Ney, Elly. (1882–1968)
Typed Letter Signed on a Postcard of Bavaria
Typed letter signed from the important German pianist, on a postcard of the Bavarian mountain resort Elbau. February 19, 1957. Translated from the German: "Dear Mrs. Caldwell! Many thanks for your generous mailing. The charming songs are wonderfully appropriate to teach children English [...] in school. The circus parade is delightful! Heartfelt thanks as well for your kind, detailed letter. I read it all with great interest and I am so sorry for your misfortune. I hope your instrument was not damaged in the flood. Here by the Elmau, in glorious sun and quiet, I have spent some relaxing days, if not without work. Over Christmas and New Year I was traveling for concerts, which is why I couldn't reply earlier. I wish you joy and success for your continuing artistic work and remain yours [...] Elly Ney." Fine. 5.75 x 4 inches (14.8 x 10.5 cm).Elly Ney was one of the 20th century's outstanding pianists. Of her great performing, Willhelm Kempff wrote: "My ears still hear her melodious voice, with its unmistakable hint of her Rhineland origins, which had the gift of establishing immediate contact with everyone she spoke to. This happened even more intensely when she stepped onto the concert platform. Just one mysterious chord (Beethoven's D minor sonata, for instance), and the listener was drawn into her magnetic field. What then ensued cannot and should not be described in words, nor should it be scientifically dissected. Those who had ears, heard for themselves. But that was by no means the end of the matter. A realisation continued to resonate in her listeners' hearts, as it had begun to resonate from the moment this greatest of performers stepped onto the platform - the realisation that artistry of this quality draws its strength from roots that have their being in the unfathomable depths of the human soul."
The pianist Alice Caldwell studied at Oberlin College and toured Europe as a concert pianist from the 1920's through the 1940's. (16448)
TLS Classical Music