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  4. Thursday, April 2, 1914

Natalie Curtis to Ferruccio Busoni arrow_backarrow_forward

April 2, 1914

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Mus.Nachl. F. Busoni B II, 1356
331 west 16 th H. New York. April second 1914
1

My dear friend and honoured master!

I have been reading in the Musical
Courier of your Berlin
concerts and now comes
this interesting little
package from you, con-
taining the annotated
programs. How I wish
that I might have
been present at
the performances, and how

331 west 16 th H. New York. April second 1914

My dear friend and honoured master!

I have been reading in the Musical Courier of your Berlin concerts and now comes this interesting little package from you, con- taining the annotated programs. How I wish that I might have been present at the performances, and how I hope that I may have the opportunity next year of hearing at least a few of these interesting new works which I am sure are “pioneers”, every one of them.

_Travel- ers launched on new sear, with all sails set!-

I rejoice in the news that you are to plan the Indian fantasia in America,so that I shall at least hear that. It will do great good, I am sure, in pointing the way for a further development of our natives folk-material while being in itself a vivid creation of your own thought and poetic vision. I sent you a little paper that I wrote or a protest against the proposed methods of our Government to put “harmonies” (Richter, Jadassohn, Bussler assisting!) to the simpler native melodies and with the aid of a harmonium and out of tune piano, “teach” these versions To the Indian students, from whom the songs in their purity must first be Foilinged learnt by the white Teacher! We Anglo-Saxons have so little imagination, and must always assume that we know everything better than everyone else. To encourage native music we must “teach” Indians our Richterized arrange- ments of the Indians’ own melodies! (We never can be good learners, it seems, in our contact with the simpler people).

I am most anxious to hear the fantasia, to see the vision that you have seen and listen to the nature-voice that you have heard. I read that you are coming to this country in August. Do take “Beni” to the great West! I hope to be in Arizona and new mexico myself in August and September

— is there any chance of our meeting?

- Do let me know your plans! We took Kurt Schindler to some Indian ceremonies last summer in Arizona, and he was much impressed. I feel that the real American lies in the young west, -

not in our congested commercial Forms; I wish that I could convert myself into a „Thomas Cook and sons “ and escort you on a personally conducted tour through primitive America. Alas, that I am not a man! -

I hope that you will continue to keep me in mind, however, and that you will send me a line telling me where and when you will be in what places? Does Mrs. Busoni accompany you? -

With my affection - and greetings to your wife, and my congratula- tions to you, believe me as always. Faithfully your friend

Natalie Curtis

 
                                                                
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                  331 west 16 th H.
                  <placeName key="E0500871">New York</placeName>.
                  April second 1914
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               <salute>My dear friend 
                  and honoured master!</salute>
            </opener>
            
            <p type="pre-split"> I have been reading in the Musical 
               <lb/>Courier of your <placeName key="E0500029">Berlin</placeName>
               <lb/>concerts and now comes
               <lb/>this interesting little
               <lb/>package from you, con-
               <lb/>taining the annotated 
               <lb/>programs. How I wish
               <lb/>that I might have 
               <lb/>been present at
               <lb/>the performances, and how
               
               </p></div>
2Facsimile
2Diplomatic transcription
2XML

I hope that I may have
the opportunity next
year of hearing at least
a few of these interesting
new works which I am
sure are “pioneers”, every
one of them.

_Travel-
ers launched on new sear,
with all sails set!-

I rejoice in the
news that you are to
plan the Indian fantasia
in America,so that
I shall at least hear
that. It will do great
good, I am sure, in
pointing the way to
for a further development
of our natives folk-material 

                                                                
<div xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" type="split"><p type="split">
               
               I hope that I may have 
               <lb/>the opportunity next
               <lb/>year of hearing at least
               <lb/>a few of these interesting
               <lb/>new works which I am 
               <lb/>sure are “pioneers”, every
               <lb/>one of them.  </p>
               
             <p>_Travel-
               <lb/>ers launched on new sear,
               <lb/>with all sails set!-</p>
            
            <p type="pre-split">I rejoice in the 
               <lb/>news that you are to 
               <lb/>plan the <title key="E0400120">Indian fantasia</title>
               <lb/>in <placeName key="E0500093">America</placeName>,so that 
               <lb/>I shall at least hear
               <lb/>that. It will do great 
               <lb/>good, I am sure, in
               <lb/>pointing the way <del rend="strikethrough">to</del>
               <lb/>for a further development 
               <lb/>of our natives folk-material 
               
               
               </p></div>
3Facsimile
3Diplomatic transcription
3XML


while being in itself a vivid creation
of your own thought and poetic
vision. I sent you a little
paper that I wrote or a protest
against the proposed methods of
our Government to put “harmonies”
(Richter, Jadassohn, Bussler assisting!)
to the simpler native melodies and with
the aid of a harmonium and out of
tune piano, “teach” these versions
To the Indian students, from whom
the songs in their purity must
first be Foilinged learnt by the
white Teacher! We Anglo-Saxons
have so little imagination, and
must always assume that we
know everything better than
every one else. To encourage
native music we must “teach”
Indians our Richterized arrange-
ments of the Indians’ own
melodies! (We never can be good
learners, it seems, in our contact
with the simpler people).

I am most anxious to
hear the fantasia, to see
the vision that you have seen
and listen to the nature-voice that
you have heard. I read that
you are coming to this country
in August. Do take “Beni”
to the great West! I hope
to be in Arizona and new mexico
myself in August and September 

                                                                
<div xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" type="split"><p type="split">
               
               <lb/>while being in itself a vivid creation
               <lb/>of your own thought and poetic 
               <lb/>vision. I sent you a little 
               <lb/>paper that I wrote or a protest
               <lb/>against the proposed methods of 
               <lb/>our Government to put “harmonies”
               <lb/>(<persName key="E0300858">Richter</persName>, <persName key="E0300843">Jadassohn</persName>, <persName>Bussler</persName> assisting!)
               <lb/>to the simpler native melodies and with 
               <lb/>the aid of a harmonium and out of
               <lb/>tune piano, “<hi rend="underline">teach</hi>” these versions
               <lb/>To the <hi rend="underline">Indian</hi> students, from whom 
               <lb/>the songs in their purity must 
               <lb/>first be Foilinged learnt by the
               <lb/>white Teacher! We Anglo-Saxons 
               <lb/>have so little imagination, and 
               <lb/>must always assume that we
               <lb/><hi rend="underline">know</hi> everything better than 
               <lb/><choice><orig>every one</orig><reg>everyone</reg></choice> else. To encourage 
               <lb/>native music <hi rend="underline">we</hi> must “teach”
               <lb/>Indians <hi rend="underline">our</hi> <persName key="E0300858">Richterized</persName> arrange-
               <lb/>ments of the Indians’ own 
               <lb/>melodies! (We never can be good 
               <lb/><hi rend="underline">learners</hi>, it seems, in our contact
               <lb/>with the simpler people).</p>
            <p>    I am most anxious to 
               <lb/>hear <title key="E0400120">the fantasia</title>, to see
               <lb/>the vision that you have seen 
               <lb/>and <add place="inline">listen to</add> the nature-voice that
               <lb/>you have heard. I read that 
               <lb/>you are coming to this country 
               <lb/>in August. Do take <persName key="E0300060">“Beni”</persName>
               <lb/>to the great West! I hope 
               <lb/>to be in <placeName key="E0501021">Arizona</placeName> and <placeName>new mexico</placeName>
               <lb/>myself in August and September
            </p>
            </div>
4Facsimile
4Diplomatic transcription
4XML

— is there any chance
of our meeting?

- Do
let me know your plans!
We took Kurt Schindler
to some Indian ceremonies
last summer in Arizona,
and he was much impressed.
I feel that the real American
lies in the young west, -

not in our congested
commercial Forms; I wish
that I could convert myself
into a „Thomas Cook and
sons “ and escort you
on a personally conducted
tour through primitive
America. Alas, that I am
not a man! -

I hope that you 

                                                                
<div xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" type="split">
            
            <p>— is there any chance 
               <lb/>of our meeting? </p>
            <p>- Do
               <lb/>let me know your plans!
               <lb/>We took <persName key="E0300840">Kurt Schindler</persName> 
               <lb/>to some Indian ceremonies 
               <lb/>last summer in <placeName key="E0501021">Arizona</placeName>,
               <lb/>and he was much impressed.
               <lb/>I feel that the real <placeName key="E0500942">American</placeName>
               <lb/>lies in the young west, - </p>
            <p>not in our congested
               <lb/>commercial Forms; I wish
               <lb/>that I could convert myself 
               <lb/>into a „<persName>Thomas Cook</persName> and 
               <lb/>sons “ and escort you 
               <lb/>on a personally conducted 
               <lb/>tour through primitive 
               <lb/><placeName key="E0500093">America</placeName>. Alas, that I am 
               <lb/>not a man! - </p>
            <p type="pre-split"> I hope that you 
               
               </p></div>
5Facsimile
5Diplomatic transcription
5XML


will continue to keep
me in mind, however, and
that you will send me
a line telling me where
and when you will be
in what places? Does
Mrs. Busoni accompany
you? -

With my affection -
and greetings to your
wife, and my congratula-
tions to you, believe me
as always.
Faithfully your friend


Natalie Curtis

 
                                                                
<div xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" type="split"><p type="split">   
               
               <lb/>will continue to keep
               <lb/>me in mind, however, and 
               <lb/>that you will send me
               <lb/>a line telling me where 
               <lb/>and when you will be
               <lb/>in what places? Does
               <lb/><persName key="E0300059">Mrs. Busoni</persName> accompany 
               <lb/>you? - </p>
            
          <closer> 
             <salute> With my affection - 
               <lb/>and greetings to your 
               <lb/>wife, and my congratula-
               <lb/>tions to you, believe me 
               <lb/>as always.
               <lb/>Faithfully your friend 
             </salute>
               <lb/><signed><persName key="E0300818">Natalie Curtis</persName></signed>
          </closer>
               
               </div>
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               </div>
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Provenance
Deutschland | Berlin | Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin · Preußischer Kulturbesitz | Musikabteilung mit Mendelssohn-Archiv | Nachlass Ferruccio Busoni | Mus.Nachl. F. Busoni B II, 1356 | olim: Mus.ep. N. Curtis 9 |

proof Kalliope

Condition
Der Brief ist gut erhalten.
Extent
4 Blatt, 6 beschriebene Seiten
Hands/Stamps
  • Hand des Absenders Natalie Curtis, Brieftext in schwarzer Tinte, in lateinischer Schreibschrift
  • Hand des Archivars, der mit Bleistift die Signaturen eingetragen, eine Foliierung vorgenommen und das Briefdatum ergänzt hat
  • Hand des Archivars, der die Zuordnung innerhalb des Busoni-Nachlasses mit Rotstift vorgenommen hat
  • Bibliotheksstempel (rote Tinte)
Image source
Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin · Preußischer Kulturbesitz: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8

Summary
Curtis hat von Busonis Berliner Konzerten gelesen und von ihm annotierte Programme erhalten; begrüßt die Ankündigung einer amerikanischen Aufführung der Indianischen Fantasie; hat Busoni einen eigenen Text zugesendet, der sich gegen Regierungspläne richtet, „Indian students“ ihre Melodien mit westlicher Harmonisierung zu lehren; erwartet Busoni mit Benvenuto im August in den USA; bedauert die Unmöglichkeit für sich als Frau, Busoni durch das „primitive Amerika“ zu führen.

Editors in charge
Christian Schaper Ullrich Scheideler
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Revision
May 23, 2023: unfinished (currently being prepared (transcription, coding))
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