Stokowski, Leopold. (1882-1977) Important Archive of Letters

Stokowski, Leopold. (1882-1977)

Important Archive of Letters

An important archive of 18 typed signed letters from the great maestro, addressed to either or both of his close friends, the musicians Juri and Vera Jelagin in Houston, TX and spanning the years 1958 - 1961. All on pages approx. 21.5 x 14 cm, all but three signed in ink "Leopold," the others signed with his fanciful paraph. Covering a wide variety of topics, from the personal or cryptic ("If I cable or write you the words 'my mother is alive and well' you will understand. I hope I shall not have to write 'my mother is dead' and give the date") to the professional ("I understand that...have written articles concerning my conducting in the Soviet Union. Would it be possible to obtain these articles and translate them?" ) to the political ("I think it is perfectly safe for you to write your mother if you are cautious ans say nothing that might harm her, particularly as there is an anti-American expression in Moskva") to the auto-biographical ("I enjoyed so much my musical life in the Soviet Union that I wish to return there to make music with those splendid orchestras, and for the unspeakably fine and sensitive public") to the music-related ("As soon as the orchestra pit is enlarged so as to take the whole orchestra with full strings, I would like to conduct Tchaikovsky's PIQUE DAME. Do you know a good English translation. I the mean time [sic] I would like to conduct in concert some parts for orchestra alone. For example, there is the introduction to the first act and later there is a wonderful theme in E Flat Minor in the second scene. It begins this way [Autograph Musical Quotation of 3 measures]...") etc. etc.

A remarkable series of letters, previously unrecorded.

Juri Jelagin (1910 - 1987) and Vera Jelagin (1921 - 2008) - Musicians at the Vakhtangov Theatre before their emigration to the United States. Juri Jelagin was author of "The Taming of the Arts" (1951) about the 1930's treatment of the arts in the Soviet Union and later played violin in the Houston Symphony. (7306)

TLS Classical Music