Herbert von Karajan (1908–1989).

A lovely collection of family correspondence written towards the end of his tenure as music director in Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) and at the height of his international career. The letters, tender and affectionate, are addressed to his parents, Ernst von Karajan (1868–1951) and Martha von Karajan, née Kosmac. He discusses his career, which is set to take him to Munich, Milan, Amsterdam, Florence, Stockholm, Oslo, Brussels (for a concert with Backhaus as soloist) and Berlin. He asks for tickets for the Salzburg Festival, for the two concerts by Toscanini (who would later cancel his appearance), Tannhäuser, Die Meistersinger, Falstaff and Fidelio… In July, he is on holiday on the island of Brioni (“ein Paradis”), and goes out on a motorboat. At the start of the year, he is in Amsterdam where he conducts at the Concertgebouw (“ein wundervolles Orchester”). In Berlin, he is called upon to conduct the Staatskapelle with the choir, as well as the Berliner Philharmonie on 8 April. He has to negotiate a contract with Grammophon…