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Phone: 212-860-5541 * Fax: 917-677-8247
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Price: $450.00 |
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FINE CONDITION A FEW SMALL TEARS AT STANDARD LETTER CREASES |
ALEXANDER SILOTI - PIANIST |
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Autographed two page letter in German by the legendary Russian-American pianist to cellist Alwin Schröder, 4 August, 1922. The pianist signs with his nickname Sasch, a diminutive form of Alexandre. 4 August, ‘22
My dear Alwin,
Your kind letter (to Antwerp) has been forwarded to me. I am glad that you will go see about the Bach aria, Frank has arranged it according to the piano concerto (written by Bach) and not according to the Oboe-solo, in the piano version Bach had added adornments that do not fit for cello at all. I do not remember what piece I played you at your place, it could have been the aria, which had already been practiced (in Russia), it was not unedited.
Well, we will see each other soon, then we will talk about it. Here I am staying with Julius Blüthner, who had a stroke weeks ago and is still lying ill, the left side of his body is paralyzed, I feel sorry for the poor guy. My youngest son, who lives in Finland, was with us for some time; my older one wants to leave Petersburg but I have little hope that the Bolsheviks will let him go. – We will travel on 10/12 from here, around midnight. In New York give my kindest regards to those concert cellists who still remember me, I will be very happy when I will be playing with you again. Kiss yourself and the daughters from us both, yours truly, Sasch The Bach work Siloti discusses is the Brandenburg Concerto no. 5, which he had re-worked with a piano replacing the harpsichord and adding additional solo material for two violins and two flutes and orchestra. He had moved to America early in 1922, after escaping with his family to Finland, sans one son. Siloti used the Bach work as his concert calling card in 1922, playing the work with the New York Symphony Orchestra under Coates, The Boston Symphony Orchestra under Monteux and The Philadelphia Orchestra under Stokowski to name a few. The pianists’ relationship with Schröder dates back to 1888 when he played chamber music with the cellist in Leipzig at the request and in the presence of his friend Peter Tchaikowsky. Schröder in addition to being the 1st desk cellist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra was also a member of the Kneisel Quartet and a former cellist of the Gewandhaus orchestra. His texts on cello performance are still widely used today. As a footnote, Julius Blüthner was the founder of the Blüthner piano manufacturing company. Siloti was the cousin and early mentor of Sergei Rachmaninov, as well as Liszt’s favorite pupil at the end of his life.
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