Bidspirit auction | LYAPUNOV SERGEI: (1859-1924)

LYAPUNOV SERGEI: (1859-1924) - LYAPUNOV SERGEI: (1859-1924) Russian composer, pianist and conductor. A.L.S., S. Liapounov , three pages, 8vo, Rue Nicolas, St. Petersburg, 22nd November/5th December 1907, to Michel Dimitriewitch, in French. Lyapunov acknowledges receipt of his correspondent´s letter and remarks ´ J´ai lu avec un vif plaisir les articles que vous avez envoyé à Mr. Balakirew à propos de la première exècution d´La Bohème et j´attends surtout le votre´ (Translation: ´I read with great pleasure the articles you sent to Mr. Balakirev about the first performance of La Bohème, and I am especially looking forward to reading yours´ ), further adding ´Mais ce qui m´a paru curieux c´est qu´on a trouvé un de ces thêmes tchèques chez Mr. Rimsky-Korsakow comme une mélodie russe. Où ça je ne me rapelle pas? C´est vrai, que les mélodies tchèques sont beaucoup plus proches aux mélodies russes que d´autres mélodies slaves, mais tout de même je pense que l´auteur de cet article se trompe´ (Translation: ´But what struck me as curious was that one of these Czech themes was found in Mr. Rimsky-Korsakov's work as a Russian melody. Where was it? It is true that Czech melodies are much closer to Russian melodies than other Slavic melodies, but I still think the author of this article is mistaken´ ). The composer also writes of his own work, ´Je hâte la publication de ma Rapsodie sur des thèmes de l´Oukraine pour le piano avec orchestre, puisque Mr. Busoni vent le jouer bientôt à Berlin´ (Translation: ´I am eagerly awaiting the publication of my Rhapsody on Ukrainian themes for piano and orchestra, as Mr. Busoni will soon be playing it in Berlin´ ) and concludes by writing ´Votre livre sur Moussorgski m´intéresse beaucoup et j´attends avec impatience sa publication´ (Translation: ´I am very interested in your book on Mussorgsky and look forward to its publication´ ). VG Mily Balakirev (1837-1910) Russian composer, pianist and conductor known for his work in promoting musical nationalism and for his encouragement of more famous Russian composers, notably Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Balakirev was also responsible, in the late 1850s and early 1860s, for bringing together the group of composers known as The Five (the other four members, two of whom are also mentioned in the present letter, being Alexander Borodin, César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsokov). Lyapunov´s Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes for piano and orchestra (Op.28) was composed in 1907 and dedicated to the Italian composer and pianist Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924). The work is known for its virtuosic piano writing, with cadenzas and exciting final sections, and has been described as having Rimsky-Korsakov overtones.