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Enjoyable days in Weimar - Vergnuegten Tage in Weimar

During these engaging days of the Bach Academy Weimar, exploring the music of Bach with this wonderful international group of young musicians, I am reminded of the significant role that Felix Mendelssohn played in "rediscovering" Bach's music, and of Mendelssohn's visit here to charming Weimar as a boy of twelve -- and of my family's connection to that event.

"Im kleinen Weimar"

As founder and Executive Director of the Oregon Bach Festival in "little Eugene" for nearly 40 years, my father Royce Saltzman developed friendships with musicians and music lovers around the world. When Elise Sachs of New York surprised Dad with the gift of Felix Mendelssohn’s 1821 letter to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, it was a testament to the meaning and value of art and music in people’s lives, across time and geography.

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Letter from Elise Sachs to Royce Saltzman

May 31, 2003

My dear Royce,

The letter in the frame is the original letter that the twelve-year old Felix Mendelssohn wrote to Goethe after he and his sister had been Goethe’s houseguests in Weimar. The letter had been bought in 1932/33 at an art auction at a famous Vienna auction house as a Christmas present for me. We had it framed in Berlin and it has been with me ever since. Now I am happy to think that it will still be surrounded by the same music and laughter it has enjoyed for so long.

A belated thank you for all the nice little notes you added for me in your correspondence. I ‘ve never been really able to write back, but I hope you are well.

With all good wishes, and much success this summer,

Elise

1821 letter from twelve-year old Felix Mendelssohn to Goethe after he and his sister had been Goethe’s houseguests in Weimar

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Mendelssohn Letter Text

Das Leben ist kurz, und die Kunst sehr lang. Doch ist darum das Leben zu verachten, bietet es uns weniger Freude als die Kunst? Nicht immer ist das kleinste das schlechteste, und obgleich Weimar kleiner wie Berlin, so werde ich gewiss im grossen Berlin an die vergnuegten Tage denken, die ich im kleinen Weimar zubrachte.

Felix Mendelssohn

Weimar Den 18ten November

1821

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Mendelssohn Letter Translation

Life is short and Art very long. But should we therefore think less of life, does it offer us less pleasure than art? Not always is the smallest the meanest, and although Weimar is smaller than Berlin, I shall certainly in big Berlin often remember the enjoyable days I spent in little Weimar.

Felix Mendelssohn

Weimar 18^th November

1821