99 - DELANNOY (Marcel) (1898–1962)

DELANNOY (Marcel) (1898–1962) French composer and music critic, author of numerous operas, symphonies, and film scores. Autograph manuscript titled “Quartet in E Major.” No place or date [after 1931]. 3 pp., in-8, in black ink, with numerous autograph erasures, corrections, deletions, and additions. An interesting autobiographical and musicological manuscript, written in the third person, devoted to the genesis, premiere, and analysis of his Quartet in E major. Marcel Delannoy explains that he began composing this work as early as 1927, alongside his operas *Le Poirier de Misère* and *Le Fou de la Dame*. He presents the quartet as a synthesis of his musical explorations and the various tendencies in his compositional style. He discusses the work’s first performances, notably by the Capelle Quartet, followed by its performance before the jury of an international festival, which earned him an award. He also mentions its performances in France and abroad, notably in America, Strasbourg, Lyon, Geneva, and Brussels. Of particular interest are the composer’s reflections on the concept of “pure music,” the abuses of which he denounces: “For him, pure music is above all direct. You either like it or you don’t: that’s all there is to it.” He then provides a detailed analysis of the quartet’s four movements, discussing in turn their atmosphere, themes, and structure. In particular, he highlights the tragic nature of the third movement, permeated by “rigid, funereal, or epic” themes, and the lightness of the finale, inspired by the rhythm of French dances. The manuscript concludes with reflections on the work’s overall balance, contrasts, proportions, and the relationships between the various movements. A valuable firsthand account of Marcel Delannoy’s aesthetic thought and the evolution of French chamber music during the interwar period. Numerous autograph corrections and revisions. Old creases, foxing, small marginal tears, and traces of old metal fasteners.