A Request for Help To All Meyerbeer Fans from Richard Arsenty

A Request for Help To All Meyerbeer Fans
from Richard Arsenty

September 12, 2006

Dear Meyerbeer Fans,

Robert Letellier and I are nearing completion of Volume 6 of Meyerbeer's texts, the non-operatic works (sacred, choral, songs, and occasional pieces). Readers will be surprised at some of the rare and unpublished material we have been able to locate. However, there are several published compositions that we have not been able to find anywhere. We are asking fans of the maestro to help us track down these items and forward them by photocopy or email to the webmaster of this site, Stephen Agus, who will send them to me for inclusion in volume 6. We would need the texts by 15 October 2006 in order to meet the publication deadline. Google, Yahoo and WorldCat (a listing of over 43 million titles in 5,000 U.S. libraries) have already been thoroughly searched. Here are the items we still need to obtain:

1) Festhymne zur 25jahrigen Verwermahlungsfeier Ihrer Majestaten des Konig und der Konigen von Preussen. Poem by Karl Winkler; published in 1848 by Bote & Bock.

2) Brautgeleite aus der Heimat. Poem by Ludwig Rellstab; published in 1856 by Bote & Bock.

3) "Friedericus Magnus" (an addition to "Ein Feldlager in Schlesien" by Ludwig Rellstab). Published in 1851 by Schlesinger.

4) Nice a Stephanie. Poem by Leon Pillet; published in 1857 by Brandus.

5) Fest-Hymnus zur Kronung Konig Wilhelms I von Preussen. Poem by Hans Koster; published in 1861 by Bote & Bock.

6) Le Repos du gondolier. Poem by Th. Normand; appeared in "Le Menestrel", volume 5, 1840.

7) Oft muss ich weinen. Poem by G. Gottschalk; appeared in "Album fur Gesang", volume 2, (Leipzig, 1843).

8) Sehnsucht der Geliebten (poet unknown) and Des Magdleins Wunsch in Klage (poet unknown). Both songs appeared in "Balaleika", 1862.

Thank you very much for any assistance you can offer us. Please include your name and we will recognize you in the Acknowledgments section of the volume.

Sincerely yours,

Richard Arsenty