Item AB/589 - Autograph letter signed from Edvard Grieg to Adolph and Anna Brodsky

Grieg is relieved that the Norwegian Music Festival is over and he can breathe again, after more than 6 months’ strain and unbelievable chauvinistic furore in the Norwegian press. The festival has been an outstanding success [3,000 audience in 7 days], one of the most important events of the cultural life of the century, according to a Norwegian man of letters now living in London. How sad that Brodsky could not be playing Sinding's concerto. Grieg feels that Sinding has become rather incomprehensible to him as a person but Sinding did thaw out slightly when Grieg led the applause with a "hurra" after his piano concerto. Sinding had every reason to be satisfied: the concerto went splendidly with the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam under his mediocre direction and his symphony was magnificently played under Mengelberg [the Amsterdam Kappellmeister]. Grieg regrets that the Brodskys are to be in Switzerland and not in Troldhaugen after taking the cure in Kissingen. However they ought to go Norway when the nights are light. Grieg is exhausted and is going off with Nina and her sister to the high mountains for some weeks. They have no definite plans for the winter but he would like to find peace in order to work. Yesterday Grieg had a visit from a Russian landowner, Engelmeyer by name. Recently Cesar Cui invited Grieg to conduct in Russia. Dated 27 Jul 1898.