September 18, 1946

B. Martinu, Esq.

24 West Fifty-eight Street

New York, 19, New York

Dear Mr. Martinu:

Your letter of September sixteenth has arrived and I want to tell you how happy I am that you will write a work for our Symposium on Music Criticism. I see no reason why two string quartets and a string trio should not make a wonderful concert. We shall certainly attempt to get the very best string quartet that is available to perform these works.

You ask about conditions connected with the work. The only conditions I can thonk of are that we should like to have its first performance on May first, 1947 in our first concert and that we should like to have the score by the first of February. If you care to send it to us sooner we should be delighted to have it. As soon as you send us the score I shall instruct the University to relay to you your honorarium

I hope very much that you may be in this part of the country at the time of the Symposium so that you can be here not only for the performance of your work, but also to attend the meetings and the other concerts of the Symposium. I think that it will be a very outstanding occasion and I am hoping there will be musicians and critics here from all over the United States.

It is very kind of you to want a copy of my Sixteenth Century Polyphony. I shall ask the Harvard University Press to send you one with my compliments.

I was very distressed to hear of your bad accident at Tanglewood this summer, but I hope that you have recovered completely.

With my very best wishes to Mrs. Martinu and yourself and with the greatest pleasure because of your acceptance, I am

Sincerely yours