Charles Edward Stephens an Louis Spohr in Kassel

Franco

Herrn Hof-Kapellmeister
Louis Spohr
Cassel
(Germany)¹


3 Stanley Place, Paddington Green.
London. July 11^th 1851.

Esteemed & Honoured Sir,

I have made diligent enquiries respecting the subject named in your kind letter, and have learnt that the only person who was ostensibly responsible in the affaire of the „National Concerts“ of last year was a Captain Lee Carter, but I regret to add that he is respected to be greatly in debt, and is now nowhere to be found.² I have communicated the above, in accordance with your request, to Mr. Taylor, who appears very much to doubt the prospect of a settlement of your claim, and has further informed me of the very unhandsome retention of the score of your symphony.³
In venturing to address you hitherto, I have had remorse to assistance for translations into the German language, my knowledge if which is insufficient to enable me to write it with any confidence. Mr. Taylor having explained to me the circumstances under which he himself writes to you in English, and having answered for your considerate indulgence, I have ventured to employ it on this occasion.
I know not how to sufficiently acknowledge my obligation to Madame Spohr, for more than one introducing my Trio to the notice of her musical friends – nor to yourself, for communicating to me the gratifying intelligence that it has always pleased. I must only hope to some day produce somethin more worth of such flattering attention.
Accept my sincerest thanks for your condescending promise to try my Quartet, an to honour me with your opinion in detail. I cannot but be assured of the perfection of its execution on that occasion, and should not have ventured to make the remarks I did in my former letter, had I not feared that the difficulty I found on quite obtaining the one particular effect I wish might probably be attributable to the composer rather than to the executants, although, as my intention was eventually completely realized, I did not deem it expedient to alter my score.
I will not fail to communicate to Mr. Taylor anything further which I will be able to learn in connection with your claim on Captain Carter, and now conclude by subscribing myself

Your, most Obedly, & faithfully obliged
Charles Edward Stephens.