| Content | Written by Bohuslav Martinů, Marie Martinů transcribes verbatim parts of his letter:
Prague has already contacted the publisher BM, they don't know what will come of it, they think they will want to "reverse it" [the matter of the contract between the publishing house Boosey & Hawkes London-New York and the State Publishing House of Fine Literature, Music and Art in Prague]. They also ask permission to pick up the final score of ŠPALÍČEK from the Martinů family. They have nothing to send yet, just to write to him to tell him if they have the score, if there is a completion date on it, and if the third act is The Wedding Shirt, the fairy tale with the polka at the end. There are in fact two scores, the later one is definitive without the Wedding Shirt. BM sent only one catalogue from Prague, they are to ask Karel Šebánek to send him at least ten. They are also to ask him for more information about Artia, where it is, what it does and what connection it has with Prague and Orbis. They always mention it from Prague, but nothing more.
Marie Martinů asks Karel Šebánek to look at the three books of ŠPALÍČEK and NEW ŠPALÍČEK in the safe in the Savings Bank in Prague, to see if this is the definitive treatment of ŠPALÍČEK or not - she thinks KS will know. Only after he finds out from him will he write to BM - they wouldn't have taken any action anyway until they consulted KS. BM has finished the opera, now they are going to the mountains. What about KS's vacation? They all have colds in Polička, hopefully KS will save a day to visit Polička. They ask that KS send a reply, if he doesn't have time to write to BM and them, MM will interpret the replies. He is also to write what is happening with his mother and sister, he thinks of them often. |