Description
BIZET (Georges). Autograph letter signed [to music publisher Antoine de Choudens]. S.l., [1872]. One p. in-12 and 3/4 p. in-8 oblong on a bifeuillet in-12, small split at one fold. "My dear friend, you will find enclosed: 1° la valse de La Nonne à deux voix [La Nonne sanglante, opera by Charles Gounod]; 2°, 3° les simplifications des deux romances de la dite Nonne; 4°, 5° les 2des épreuves de Prière du soir [de Charles Gounod]; 6°, 7° les transpositions de Temple ouvre-toi [de Charles Gounod]; 8°, 9° les Ières épreuves de mes deux recueils dont je n'ai plus que faire; 10° Le Vendredi Saint bien arrangé. Dear friend, it is impossible, impossible to have this piece, absolutely choral, sung by one voice; even more impossible to add an organ part, which can only be a redoubling of the accompaniment. As for the violin, the word impossible is insufficient to express its impossibility. You can add a violin part to a melody, or to a chorus reduced to one voice, such as Prière du soir, when it is of short duration (and this is very bad), but on a piece of the importance of Good Friday, you can't think of it. Don't think about it, believe me, it can't be done. If I could make it detestable, I would; but there's no wick!... I'll bring you the 2nd proof of my two collections and LA PARTITION DE L'ARLESIENNE. For the 4 BASSONS, simply replace the number 4 by 2. As for the SAXOPHONE and the TROMPETTES, it is essential to leave them on the score, indicating in small print on other parts the means of substituting them. The HARP can be replaced by the PIANO. Besides, all this will be quite clear; but I'm sticking to the idea of the SAXOPHONE. Besides, it's easier to get a saxophone than a bassoon...". Georges Bizet was a close friend of Antoine de Choudens, for whom he also copied and arranged works by Charles Gounod.
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BIZET (Georges). Autograph letter signed [to music publisher Antoine de Choudens]. S.l., [1872]. One p. in-12 and 3/4 p. in-8 oblong on a bifeuillet in-12, small split at one fold. "My dear friend, you will find enclosed: 1° la valse de La Nonne à deux voix [La Nonne sanglante, opera by Charles Gounod]; 2°, 3° les simplifications des deux romances de la dite Nonne; 4°, 5° les 2des épreuves de Prière du soir [de Charles Gounod]; 6°, 7° les transpositions de Temple ouvre-toi [de Charles Gounod]; 8°, 9° les Ières épreuves de mes deux recueils dont je n'ai plus que faire; 10° Le Vendredi Saint bien arrangé. Dear friend, it is impossible, impossible to have this piece, absolutely choral, sung by one voice; even more impossible to add an organ part, which can only be a redoubling of the accompaniment. As for the violin, the word impossible is insufficient to express its impossibility. You can add a violin part to a melody, or to a chorus reduced to one voice, such as Prière du soir, when it is of short duration (and this is very bad), but on a piece of the importance of Good Friday, you can't think of it. Don't think about it, believe me, it can't be done. If I could make it detestable, I would; but there's no wick!... I'll bring you the 2nd proof of my two collections and LA PARTITION DE L'ARLESIENNE. For the 4 BASSONS, simply replace the number 4 by 2. As for the SAXOPHONE and the TROMPETTES, it is essential to leave them on the score, indicating in small print on other parts the means of substituting them. The HARP can be replaced by the PIANO. Besides, all this will be quite clear; but I'm sticking to the idea of the SAXOPHONE. Besides, it's easier to get a saxophone than a bassoon...". Georges Bizet was a close friend of Antoine de Choudens, for whom he also copied and arranged works by Charles Gounod.
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