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Start Over "Concerts" Collection John Howard Griffin papers, 1920-2004

Treverton, James R. News Feature published in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 11 Nov. 1943, based on an interview with Gaby Casadesus, pianist and wife of Robert Casadesus. Anecdotes about their friend and neighbor at Princeton, Albert Einstein; St. Louis Symphony conductor Vladimir Golschmann; the musical progress of the Casadesus children -- News Photo from an unknown and undated New York newspaper, concerning a concert to be given by the Casadesus for Russian War Relief, at Carnegie Hall -- Obituaries from the New York Times and the New York Post. Casadesus died 19 September 1972, after an operation for cancer of the pancreas; he was 73, 1943-1972 Box 1, Folder 19

, concerning a concert to be given by the Casadesus for Russian War Relief, at Carnegie Hall -- Obituaries from
  1. Rare Book & Manuscript Library
  2. John Howard Griffin papers, 1920-2004
  3. Series I: The Early Years, 1920-1947

Casadesus, Robert To Whom It May Concern, Palace of Fontainebleau, France, 28 May 1964 Box 1, Folder 17

, concerning Griffin's acceptance to study music; t.l., signed by Mary Crennan. on Columbia Concerts letterhead
to Griffin, regarding his query as to Casadesus' concert schedule, November 30, 1945

[With photocopy of t.l., signed by Claude Levi-Strauss, French Ambassador and Minister of Culture, concerning Griffin's acceptance to study music; t.l., signed by Mary Crennan. on Columbia Concerts letterhead to Griffin, regarding his query as to Casadesus' concert schedule, November 30, 1945

  1. Rare Book & Manuscript Library
  2. John Howard Griffin papers, 1920-2004
  3. Series I: The Early Years, 1920-1947

Casadesus, Robert To John Howard Griffin, [v.p.], 1941-1952 Box 1, Folder 16

concert stops in St. Louis, Cleveland, and Miami; 25 pages (front and back combined); and four Autograph

[French pianist and composer; musical mentor to John Howard Griffin. Five posted from Princeton, NJ; two on letterhead of the School of Music, American Art Schools of Fontainebleau; others posted from concert stops in St. Louis, Cleveland, and Miami; 25 pages (front and back combined); and four Autograph Envelopes

  1. Rare Book & Manuscript Library
  2. John Howard Griffin papers, 1920-2004
  3. Series I: The Early Years, 1920-1947

Notebook #5, 1970 Box 35, Folder 855

... pronounced the recital "a real glory--one of the finest concerts I ever heard. Like Lipatti and Schnabel
, especially at the Concertgebow, where Griffin attended an all-Beethoven concert by pianist Annie Fischer. He

[This 1970 notebook accompanied Griffin on one of his most significant trips to Europe, researching for his biography of Thomas Merton. His seventeen year old daughter, Susan, accompanied him on the journey. The first stop was Amsterdam, on January 27, 1970, pronouncing himself "more at home here than anywhere in the states." It was a city that his close friend, pianist Robert Casadesus often performed, especially at the Concertgebow, where Griffin attended an all-Beethoven concert by pianist Annie Fischer. He took the opportunity to photograph this great musician in performance, and visited with her afterward... pronounced the recital "a real glory--one of the finest concerts I ever heard. Like Lipatti and Schnabel combined". The next morning he visited the Rijks Museum, "seeing the Rembrandts, Vermeers, etc. Tremendous. To the Van Gogh Museum this afternoon." After three days in Amsterdam, he spent three days in Brussels, staying with the psychiatrist and Merton enthusiast Dr. Vander-Elst. On February 2nd, he took the train to Strasbourg and was met by his old friends, Antoinette and Alexander Grunelius. These great friends of the Maritains drove Griffin and his daughter to their Chateau at Kolbsheim (the repository of the papers of Jacques and Raissa Maritain), where they stayed a few days.. Griffin then spent five days with Jacques Maritain in Toulouse, where the 87 year old philosopher had a tiny hermitage on the grounds where the motherhouse of the Little Brothers and Sisters Order is located. Many passaqes here about Maritain, several of the sisters who did his secretarial work (Sister Marie Pascale, in particular, who typed the philosopher's manuscripts and letters--her signature is under many of Maritain's letters on file at HRC), as well as several interesting cooking experiences with Sister Marie Emmanuel.. A week later, Griffin made several trips to Prades (Merton's birthplace), Montaubin and St. Antonin (where Merton lived as a child), and on to Paris, photographing and notetaking all the way. On February 14, he visited with the daughter of Leon Bloy, the French writer and thinker who was instrumental in converting the Maritains to Catholicism, after a search of several days. Part of this experience, though not mentioned in this notebook, laid the groundwork for his last piece of fiction--the humorous take-off upon hearing the sweet sound of a sackbutt (Pilgrimage, Latitudes Press, 1985).

  1. Rare Book & Manuscript Library
  2. John Howard Griffin papers, 1920-2004
  3. Series XIX.The Griffin Journal, 1950-1980

Subseries IV.2: The Street of the Seven Angels

serious work about a concert pianist and his illegitimate son--also a pianist. . The manuscript herein

Concerning Griffin's novels,The Street of the Seven AngelsandPassacaglia, it is necessary to outline the genesis of his creative process as regards these works begun in the mid-1950s. . Initially, all of this material was intended for one large novel, tentatively entitled "Point, Counterpoint," but when Griffin heard that Huxley had published a novel with that title, he began to rethink his concept. His journals indicate that the large novel was really made up of alternating chapters with two sets of characters (although a few characters cross from one story to the other). One, which becameStreet, focused on the character of Chez Durand, a bookshop owner, who becomes involved in an obscenity trial; this story features a large cast of characters and is comic in intent. The second novel,Passacaglia, is a serious work about a concert pianist and his illegitimate son--also a pianist. . The manuscript herein calledPassacaoliais actually the remnants of the larger novel (207 pages of typescript carbon) which was never completed. The manuscript ofStreet of the Seven Angelsis a 221 page typescript, an original he revised from portions of the carbon, from 1966-1972. He intended to publishStreetas his third novel and even though he came under contract with Houghton Mifflin for the work, it was never published. He never returned to do a revision ofPassacaglia. A reading ofStreetwill reveal that it has been revised and completed, but a reading of the carbon ofPassacaolia--which has gaps in pagination, as well as many adjustments (as many as five changes on some pages)--never received any revision.

  1. Rare Book & Manuscript Library
  2. John Howard Griffin papers, 1920-2004
  3. Series IV: Nuni Street of the Seven Angels Passacaglia

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