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Price: $150.00 |
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MINT CONDITION |
OLGA SAMAROFF - PIANIST |
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Four page autographed letter by the American concert pianist, to John Erskine, President of the Juilliard School, 1931. We offer with a 1922 postcard of a drawing of the pianist with her baby daughter. Samaroff writes an intriguing letter about her plans for a Juilliard Extension School, which did in fact come about and she taught music for lay-people in this division of the conservatory. She also mentions a performance of “Wozzek” on March 19th, which happens to be the day of the American Premier led by her ex-husband Leopold Stokowski in 1931 with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Dear John, Your letter released me from a most unpleasant and self-critical state of mind. I was quite horrified with myself for writing you as I did; in fact if U.S. mail boxes could be opened after mailing a letter, mine never would have reached you! Now I am glad I did write and please do not think if Ernest agrees with the extension idea, that you need reduce my teaching unless you want to, or unless the other work should later make it impractical for me to do both. I do not imagine that will be the case for I have a considerable capacity for work and my present salary is quite enough to warrant my giving a great deal more time to Juilliard than I do. I sent word to your secretary that Wozzek is on March 19th in Philadelphia. Can you and Mrs. Atwater surely go? If so I shall get the tickets and expect you both to dine with me at the Acorn Club. I doubt if you could return that night unless you take the sleeper, but we could return early the next morning if necessary for work here. It would be great fun! Sincerely yours, Olga S. By 1931, Samaroff was completely immersed in teaching at Juilliard and her pupils over the years included William Kapell, Eugene List, Rosalyn Turek, Alexis Weissenberg and Raymond Lewenthal among others. The Ernest mentioned is the Australian pianist Ernest Hutcheson who at the time was Dean of the school.
From the estate of her pupil, Claudette Sorel. |
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Phone: 212-860-5541 * Fax: 917-677-8247
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