HILLER, Johann Adam [1728-1804]: Autograph letter with signature. [Leipzig, 8th of January 1771]. Small folio 26.7 x 17.5 cm. 1 page, with well-preserved seal on verso.

Special rarity - concerning the printing one of the earliest piano reductions ever. Letters by Hiller are very rare: since 1990 only 6 autographs by Hiller are listed at auction in the JAP-Online i.e. bookauctionrecords! To the music publisher C.F. Junius in Leipzig, with whom the piano reduction for the Singspiel "Der lustige Schuster oder Der Teufel ist los. Zweiter Teil" was published. Together with the piano reduction for Hiller's operetta "Lisuart" (Leipzig 1768), the letter to his publisher refers to the printing of one of the earliest printed piano reductions ever. The premiere of the cited Singspiel had already taken place in the summer of 1766. (Cf. Johann Adam Hiller: My Life. Ed. by Mark Lehmstedt. Leipzig 2004. p. 218). "Dearest Herr Junius, If I had not gotten a little catharr from going out so much last week, and today I would rather work than go out, I would have come to you myself. I am now busy with the second part of the Devil, and Mr. Breitkopf will immediately begin printing with two typesetters as soon as the Cassel hymnal is ready with him, which will be next week. I would have liked to postpone it as long as possible, or even longer, to ask for your money; but my low earnings so far, and the heavy expenses, make it necessary for me to ask you for 20 rth. I will apply all my diligence to the work, and you can rest assured that I will finish in due time. If I could have the honor of speaking to you alone for an hour in my room, I might be able to discuss some useful things with you; for when I have a friend to look for, I will never turn to anyone else but you. I am yours Hiller"