ITALIAN COMPOSERS & MUSICIANS:

ITALIAN COMPOSERS & MUSICIANS:
ITALIAN COMPOSERS & MUSICIANS: A very fine small selection of two Autograph Letters signed and a signed photograph also including an Autograph musical quotation, by three renowned Italian Composers and musicians of the 1800´s, comprising BOTTESINI GIOVANNI (1821-1889) Italian Composer, Conductor and a double bass Virtuoso. When conducting opera, Bottesini would frequently bring his double bass on stage during the intermission to play fantasies on the evening's opera. His fantasies on Lucia di Lamermoor or I Puritani are virtuosic tours de force that are still popular with those who are highly accomplished on the instrument. He was called “the Paganini of the double bass”. Scarce A.L.S., `Gio. Bottesini´, one page, 4.5 x 5 page, n.p., n.d., in Italian. Bottesini states in part `Carissimo Cavaliere, La fiorentini vi ringrazia infinitamente. Io ritardo la partenza per Sicilia d´alcuni giorni..´ (Translation: “Dear Cavaliere, the Fiorentini thanks you infinitely. I delay my departure for Sicily for a few days…”); SGAMBATI GIOVANNI (1841-1914) Italian Pianist, Composer and Conductor. A pupil of Franz Liszt. Sgambati conducted the Italian premieres of Beethoven´s Third and Seventh symphonies. A.L.S., `G. Sgambati´, seven pages, 8vo, Rome, Via de la Croce, 7th March, n.y., to Rene, in Italian. Sgambati answers his correspondent´s letter and states, in part `La tua proposta mi a stato graditissima… stato tanto preoccupato dalla grave malattia di mio fratello… Sono agitatissimo in questo momento… vostri concerti settimanale... Io avrei accetato di gran cuore la tua gentile proposta… vuole eseguire dalla Societa orchestrale il mio Concerto per Piano e Orchestra, e la terza esecuzione nelle spazio di un mese… Alla prima esecuzione erano piu di 700 persone ogni volta. Si la tua festa fossi stato ritardata…la tua serata con un mio Progetto, di dare due concerti orchestrali a Firenze… Naturalmente …il mio concerto e un concerto di Beethoven, due poemi sinfonici di Liszt… Dimi si credi il mio projetto per Firenze effettuabile…´ (Translation: “Your offer has been very welcome... I was so worried about my brother´s serious illness… In these dates we are busy with the weekly concerts. I would have liked to have accepted heartedly your kind offer.... The Orchestral Society wants to perform my Concert for Piano and Orchestra again, it is the third performance this month and due to the high interest I can't renounce to it. At the first performance there were 700 persons each time. If yours was later I would have cheered your soirèe with my plan of performing two orchestral concerts in Florence ...I would play my Concert and one of Beethoven, moreover I would conduct two symphonic poems of Liszt.... Perhaps we could also perform a chamber music concert with the Quartet Romano but in this case we would need an impresario. I received an offer for four concerts in Milan with the Quartet but I have some problems to get an orchestra. Please tell me if my project would be possible on different dates....´. A letter of interesting musical content, & MANCINELLI LUIGI (1848-1921) Italian Composer, Conductor and Cellist. Mancinelli was a reputed conductor, being for many years the principal conductor at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London and at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. Signed 3.5 x 5.5 postcard photograph, bearing an inscription and an autograph musical quotation to the verso. Signed to the front and verso. The image shows Mancinelli in a formal head and shoulders pose. Signed in red ink to the lower white border, also dated in his hand, 1908. Mancinelli carefully pens two bars of music, adding above the tempo “Lento”, and writing beneath the word text in Italian “Quali colombe dal disio chiamate” (Translation: “Those doves from desire that you call”) VG, 3