Collection of Autograph Letters

An interesting and touching collection of autograph letters from the great French harpist, composer, conductor, and teacher, to his student Alice Chalifoux. The eleven letters and postcards, dated between 1929 and 1948, represent a long and close friendship between teacher and student. In the earliest letter, Salzedo advises Chalifoux, whom he addresses as "Chère Comtesse," on how to do her taxes ("...don't correspond with your father about these deductions. You both will become crazy! Do the return yourself.") The later letters mostly deal with Chalifoux's students who have gone on to study with Salzedo, at Curtis or at his harp colony in Camden, ME; mentioned in particular are Marilyn Costello ("your phenomenal Costello"), Jane Barry, Janet Putnam ("she will go far"), Joan Mainzer, and Walter Pfeil ("What he has accomplished in less than 1/2 a year is extraordinary"), with Salzedo frequently praising Chalifoux's teaching: "I shall be happy to take care of your children. It is always a pleasure to be confronted with your splendid teaching." Offering in one letter of July 1948 to show Chalifoux a finer point of technique on their next meeting, Salzedo follows in the next letter: "I am so glad that you took my constructive criticisms as you did. You may count on my loyalty, admiration and inalterable friendship not to belittle your authority with your pupils." Most letters with original envelopes; with folding creases and light toning, overall in fine to very fine condition. Full details below.

Contents:
Photograph postcard (August 26, 1929) showing Salzedo with a dog, sending best wishes; ALS (March 1, 1933, 1 p.) to "Chère Comtesse" regarding taxes; ALS (June 7, 1937, 1 p.) to "Jeune Comtesse," recommending music camps for a student named Becky; ALS (October 13, 1937, 1 p.) to "Dear Comtesse," giving instructions for a letter to be sent to a Mr. Clark; ALS (May 29, 1938, 2 pp.) mentioning students Janet Putnam and Jane Barry; ALS (March 30, 1942, 2 pp.) to AC, regarding [Marilyn] Costello; ALS (April 16, 1948, 1 p.) agreeing to teach some of Chalifoux's students and describing Salzedo's summer tour; ALS (July 6, 1948, 1 p.) praising Walter [Pfeil] and Marilyn [Costello] and offering to explain a detail of technique on their next meeting; ALS (August 4, 1948, 1 p.) expressing his loyalty to Chalifoux and looking forward to her visit to Maine; 2 photograph postcards (both postmarked September 18, 1948) showing Salzedo, Chalifoux and others studying a score outside, and mentioning that Joan [Mainzer] has been accepted at the Curtis Institute.

From the collection of Alice Chalifoux, principal harpist with the Cleveland Orchestra from 1931 to 1974 and, for many years, its only female member. Chalifoux played under the first five music directors of the Cleveland Orchestra: Nikolai Sokoloff, Artur Rodzinski, Erich Leinsdorf, George Szell and Lorin Maazel. She studied with Carlos Salzedo and went on to train a further generation of harpists at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Oberlin College, Baldwin-Wallace College and the Salzedo Harp Colony. Described as "diminutive, salty-tongued and beloved," she was especially known for her sharp wit. (15217)

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