Bidspirit auction | [MUSIC AUTOGRAPHS] - FERRUCCIO BUSONI

[MUSIC AUTOGRAPHS] - FERRUCCIO BUSONI (1866–1924) - Autograph letter signed - FERRUCCIO BUSONI (1866–1924) - Autograph letter signed to a close friend, offering heartfelt condolences on the death of Professor Theodor. Berlin, 4 September 1912. Autograph letter signed (“Ferruccio B.”), in German, to a close friend. Berlin, 4 September 1912. Three pages, manuscript in ink. A substantial and deeply personal letter in which Busoni, having learned through Frau Zella of the death of Professor Theodor, offers his condolences and reflects at length on the character of the deceased. Busoni remembers Professor Theodor as a man of exceptional human and intellectual qualities, stressing the rarity of such a combination of character, intellect and distinction. Although acknowledging death as part of the natural course of life, he writes movingly of the sense of loss occasioned by the disappearance of a remarkable individual and of the vivid memories that survive him. The letter concludes on an affectionate and intimate note. Busoni asks his friend to accept his heartfelt sympathy and friendship, signing with the familiar “Ferruccio B.” He adds that his wife, Gerda Sjöstrand, joins him in expressing her condolences. A revealing testimony to the private Busoni, far removed from the practical and professional concerns that dominate much of his correspondence. His reflections on bereavement, memory and the qualities he admired in others lend the letter an unusually intimate character.