This page is also available in French
IntroductionThe original copy of this autograph belongs to our friend Dr. James Morris who kindly sent us its scanned image and granted us permission to publish it on this site. We are most grateful to Dr. Morris. This page also includes our English translation of the letter.
The text of this letter has been published in Correspondance Générale, vol. IV (no. 1507), pp. 196-197. According to the CG this letter was addressed to the director of the Paris based newspaper L’Illustration on 31 July 1852.
Berlioz’s autograph letterPage 1
Page 2
English translation31 July [1852]
Sir
The fragment of the music criticism that I wanted to add to the notice on Bortniansky is with the printer of M. M. Lévy who is at the moment publishing a book which contains this article.
The printer not being in Paris it is impossible for me to take my manuscript back. Please be content with the Russian notice, it is generally accurate, and it would be difficult for me to tackle afresh the work that I have already done on Bortniansky and the minstrels of the Russian Emperor.
When my book is published I would be only too happy to let you excerpt a few passages for L’Illustration.
Yours truly
H Berlioz
P.S. Would you be kind enough to send me a copy of the issue of the Journal in which the notice will appear. I should be much obliged.
The Hector Berlioz Website was created by Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin on 18 July 1997; this page created on 1 January 2015.
© Dr. James Morris (for the autograph) and Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin (for the English translation). All rights of reproduction reserved.
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