-58, 60-77, plus 8a, 15a, and 52a. The three letters not associated with the Moscheles album have been given the numbers 81-83.

Access and usage

Access

Access to this material is unrestricted.

On our website

Music Subject Strength

Subject theme: Music

An overview of the music-related collections held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

View full details...

Collection hierarchy

Visitor Basket

Ref No. Item Ref Title