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Price: $125.00 |
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MINT CONDITION |
OVIDE MUSIN - VIOLINIST |
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Four page letter in English by the legendary Belgian violinist, Wiesbaden, 6 November, 1922. The violinist writes to Florence Fink, who was later to become the editor of the Musical Leader, a concert monthly journal. Ovide spent the First World War in the United States and this letter was written during one of his first trips to Europe after the War and offers his impressions of Europe at the time, as well as his preparations for this return back to the United States. The letter is in English. November 6 /22 111 Rheinstrasse, Wiesbaden Dear Florence, I am disgusted with Europe so far in this town where I have passed a great part of my life, everything is changed. I found my brother Oscar nearly deaf and it would be a terrible ordeal for me to live with him so I go this week to my sister who lives in Weisbaden. I went to Lille to my friend Doutrelon de Try he is nearly dead. I stayed there only two days, everything is dearer here than in America. I received today a letter from Mildred informing me that she has put my bed and dresser in a garage. I wrote her not to sell anymore and put my pictures, watercolors, nightstand and clock in onix, also all the bric-a-brac old plates, Mephistopheles other presents given to me in a box and put all in a garage and send the bill for the rent. I kept an account with the Corn Exchange Bank. I wish darling that you would watch a little for my interest. When I left I had no had everything was blunt. I am better now and I think I shall be sooner in America that I had thought at first. America is the Country to live NOW. I could not find any violin things in my box. They must be in one of the trunks. I wrote to Mildred to send my Gillette razoe. I left it behind. I wrote her also to send the money in French Francs on a Paris Bank from the Corn Exchange. Well darling I kiss you dearly also Ruth, let me know how her studio in New York goes and give me a lot of news. Your best friend, Ovide Musin (1854-1929) was one of the finest exponents of the Belgian violin school. He studied with Heynberg and Leonard, taking first prize at the Liege Conservatory at the age of 13. (Ysäye claims to have shared 2nd prize with him in his autobiography, however, this was not the case, Musin won and Ysäye finished 2nd.) Musin was an international star at the end of the 19th Century touring Europe from 1874-1882. He then embarked on an American tour and fell in love with the United States, establishing a violin school in New York. He made two final World tours, 1892 and 1897, thereafter taught, toured in the United States (Most notably with the young Leopold Godowsky in 1884), composed bravura pieces, wrote treatises on violin practice and wrote “My Memoires” in 1920. In the course of the letter, he mentions French industrialist Oscar Doutrelon de Try, who was a musical amateur, friend of the likes of Bizet, Massenet and Christine Nilsson, who was Musin’s sponsor. Doutrelon de Try was responsible for financing many of the music festivals and music societies of France during the late 19th Century. His wife, an oft partner of Musin was Elizabeth de Try, considered to be the finest female cellist at the end of the 19th Century and like her teacher Servais, at times referred to as the “Paganini” of the cello.
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Phone: 212-860-5541 * Fax: 917-677-8247
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