Brahms, Johannes. (1833–1897) & Speyer, Edward. (1839–1934)

Announcement of the 1811 Napoleon Festival in Erfurt - SIGNED

A rare document in the history of classical music: the surviving 1811 program of the Napoleon Festival in Erfurt, formerly owned and treasured by Johannes Brahms, and presented by the composer to his friend Edward Speyer on October 3, 1895. The program bears Brahms' inscription and signature in ink along the full height of the left margin: "Herrn Edward Speyer zur frdl. Erinnerung an Meiningen 1895 (auch ein Musik- und ein Napoleon-fest! | Johannes Brahms." (To Mr. Edward Speyer, in friendly remembrance of Meiningen 1895—itself a music and Napoleon festival! Johannes Brahms.) The program gives the full concert program on page one, followed by three pages providing the details of the performers, including directors, instrumental soloists and orchestra players, soloist singers and chorus members. Paper, watermark "B", 4 pages, single bifolium, 8.75 x 14.25 inches (22.5 x 36.5 cm) folded. Foxed and stains, creasing with small tears at edges, but autograph very bright and clear and otherwise in fine condition. We have not traced any other examples of this program appearing in the trade or in any library holdings. The present copy, enhanced by the extraordinary inscription, is a great rarity indeed. 

The circumstances of the present inscription, following Brahms' attendance at a music festival sponsored by the Duke of Meiningen, where the senior composer's music was performed alongside that of Bach and Beethoven, are described by Max Kalbeck, friend and biographer of the composer:

We owe a particularly vivid picture of the Meiningen days, as reflected in the person of the celebrity, to the kindness of Mr. Edward Speyer (Ridgehurst, Shenley, Hertfordshire in England), who recorded his pertinent memories for our biography:
"...My wife [Antonia] sang a few more songs after Silent Night. The evening drew to a close. Then Brahms turned to me: 'I have brought something that the lord at Altenstein Castle gave to me, and I must show it to you.' And, calling over the young Ferdinand Schumann, said to him: 'Go up to my room, open by suitcase, in which you will find an old document, and bring it to me.' It was a heavily yellowed folio, printed on four sides, the title page of which announced: 'Grosse musikalische Akademie at the Celebration of the Napoleon Festival, August 15–16, 1811, in Erfurt.'... 'Here, take it,' Brahms spoke. 'I know of the long-standing intimate terms between Spohr and your father' (i.e. Wilhelm Speyer, 1790–1878). 'This will enable you more easily to find out additional and interesting things about this most remarkable event, about which I would then gladly know more.' When we parted ways I thanked him for the lovely gift, to which he replied, 'No, it wasn't meant like that. I did not offer it as a gift, only loaned it. Now, study the matter diligently and send the item back to me with your report. Then we will see.' I did according to his wishes, sent a rather extensive report that brought together a plethora of interesting facts, and asked whether I had now earned the (enclosed) document for my collection. If so, whether he would be so kind as to authenticate the donation with his name. In December I received the program back, with the marginal note in his hand: 'To Mr. Edward Speyer, in friendly remembrance of Meiningen 1895 (itself a music and Napoleon festival)! Johannes Brahms.' The evening described here was the last that the three old friends spent together. Clara Schumann died on May 20, Ferdinand Kufferath on June 23, 1896."

—Max Kalbeck, Johannes Brahms, 2d ed., v. 4, pt. 2 (Berlin, 1915), pp. 409–17. Our translation.

Ein besonders anschauliches Bild der Meininger Tage, wie sie sich in der Persönlichkeit des Gefeierten wiederspiegelten, verdanken wir der Güte des Herrn Edward Speyer (Ridgehurst, Shenley, Herts in England), der seine diesbezüglichen Erinnerungen für unsere Biographie aufgezeichnet hat.
"...Meine Frau sang nach der 'Stillen Nacht' noch einige Lieder. Der Abend ging seinem Ende entegegen. Da wendete sich Brahms an mich: 'Ich habe da etwas mitgebracht, was mir der Herr auf Schloß Altenstein geschenkt und ich Ihnen zeigen muß.' Und zu dem jungen Ferdinand Schumann hinüberrufend, sagte er: 'Geh' einmal hinauf auf mein Zimmer, öffne meinen Koffer, darin findest Du ein altes Dokument, das bringe mir!' Es war ein stark vergilbter, auf vier Seiten bedruckter Hochfoliobogen, dessen Titelblatt die Ankündigung enthielt: 'Große musikalische Akademie | zur | Feier des Napoleons-Festes | den 15. und 16. August 1811 | zu | Erfurt.'... 'Hier, nehmen Sie,' sprach Brahms, 'ich weiß ja von den langjährigen intimen Bezeichnungen zwischen Spohr und Ihrem Vater.' (Wilhelm Speyer, 1790–1878.) 'Das wird Sie um so leichter instand setzen, über diese höchst merkwürdige Veranstaltung Weiteres und Interessantes herauszufinden, was mir dann zu erfahren sehr willkommen wäre.' Als ich ihm beim Aufbruch für das schöne Geschenk dankte, rief er: 'Nee, so war's nicht gemeint! Geschenkt habe ich es Ihnen nicht, nur geliehen. Studieren Sie nun erst mal fleißig an der Sache herum und schicken Sie mir das Ding mit Ihrem Bericht zurück. Dann wollen wir sehen.' Ich tat nach seinem Gefallen, schickte einen ziemlich ausführlichen Bericht, der eine Fülle interessanter Tatsachen zusammenfaßte, und fragte, ob ich mir nun das (beigelegte) Dokument für meine Sammlung verdient habe. Wenn ja, so möge er den Schenkungsakt mit seinem Namen beglaubigen. Im Dezember erhielt ich das Programm zurück, mit der von seiner Hand geschriebenen Randbemerkung: 'Herrn Edward Speyer zur freundlichen Erinnerung an Meiningen 1895 (auch ein Musik- und ein Napoleonfest!) Johannes Brahms.' Der hier beschriebene Abend war der letzte, den die drei alten Freunde miteinander verbrachten. Klara Schumann starb am 20. Mai, Ferdinand Kufferath am 23. Juni 1896."
—Max Kalbeck, Johannes Brahms, 2. Aufl., Bd. 4, T. 2 (Berlin, 1915), SS. 409–17.

The Principality of Erfurt was a small state in modern Thuringia, Germany, that existed from 1807 to 1814, comprising the modern city of Erfurt and the surrounding land. Subordinate directly to Napoleon, rather than being a part of the Confederation of the Rhine, it was the site in 1811 of extravagant celebrations of Napoleon's birthday.  The musical performances of the Napoleon festival of 1811 in Erfurt, under the direction of Louis Spohr, assembled choral and instrumental performing forces of a scale previously unseen and unheard in musical history. The present announcement lists 292 individuals, including an orchestra of 131 and a choir of 148 performers, and a program of music by Beethoven (an early performance of the 2nd symphony), Mozart, Spohr, Nasolini, and Fischer. Introductory text provided by Georg Friedrich Bischoff (1780–1841).

Edward Speyer (1839–1934) and his wife Antonia (née Kufferath, 1857–1939) cultivated a center of musical life in their family estate of Ridgehurst in Hertfordshire, north of London, in 1894. Their circle included Carl Mozart, Rossini, Spohr, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Brahms, Joachim, Clara Schumann, and Elgar. Antonia Kufferath was the daughter of Hubert-Ferdinand Kufferath (1818–1896), professor of counterpoint and fugue at the Brussels Conservatory, one of the three "old friends" named in the account above—the other two being Johannes and Clara. (18577)