Handwritten letter from Carlos Gomes (1885)
Handwritten letter from Carlos Gomes (1885)
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"This morning I found all the piano keys on the floor. What happened? How did it happen?"
- Handwritten letter from Carlos Gomes to Vincenzo Appiani.
- One sheet, front and back, 4 pages, and the envelope.
- In Italian.
- 13.6 cm x 21.2 cm.
- February 18, 1885, in Magianegh (Italy).
- Excellent condition.
- Unique piece.
Approximate translation from Italian to Portuguese
My dearest Vincenzo,
I had yours ( ) along with another from your most gracious companion.
I also received l'ARCOLAIO from Maestro Carlo Fummagalli, and I am asking Mrs. Elvira to give me that pair. Because I wish to show Miss Raggi, from whom I hid the truth, that is, the existence of that music dedicated to her, so she did at the moment I asked if Marenca's poem had already been set to music.
I cannot understand why Miss Raggi showed me that poem already dedicated to her and set to music! Now I feel obliged to apologize to M C Fumagalli, but I don't know where to find him. Do you know where my ARCOLAIESCO rival lives? I don't believe he is related to Adolfo, at least judging by his spinning wheel.
Now I feel significantly better from rheumatism, but with the weather like this I don't dare go to Milan. I await the month when the sun appears to do the same as a lizard.
This morning I found all the piano keys on the floor. What happened? How did it happen? I only remember yesterday, when the clock stopped, and I decided to warm myself at the piano. Trying to win the famous cup-and-ball game and...punft...punft… I lost my patience and went to lunch cursing the cold. I say "the cold" because it almost convinces me that the reason I can't avoid making mistakes with the keys is the cold itself. I have great hope for this summer! So, at the moment I have not been attacked or tied down by the cold! Oh the cold! If the sun doesn't come out soon, I'll go fetch it in Pernambuco and bring you a bottled piece.
Mimardi sent me, here, yesterday, the proof print of that chamber, for which reason I hope to have it ready. I run the risk that this year I won't be able to go to Brazil and that "O Escravo" will be presented in Italy before its homeland. Goodbye for today, a handshake to you, wife, and friend. A happy birthday kiss for Emilietta.
Always your true friend,
Gomes
Carlos Gomes (1836 - 1896) is considered by many to be the greatest Brazilian opera composer. The genius with an unstable temperament conquered Europe without neglecting the themes of his nation, dealing with indigenism to the abolition of slavery in his works.
Born in 1836 into a humble family in the city of Campinas, São Paulo state, music entered Gomes' life early. While still young, he lost his mother, and soon began working with his brothers in the Campinas Musical Band, his father's creation to support the family. But what was a means of survival would become the first step for young Carlos' entry into the world of music, and in a short time he was performing at dances, concerts, and masses.
It wasn't long before his fame reached Rio de Janeiro, where the musician had the opportunity to perform for the royal family, an event that would transform his life. In 1863, Carlos Gomes left for Europe to study at the Milan Conservatory with recommendations from the Empress, Dona Tereza Cristina.
And so, the Brazilian composer conquered the world, becoming known for his great works, but also for his irritable temperament, as can be seen in the letter he wrote to Vincenzo Appiani, a famous Italian pianist and composer.
The intriguing letter raises numerous questions. Who, for example, was Carlo Fummagalli, the rival of whom Gomes speaks with such fury? The name of his detested enemy did not enter history, so, in a way, Carlos Gomes won, but it is still intriguing to imagine what such a man might have done to arouse the composer's wrath.
In his missive, Gomes also reveals precious details of his creative process, imbued with his tormenting temperament. Could the piano keys found on the floor have been broken by himself? Imagining him on a cold winter night composing operas and breaking instruments is a treat for the imagination.
Winter was not the São Paulo composer's favorite season; he longed so much for the sun that he wished to fetch it in Pernambuco and bring it bottled to the Old Continent. But the desire to travel to his country was not solely to seek tropical warmth. Gomes wanted to present his new opera "O Escravo" in Brazil before showing it in Italy, due to its intrinsic connection to Brazilian history.
Carlos Gomes' famous work premiered amidst controversies, such as the fact that "the slave" protagonist changed from a black man to an indigenous one so as not to shock the 19th-century audience. Finally, this great work was presented in Brazil in 1889, months before the proclamation of the republic, crowning the winds of change blowing through the country.
Composer, artist, Brazilian, Carlos Gomes synthesized many of the issues bubbling through Brazil in the effervescent era in which he lived. His works are a portrait of the nation and his legacy, even today, after almost two centuries, remains relevant and provokes reflection. His letters rarely appear on the market.

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