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8vo and 12mo. Together 24 pp. Highly interesting correspondence with the literary historian and librettist Léonel de la Tourrasse (1861 1930), concerning their only collaboration, the Pastorale de Noël. Hahn composed the piece on a libretto by Tourrasse and Charles Gailly de Taurines, who adapted the 15th-century Mystère de la Passion by Arnoul Gréban. The fate of the piece was somewhat unfortunate, as the planned premiere around Christmas 1901 in the newly built Salle Humbert de Romans fell through for political reasons. - The earliest letter in the correspondence dated Hamburg, 4 November 1901, concerns the negotiations for the publication of the piece by Heugel: "Je vous ai télégraphié hier pour que vous alliez causer avec Heugel. De loin, il est difficile de s entendre, et il m a été impossible de précipiter mon départ […]". A few days later, on 10 November, Hahn announces that while Madeleine Lemaire was interested in having the piece performed at her famous salon in spring, he was ready to go forward with the planned Christmas-premiere at the Salle Humbert de Romans, which was the performance hall of catholic music schools: "Madeleine Lemaire avait l intention de monter La Pastorale chez elle au printemps, mais quel que fût le charme de cette perspective, il n est pas permis d hésiter, et je suis tout prêt à marcher." At the same time, Reynaldo Hahn was worried about the reception of the piece and its composer in the context of a catholic institution. His fear was that the premiere could be interpreted as alignment with criticism of the government of president Émile Loubet that was in conflict with some catholic orders and organizations, especially the Assumptionists. Hahn describes himself as "very Christian" and catholic but underlines that he is "not at all clerical" and greatly admires "the present government". In a milieu of clerical critics of the government, he would be "like this devil in the font; a respectful devil, however, and completely harmless." - Two more letters from early December 1901 concern the orchestration, the necessary copies of the partition, and rehearsals ahead of the planned premiere that was ultimately canceled on 15 December. - Further letters in the correspondence concern meetings, rehearsals, and an insufficient theater suggested for a performance but they cannot be connected with certainty to specific events, especially a performance in the salon of Madeleine Lemaire in December 1906 and the belated public premiere at the Théâtre des arts on 23 December 1908. - A long letter to a friend from 12 March 1946 with reflections on music is added to the collection.
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