GOUNOD, Charles François, letters, autographs, documents, manuscripts


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GOUNOD, Charles François (1818-1893). French composer.
Autograph Letter Signed to 'Chere Henri', 1 page 8vo with integral blank, 39 Route Nationale, St Cloud, 16 October 1882. Regretting that his plans (evidently of a visit to London) have had to be changed for family reasons, and asking his friend to report on a performance of his Rédemption at the Albert Hall.
'Voilà mon projet de voyage tombé dans l'eau! ...
'Je compte sur toi pour m'informer du résultat de "Rédemption" dans Albert-Hall ...'
The first performance of La Rédemption had been given at Birmingham earlier in 1882. 'A generation that regarded the oratorios of Handel and Mendelssohn as the twin peaks of musical achievement found Rédemption a model worthy to set beside them ... One can only assume that [it] answered a contemporary need and spoke to the minds and hearts of its heroes with a directness that overwhelmed them' [Harding, Gounod, p.208]. It had a worldwide success.
[No: 24207]

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