German sociologist, philosopher, and musicologist (1903–1969) known for his critical theory as a leading member of the Frankfurt School. ALS in German, signed “Theodor W. Adorno,” one page, 4 x 6, June 10, 1955. A thoughtful letter regarding his work. In part (translated): “Your letter pleased me very much and I am ashamed at the same time. I'm glad because it shows that a book so extravagant as the music philosophy is not spoken into the void; but I am ashamed for the sake of that extravagance.” In fine condition. A rare letter from the influential 20th-century thinker, who had published Philosophie der neuen Musik [Philosophy of New Music] in 1949. He argued that musical progress was proportional to the composer's ability to constructively deal with the possibilities and limitations contained within the ‘musical material,’ and that the objective validity of the composition rested with neither the composer's genius nor the work's conformity with prior standards, but with the way in which the work coherently expressed the dialectic of the material. The contemporary absence of composers of the status of Bach or Beethoven was not the sign of musical regression; instead, 'new music' was to be credited with laying bare aspects of the musical material previously repressed. RR Auction COA.
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