4 July 1892

To Mr. Echelon Arnost,

I hope you will excuse my forwardness in writing when we are only just acquainted, but I thought perhaps this would interest you. I had the delightful fortune to attend a concert performance recently in London featuring Oswald Schmidt, a cellist — I believe he is of some small renown, though I was not familiar with him previously. It was a capital performance, and in the reception afterwards there was discussion about the Berlin Philharmonic — he is a member, I understand, and only taking a brief leave from the orchestra for this solo tour. There was some intimation of the Berlin Philharmonic debuting some new pieces during their upcoming season that were particularly innovative — perhaps even something new from Brahms, though he was said to have retired.

I doubt very much that my mother would encourage portkeys to Berlin for the sake of being the first to hear new sonatas (that may or may not, in fact, exist), so I thought it best to pass the word along to someone who might take advantage of the opportunity. As you are the only person in my acquaintance who has ever been to Germany, that meant passing it along to you. (You are in Germany, by now? I remember you said you were going, and I did not notice you in attendance at either the Midsummer Ball or the Dashwood debut last month, and both seemed to have nearly the whole of society in attendance, so I assume you have made good on these plans).

Do let me know if you have a chance to hear any new music!

Miss Willa Kensington

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August Echelon-Arnost

  

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Gorgeous Set by Bee <3

8th July 1892

Miss Willa Kensington,

I appreciate your thinking of me! I will absolutely excuse any forwardness; your letter led me to investigate (& acquire) tickets to the Berlin philharmonic for later this month. As I have only just established my household in Berlin at a level that feels acceptable to me, an excursion to hear some excellent sonatas is, I think, what I need to feel at home for the next several months.

You are correct in that I am now in Germany — I arrived a few weeks ago, which has led me to miss both the Midsummer Ball and the Dashwood debut. I hope the events were to your liking.

I shall let you know what I think of the concert — thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,
August Echelon-Arnost

  

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set by Bree

Willa was encouraged by some pieces of his letter (he seemed amenable to her musical suggestions, though they had been largely manufactured in order to get an excuse to write to him) and discouraged by others (the only good opening he had left her for a response was to talk about parties he hadn't attended, and she feared it would make her sound vapid and vain). But she was not ready to write the acquaintance off yet, not when he was somewhere as exciting as Germany. She put quill to paper with an air of determination. Mr. Echelon-Arnost would like her. She was delightful; she would delight him. Somehow.

12 July 1892

Dear Mr. Echelon Arnost,

The Midsummer Ball had an interesting magical twist; clouds appeared and spirited some couples away to dance above the dance floor rather than on it. I don't know that it's likely to catch on as the latest ballroom trend — one young man looked very much like he would be sick while he was up on one of the clouds — but I do always appreciate when a hostess makes at least an attempt at novelty at their events. The Dashwood debut was, on the other hand, a debut (but these are never especially novel, in my experience; no one wants to risk having some fancy illusionwork be more memorable than the debutante). I dare say neither of them will hold a candle to the philharmonic. Though we do have a night of ballet upcoming that promises to be quite interesting — Swan Lake performed on the Black Lake. I'm not entirely sure what the mechanism is to make the production and the audience float but I'm quite looking forward to it — assuming we can get the tickets, of course, they're apparently quite limited. Are you at all a fan of ballet? I have only seen three performances, but have enjoyed all that I've seen. Such a pity that England doesn't have a dedicated ballet company and we're left at the mercy of these touring productions.

I expect opera is more the trend in Germany than ballet? I have no particular basis for thinking so except that I happen to have heard an opera in German (at the de Montfault theater here locally; unfortunately I've never been abroad) and haven't seen a ballet with German titles in the program.

Miss Willa Kensington

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Gorgeous Set by Bee <3

15th July 1892

Miss Willa Kensington,

I write to report that I have been to the philarmonic! The new sonatas did not disappoint; there was not only excellent instrumentation, but the architecture of the building was also deeply impressive. I felt myself moved by the music; I am not sure that words can encapsulate the feeling, but I greatly appreciate the recommendation (and the cello was particularly lovely.)

Did you learn the method for making the audience float? The parties you describe sound interesting; I hope the Season continues to deliver such innovation when I eventually return to Britain.

There appears to be some ballet in Germany, on my investigation — but the company seems very small, so you must be right. I am going to see a magical production of the Gilbert & Sullivan play The Gondoliers next month — are you a fan of opera (whether it is or is not in German?) I enjoy ballet, but confess that I am most moved by words.

Sincerely,
August Echelon-Arnost

  

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set by Bree

20 July 1892

Dear Mr. Echelon Arnost,

How exciting! I confess to not being particularly knowledgeable about architecture, though I suppose one does not need to be knowledgeable about the various styles and historical contexts to be deeply impressed — which side of the spectrum do you fall towards, the innocently impressed or the knowledgeably impressed? If the latter, perhaps you can tell me something about what made the philharmonic so impressive, and I can astonish my conversation partners at the next dinner party with how worldly and clever I am. (I expect, anyway, that they would find me worldly and clever; the former because I might say something about German architecture particularly and they would suppose me well-traveled; the latter because I do not expect many people in typical society are deeply passionate about architecture and so whatever tidbits I can convey will make me seem especially astute).

The floating audience was, as it turned out, not as interesting as one might think; it was only barges with chairs set upon them. Though one did crash and dump its participants during intermission, which was quite a spectacle (I was not on the crashed barge, as you have probably already deduced). No one was very seriously hurt, though I believe a fair number of ladies had to retire early from the evening when their gowns were ruined. But really it could have been much worse; there are merfolk in that lake and I suppose they could have taken it quite poorly when a barge's worth of wet socialites were dumped on their heads.

I have seen one Gilbert & Sullivan play, but not the Gondoliers — the one with the pirates, and the general who sings very quickly. I would consider myself a fan of the opera, but in truth I enjoy most varieties of art performances — ballet, opera, conciertos, musicales, all of that — provided the performers are professionals. I find them much preferable to balls, generally... primarily I believe this is because I attend such a great many balls that it's difficult to feel any of them are properly novel or interesting by the midway mark of July each year. Meanwhile there are usually only two or three operas a year — far less competition to be memorable. When I am no longer a debutante and can pick and choose which balls I attend I expect I shall have a better opinion of them, because I shall only choose the interesting ones — but for the time being I am positively drowned in dance cards, as my mother says it is important to be seen. (Perhaps that ought to be capital S, Seen — she says it like a capitalized word, if you know what I mean? But I do not want to confuse it with the Sight; I am fairly confident I have never been Seen in that manner before and given how dreary many prophecies tend to be I am quite content to go on not being Seen).

You shall have to tell me about the Gondoliers! I am thinking now about the Pirates and remembering some of the witty scenes and songs has me quite curious about the plot of this one — though one would think Pirates can get up to quite a bit more in terms of misadventures than Gondoliers could? The high seas being generally more fraught with adventure than a Venetian canal.

Miss Willa Kensington

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Gorgeous Set by Bee <3

5th August 1892

Miss Willa Kensington,

I hope you will forgive my delay in writing; I wished to be able to report back on the opera (and will, later in this letter.)

I lean towards the innocently impressed, in regards to architecture — I hold opinions but have no basis on which to argue them. However, for the former, what made the Berlin Philharmonic impressive is that it is housed in a former roller skating rink, and has been for more than a decade now. I was unable to tell its previous usage until I was informed — (although perhaps an architect would disagree.)

It is a relief that the merfolk did not act out on someone being dumped atop them; sounds like they could have invested in a more serious spell worker before having individuals float. I am sorry to hear that the spectacle was not what either of us had hoped! Perhaps next time things will be more exciting (and less of a disaster.)

I had not seen the Pirates but I enjoyed the Gondoliers! It gave me an itch to head to Venice; I have a legal case that is requiring a great deal of research, so this will not be pursued immediately, but I hope to do so while at the continent. The Gondoliers featured excellent romantic subplots, but was primarily satire — and some of the music has been lodged in my head for the last day.

The Pirates of Penzance! You are correct in that it was more dramatic; I also think that ultimately I enjoyed pirates more (but I should think about this for more than a day.)

You must tell me about recent events — & if you have had any cultural moments in the past few weeks!

Sincerely,
August Echelon-Arnost

  

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set by Bree

20 August 1892

Dear Mr. Echelon Arnost,

When you write that you have a legal case requiring 'research' I admit that sounds quite thrilling, but perhaps only because I have so little practical experience of the law in any regard — my oldest brother assures me it is entirely dull. I do hold out some slight hope still that you will refute this in your next letter and tell me you have been finding ancient documents or uncovering hidden secrets never before known or that sort of thing. Or, if you cannot, then tell me about the romance in the Gondoliers. You describe it as 'excellent' in your last letter, and I admit that I am often a fan of the romances depicted in operas and in novels. They are, in my limited experience, usually more interesting than the ones in the real world... One of my friends has gotten engaged this season and the most she can say about the man she is to marry is that he is 'suitably handsome, with good prospects, and a pleasant voice'; none of these are bad things to have, of course, but it all seems so terribly mundane. In plays people sometimes rescue each other from convoluted plots, or make grand declarations, or at the very least meet in interesting ways — real life so often has none of these traits.

The news here lately has been rather dreadful and morbid. I'm not sure whether you had heard anything about it while abroad? Some people have died, and one recently in a most gruesome and spectacular fashion, and some people are saying there is some sort of conspiracy... I am not sure whether anything has been proved in that regard but it has quite spooked my mother who now hardly lets me leave the house except for events. I haven't been out to a shop in practically a month! Which has given me not much opportunity for cultural events of any sort, and rather too much opportunity for reading and needlework. I am running out of things to embroider, honestly. I hope the whole business is settled soon so things can return to normal.

Miss Willa Kensington

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Gorgeous Set by Bee <3

30th August 1892

Miss Willa Kensington,

In the gondoliers, there is significant romantic entanglement — an odd little love square, if you will — and yet at the end, everyone finds it resolved and happy. Maybe not as excellent as a romantic play, but I found the resolution very pleasing — I like when a resolved complication leaves everyone happy. (Although I described it as excellent, I would not claim it nearly as good of a romantic plot as, say, Pride and Prejudice.).

Will you tell me which of your friends got engaged to this suitably handsome man, or shall I have to guess at which debutante has settled? I have only heard the briefest whispers of the events in Britain, (my siblings letters are often extremely self-focused), and I am horrified to hear of how morbid they are — I hope that the Ministry catches the department soon and you are able to emerge from your embroidery. In the meantime, I send you the best of luck with your indoor hobbies — if you are seeking things to embroider, I enjoy the ocean and think that it may pose an interesting embroidery challenge.

Sincerely,
August Echelon-Arnost

  

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set by Bree