MENDELseolIN'S "PAUL."
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
69. Dean Street, Soho, 24th Anost 1936.
St — I wish to correct two misstatements relating to M. MEN OE I.SSOHN'S cram in of St. Pool, that occur in your article on the 3/usieal Festivals on the I:lth instant. Your emit iC says, A copy of the work is now before us." Now I, as the English prom ietor. possess the only copy in England of the first act ; and, of the second act, the only copy in existence, and which I lately brought with me from Bonn. The second misstatement relates to the disapprobation of the author, whom I had the pleasure of seeing last Friday at the Hague; and who is not only quite satisfied that there is ample time to do justice to his oratorio, but feels much flattered by the way in which it has been sought after by the Liverpool Committee. The public also have the further guarantee that the music will re- ceive full justice, from the well- known caution of Sir GEoitc A IIT, the Conductor. I sin, Sir, your obedient servant, J. An.rmuan NOVELL°.
[A few words will suffice to dispose of Mr. J. A. NOVELLON letter. As to the first " misstatement," his assertion stands opposed to ours. If the descrip- tion which we have given of the oratorio of Paul shall turn out to be a mere coinage of our own brain, the proof conclusive against us will speedily appear : but if it shall be manifest that It was correct, we shall, pet haps, have credit for having spoken the truth—not being proficieuts in the art of divination. Mr. J. A. NOY E LLO needs he under nu alarm at the circumstance which seems to have caused him so touch surprise. The second " misstatement "of which he complains, occurs in the following passage- .' NI ENDFLSSOilleS Paul is to he brought out at Liverpool. Gr respect for the talents of its author leads us to wish that more—that is, sufficient —time had been allowed for its dile preparation. The °i-atom io has but just reached this country in its original lan- guage ; and although. to some persons, half tho merit of producing a work cmsists in the rapidity with which it is brought out, we are not, and we are quite sure the anther of Paul is not. of that number."
Does Mr. J. A. NOVELL° mean that MENDELSSOUN is mine of those persons who think that half time merit of producing a work consists in the rapidity with which it is brought out ? For to this conclusion he must come, and thus the statement must be corrected, if we are wrong.—En.]
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