WeGA, Briefe, Digitale Edition
author: Jähns, Friedrich Wilhelm
language: en
availability: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

To _ Hargitt Esq.,
Thurloe Cottage
Thurloe Square,
South Kensington.

Berlin 1. Nov. 1872. 62: Krausen-Strasse.
Dear Sir,

I am the author of a large work on the musical compositions of Carl Maria von Weber and all writings relating to the same. My work bears the titel: “Carl Maria von Weber in His Works. Chronological-thematic catalogue of all his compositions etc. etc. Berlin, Schlesinger, 1871.” (460 pages the size of a large dictionary.) “Carl Maria von Weber in seinen Werken. Chronologisch-thematisches Verzeichniss seiner sämmtlichen Compositionen etc. etc.”

Amongst other things the autographs are spoken of, their owners, extent, and contents, and other characteristics. Unfortunately the accounts of many of these autographs are wanting which I am in need of as I am about publishing a supplement to my work.

As I have been kindly informed by Satheby, Wilkinson & Hodge in London, you, dear Sir, have bought an autograph of Carl Maria von Weber from his Opera “Oberon”[^1] at an auction and nine letters.

[^1: Fragment (1 Bl.) aus dem Oberon-Klavierauszug (Nr. 12 ½, 16 und Beginn Nr. 19) in Abschrift von A. B. Fürstenau mit autographer Textunterlegung Webers als Übersetzungsvorlage für Karl Theodor Winkler. Laut Zusatz von Ch. J. Hargitt auf dem Fragebogen von Jähns war Eigentümer des Blatts nicht Hargitt selbst, sondern sein Vater Charles Hargitt in Liverpool.]

Would you have the kindness, dear Sir, for the sake of musical, scientifical and biographical investigation, to inform me on the following questions, and to note the information in the assigned place on the paper containing the questions“![^2] –

[^2: Da der originale Fragebogen von Jähns beim Brief verblieb und nicht alle Fragen darauf vollständig beantwortet wurden (vgl. den mehrfachen Zusatz „see notes“), integrierte Hargitt die gewünschten Antworten offenbar in seinen (verschollenen) Antwortbrief.]

Pardon me, dear Sir, putting you to so much trouble by asking you this favour, it is only on account of the above-mentioned reason.

With my most heartfelt thanks, I have the honor to be, dear Sir, your’s respectfully, F. W. Jähns. Professor and Director Royal of the Music. Berlin: Krausen-Strasse No: 62. [Beilage: Fragedoppelblatt von Jähns mit Antworten von Hargitt]