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François-Joseph Fétis (1784-1871)
TRANSCRIPTION
Bruxelles, le 13 mars 1846 Mon cher Monsieur Hiller, Monsieur Samuel qui vous remettra cette lettre est élève du conservatoire de Bruxelles et a fait sous ma direction, toutes ses études de composition. L’année dernière, il a obtenu le grand prix institué par le gouvernement belge avec une pension de 2500 francs pendant quatre années pour aller compléter son éducation artistique dans les pays étrangers. Le règlement lui prescrit de passer la première année en Allemagne. Je lui ai donné le conseil de commencer par Berlin, puis de s’arrêter à Leipzig, à Dresde et d’aller, de là, à Vienne par Prague. Si toutefois vous jugiez que cette dernière ville ne lui offrirait pas assez d’intérêt, veuillez le lui dire et lui donner le conseil, si vous le jugez à propos, de le diriger au midi de l’Allemagne par Munich et Ratisbonne. Veuillez cher Monsieur Hiller être le mentor de mon jeune homme, et lui dire ce qui peut lui être utile de connaître en Allemagne, comme aussi lui faire connaître dans votre ville les hommes de mérite dont la conversation pourrait lui être profitable. J’ai beaucoup connu autrefois l’excellent Monsieur Klengel, homme du plus rare mérite; mais je n’ai pas donné de lettre pour lui à M. Samuel, dans la crainte de l’importuner. Je profite de l’occasion, cher Monsieur Hiller, pour me rappeler à votre souvenir amical vous priant de vouloir bien présenter mes hommages à Madame Hiller, ainsi que les compliments de Mme Fétis. Votre tout dévoué. Fétis
Brussels, March 13, 18461 Monsieur Samuel2 who will remit to you this letter is a student from the Brussels Conservatory3 and under my direction has completed all his composition studies. Last year he obtained the first prize instituted by the Brussels Government with a pension of 2,500 francs for four years to complete his artistic education in foreign countries.4 As per the rule he must spend the first year in Germany. I advised him to start with Berlin, then to stop at Leipzig, at Dresden and from there, to Vienna via Prague. If, however, you think this city would not be of interest to him, please let him know and advise him, if you judge it appropriate, direct him towards the South of Germany through Munich and Ratisbonne. Please, Dear Mr. Hiller be my young man’s mentor and tell him what can be useful for him to know about Germany, and introduce him in your city to men of merit whose conversations would benefit him. I used to know quite well Monsieur Klengel,4 a man of great merit, but I did not give Mr. Samuel a letter for him, for fear of annoying him. I seize the chance, Dear Monsieur Hiller, to recall myself in your amicable recollection, and pray present my compliments to Madame Hiller and along with Madame Fétis5 greetings. NOTES: 1. Brussels, Belgium; (Friday) March 13, 1846 2. Adolphe Samuel (1824-1898) Belgian composer, who, as Fétis states in the letter above, won the Belgian Grand Prix de Rome in 1845. He was a professor of harmony at the Brussels Conservatory from 1850 to 1870 after which he became the director of the Ghent Conservatory. As a composer we wrote 5 operas, 7 symphonies plus string quartets and piano pieces. 3. Brussels Conservatory 4. August Alexander Klengel (1783-1852) German pianist and composer who was born and died in Dresden. He studied with Clementi; worked in St. Petersburg as private tutor to aristocracy; lived briefly in Paris [where he have met Fétis] and London before returning to Dresden in 1816 where he settled as organist at the Hofkirche. 5. Fétis married in 1806 to a lady of wealth which, says Slonimsky, "enabled him to pursue his [musical] studies at ease for a time, but the fortune was lost in 1811 and he retired to the Ardennes where he occupied himself with composition and philosophical researches into the theory of music." (Bakers, 7th ed. p. 711)
François-Joseph Fétis was born in Mons, Belgium on March 25, 1784. He learned music from his father and became prodigious on the violin, piano and organ. In 1800, at age 16, he entered the Paris Conservatory and studied piano with Boieldieu. In 1821, he became professor of composition at the Paris Conservatory. In 1827, he became the Conservatory librarian and in the same year founded the journal La Revue Musicale which was published until 1835. REV. 3/28/2006 |
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