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Gretchaninov, Alexander (1864 – 1956)

A fine autograph letter signed, ‘A. Gretchaninov‘, three pages, Saint Petersburg, 3rd/16th October 1911, to Calvocoressi, in Cyrillic.

The composer apologises for his tardiness in replying, explaining that he has only just returned from Moscow where he had been for ten days, and also apologises for writing in Russian, continuing, ‘I do not have enough words to express my profound gratitude to you for your concern for my poor [Soeur] Béatrice. I am ashamed that I have caused you so much trouble, and, what is more, I feel that I shall probably never be able to thank you enough for everything. Along with this letter, I send you a letter of entrustment. I am so happy that my songs, both old and new, will be coloured by your masterful translation’, and further remarking, ‘for a long time, I have been following your active promotion of Russian music abroad and have long held you in high esteem. After my personal acquaintance with you this spring, I have grown to love you cordially for your sweet, responsive disposition’. In fine condition.

Michel-Dimitri Calvocoressi (1877-1944): French-born music critic and musicologist of Greek descent who translated song texts, opera librettos and books from Russian and Hungarian into French and English.

Soeur Béatrice (Op. 50) is an opera composed by Gretchaninov between 1908-10.