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Liszt, Franz. (1811–1886). Autograph Letter. A very interesting 1-page letter (8vo), asking for the name and address of the critic who reviewed a concert by Sigismund Thalberg (1812-1871). In French: "Mr Ricourt voudra-t-il bien avoir la complaisance de m'indiquer le nom et l'adresse de la personne qui a fait l'article sur le concert de Thalberg..." Undated, but almost certainly sent from Geneva to Paris, ca. 1835-36. The addresse of the letter is Achille Ricourt, publisher and print dealer. Signed by Liszt with his initials "FL." Lightly toned, overall very fine.



"When Thalberg arrived in Paris in the autumn of 1835 he created a furor...he was taken up by Kalkbrenner (whose pupil he became for a time) and by the powerful Fétis, who started to publish a series of laudatory articles about him in the French press. That winter the Parisians divided into two camps: the 'Thalbergians' and the 'Lisztians.' The comparisons were not always flattering to Liszt, who...had already left the capital for Switzerland and knew nothing of these developments at first hand. He received random reports about the "königliche Kammervirtuos" through his network of friends, however, and we know that they aroused his curiosity. [But] there is nothing here to suggest that Liszt saw in Thalberg a rival...if we wish to understand the reasons for the Liszt-Thalberg battle we must look elsewhere - to the French press." (Alan Walker, "Franz Liszt: The Virtuoso Years," p. 234-235)



The present letter speaks to this account of the French press fanning the flames of rivalry - indeed, perhaps creating rivalvry where there had been none - which led, of course, to the famous Liszt-Thalberg piano duel in March of 1837.

Liszt, Franz. (1811–1886) Autograph Letter

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Liszt, Franz. (1811–1886). Autograph Letter. A very interesting 1-page letter (8vo), asking for the name and address of the critic who reviewed a concert by Sigismund Thalberg (1812-1871). In French: "Mr Ricourt voudra-t-il bien avoir la complaisance de m'indiquer le nom et l'adresse de la personne qui a fait l'article sur le concert de Thalberg..." Undated, but almost certainly sent from Geneva to Paris, ca. 1835-36. The addresse of the letter is Achille Ricourt, publisher and print dealer. Signed by Liszt with his initials "FL." Lightly toned, overall very fine.



"When Thalberg arrived in Paris in the autumn of 1835 he created a furor...he was taken up by Kalkbrenner (whose pupil he became for a time) and by the powerful Fétis, who started to publish a series of laudatory articles about him in the French press. That winter the Parisians divided into two camps: the 'Thalbergians' and the 'Lisztians.' The comparisons were not always flattering to Liszt, who...had already left the capital for Switzerland and knew nothing of these developments at first hand. He received random reports about the "königliche Kammervirtuos" through his network of friends, however, and we know that they aroused his curiosity. [But] there is nothing here to suggest that Liszt saw in Thalberg a rival...if we wish to understand the reasons for the Liszt-Thalberg battle we must look elsewhere - to the French press." (Alan Walker, "Franz Liszt: The Virtuoso Years," p. 234-235)



The present letter speaks to this account of the French press fanning the flames of rivalry - indeed, perhaps creating rivalvry where there had been none - which led, of course, to the famous Liszt-Thalberg piano duel in March of 1837.