Autograph letter signed.
8vo. 2½ pp. on bifolium. In Russian.
€ 3,800.00
To a lady friend, concerning the publication of two of his romances with the Italian music publisher Casa Ricordi. Balakirev found it difficult formally to grant the publication rights to Ricordi, as they had previously been granted to the famous Russian publisher Fyodor Stellovsky "for all countries". However, as there was "no literary or musical agreement between Russia and Western European countries", so that "Russian publishers republish whatever they find advantageous", he assumed "that Ricordi can also publish Russian romances without asking for the rights" - also considering that he has seen "some of my romances published in Germany with Russian and German lyrics without my permission".
Balakirev made important contributions to the development of Russian classical music and the Russian romance genre, continuing the pioneering work of Mikhail Glinka. Together with César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakow, and Alexander Borodin, Balakirev formed the group of The Five in St Petersburg that collaborated to create a distinct national style of music. Although the group only existed from 1856 to 1870, it had enormous influence on the following generation of Russian composers. In Western Europe, the symbolist composers Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy adopted their radical tonal language.
With rust-stains from a paperclip affecting the address. Traces of folds.
