Chapter XI: Part 11

[The letter, together with the following one, written by Kaulbach to Liszt in the fifties, was published in the Tagliche Rundschau [Daily Review], and afterwards in the Neue Berline Musikzeitung [Berlin New Musical Paper] of March 19th, 1891. It is well known that Liszt derived his inspiration to write the Hunnenschlachl [Battle of the Huns] from Kaulbach's celebrated picture on the staircase of the New Museum in Berlin. He intended to work up the six pictures of Kaulbach's which are there, in a similar symphonic manner, probably for theatrical performance in Weimar. Dingelstedt appears also to have planned an after-poem in verses. Kaulbach's letter to his friend is as follows: "Your original and spirited idea--the musical and poetic form of the historical pictures in the Berlin Museum--has taken hold of me completely. I much wish to hear yours and Dingelstedt's ideas of this performance. The representation of these powerful subjects in poetical, musical, and artistic form must constitute a harmonious work, rounded off into one complete whole. It will resound and shine through all lands!!--I shall therefore hasten to Weimar, as soon as my work here will let me free.--With the warmest regards to the Princess, that truly inspired friend of Art, and to her charming daughter, from myself and my wife, I remain, in unchangeable respect and friendship, Your faithful, W. Kaulbach."]

Dear Madam,

I have been encouraged to send you what indeed truly belongs to you, but what, alas! I must send in so shabby a dress that I must beg from you all the indulgence that you have so often kindly shown me. At the same time with these lines you will receive the manuscript of the two-pianoforte arrangement of my Symphonic Poem "Die Hunnenschlacht" (written for a large orchestra and completed by the end of last February), and I beg you, dear madam, to do me the favor to accept this work as a token of my great reverence and most devoted friendship towards the Master of masters. Perhaps there may be an opportunity later on, in Munich or Weymar, in which I can have the work performed before you with full orchestra, and can give a voice to the meteoric and solar light which I have borrowed from the painting, and which at the Finale I have formed into one whole by the gradual working up of the Catholic chorale "Crux fidelis," and the meteoric sparks blended therewith. As I already intimated to Kaulbach in Munich, I was led by the musical demands of the material to give proportionately more place to the solar light of Christianity, personified in the Catholic chorale "Crux fidelis," than appears to be the case in the glorious painting, in order thereby to win and pregnantly represent the conclusion of the Victory of the Cross, with which I, both as a Catholic and as a man, could not dispense.

Kindly excuse this somewhat obscure commentary on the two opposing streams of light in which the Huns and the Cross are moving; the performance will make the matter bright and clear-- and if Kaulbach finds something to amuse him in this somewhat venturesome mirroring of his fancy I shall be royally delighted.

Through Dingelstedt, whom our Grand Duke is taking away from Munich, you have heard the latest news from Weymar, and I have, alas! only bad news to give you of the Princess W. For many weeks she has been confined to bed with acute rheumatism, and it is hardly likely that she will be restored to health before my departure for Aix-la-Chapelle towards the middle of May. Allow me, my dear lady, to beg you to give Kaulbach my warmest and most hearty thanks for the wonderful sketch of Orpheus with which he has honored and delighted me; and once more begging you to pardon me for the dreadful scrawl of my manuscript, I remain yours with all respect and devoted friendship,

F. Liszt

Weymar, May 1st, 1857

184. To Fedor von Milde, Kammersanger

[A singer in the service of a prince] in Weimar [An excellent Wagner singer. The first Telramund in Lohengrin.]

Dear Friend,

I cannot refuse myself the pleasure of letting you know of the really extraordinary success, not made up, but thoroughly effectual and brilliant, of your wife. [Rosa, nee Agthe, trained by Franz Gotze.] Cologne, Dusseldorf, Bonn, Elberfeld, and the entire neighborhood agree with Aix-la-Chapelle that your wife made the festivity of the Musical Festival; and although success cannot as a rule be considered as a criterion of artistic worth, yet if it be attested so truly and de bon aloi as in this case, and follow that artistic worth, it has something refreshing and strengthening in which we, in trio, can fully rejoice.

A speedy meeting to us, and friendly greetings and thanks from

Yours ever,

F. Liszt

Aix-La-Chappelle, Wednesday, June 3rd, 1857

185. To Johann von Herbeck

Weymar, June 12th, 1857

Dear Sir and Friend,

On my return from the Aix-la-Chapelle Musical Festival--which may be considered successful on the whole, from the very fact that opponents do not conceal their dissatisfaction--I find here your kind letter, for which I send you my warmest thanks. My excellent cousin and friend, Dr. Eduard Liszt, had already informed me of your kind willingness to undertake the instrumentation of my Vocal Mass: I am entirely in accord with the various sketches you so kindly lay before me in your letter, and only beg you, dear sir, to complete this work according to your own best judgment, without any small considerations. I certainly should not wish the organ to be absent from it, but it is a perfectly correct idea to give those passages in the Kyrie, Suscipe deprecationem, Crucifixus, and others besides,

[A score appears here]

to the wind exclusively. When I expressed to my cousin my wish to place the instrumentation of the Mass in your hands, it was because I was convinced beforehand of the excellence of your work. The examples which you have given me in your letter show me that I was not wrong, and I shall rejoice most sincerely when the moment arrives for us to go through the whole score together. Eduard intends to visit me here towards the end of August, and if it is possible for you to come to Weymar at the same time with him, and to stay a few days in my house, it will be very agreeable to me.

On the 3rd, 4th, and 5th September the Jubilee festivities of the Grand Duke Carl August will take place here, on which occasion I propose to perform several of my later orchestral compositions, and also the chorus "An die Kiinstler." ["To Artists."] Eduard will give you a more detailed programme of the Festival later on. Should you, however, be prevented from being present at it, it needs no special assurance to you that your visit will be very welcome to me any day, and I will do my best that you shall not suffer from ennui in Weymar. [Herbeck accepted the invitation.]

May I also beg you to send me, when you have an opportunity, and if possible very soon, the parts of your Quartet, [D minor, unpublished] which pleases me so much, and which, both in its mood and in its writing of the different parts, is so eminently noble and finely sustained. In case you have not been able to arrange for the copying of the parts, it will be a pleasure to me to get them copied here. Our Weymar quartet, Messrs. Singer, Stor, Walbruhl, and Cossmann, is competent for this work, and you will, I trust, be satisfied with the performance. Unfortunately Cossmann's illness has prevented our usual quartet-productions for some months past, and Cossmann was also unable to take part in the Aix-la-Chapelle Musical Festival. But yesterday he told me that in a few days he should be able to take up his bow again, and therefore I want them to set to work on your Quartet at once.

To our speedy meeting then, and once more best thanks from yours in all friendship,

F. Liszt

186. To Countess Rosalie Sauerma, nee Spohr

Your letter gave me great pleasure, dear Countess and admirable artist, and, though still obliged to keep my bed (which I have been able to leave so little during the whole winter), I hasten to reassure you entirely about my state of health. As a fact, I have never done my obstinate illness the honor of considering it serious, and now less than ever, for I hope to have entirely got over it by the end of the week. So do not let us talk about it any more, and let me tell you at once how sincerely I rejoice in your projects of being, so to say, in the neighborhood of Dresden, for it seems to me that, among the towns of Germany, it is the one in which you will find most charm. I shall certainly come and pay you my visit there in the course of the winter, and I hope also that you will not altogether forget your friends of Weymar.

When you come back here, you will find very little change, but simply three more Weymarers--Goethe, Schiller, and Wieland--whose statues will be inaugurated next September, on the occasion of the celebration of the Jubilee fetes of the Grand Duke Carl August. They are also planning music for the occasion; and I predict to you beforehand that you will be able to read all sorts of unflattering things on this subject, as the music in question will be in great part my composition. However that may be, I shall try to have always something better to do than to trouble myself with what is said or written about me.

How delighted I shall be to hear you again, and to rock myself as in a hammock to the sound of your arpeggi. You have not, I am sure, broken off your good habits of work, and your talent is certain to be more magnificent than ever. Quite lately Madame Pohl, who played Parish Alvars' Oberon Fantaisie charmingly, recalled most vividly the remembrance of the delightful hours at Eilsen and Weymar, which I hope soon to resume at Dresden...Be so kind as to present my best compliments to your husband and all your dear ones, and pray accept, dear Countess, the expression of most affectionate homage from yours very sincerely,

F. Liszt

Weymar, June 22nd, 1857

The Princess W. has been very seriously ill for more than two months; she is only just convalescent, and bids me give her best remembrances to you.

187. To Ludmilla Schestakoff, nee Glinka, in St. Petersburg

[sister of the celebrated Russian composer Glinka]

Madame,

I wish I were able to tell you how much I have been touched by the letter you have done me the honor to address to me. Thank you for having thought of me as one of the most sincere and zealous admirers of the fine genius of your brother, so worthy of a noble glory for the very reason that it was above vulgar successes. And again thank you for the grace which prompts you to wish to inscribe my name on one of his orchestral works, which are certain to be valued and to obtain a sympathetic preference from people of taste.

I accept with a real gratitude the dedication with which you honor me, and it will be at once my pleasure and duty to do my best towards the propagation of Glinka's works, for which I have always professed the most open and admiring sympathy. Of this I beg you, Madame, to receive anew my assurance, and to accept the most respectful homage of

Yours very truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, October 7th, 1857

I am writing by the same post to Mr. Engelhardt in Berlin to thank him for his letter, and to tell him that I feel quite flattered at seeing my name attached to a score of Glinka's.

188. To Carl Haslinger

[autograph without address in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet in Valentigney--The above was presumably the addressee.]

Dear Friend,

The writing of notes [music] draws me more and more away from the writing of letters, and my friends have already much to pardon me in this respect. With the best will in the world to fulfill my obligations, it is nevertheless impossible for me, owing to the countless claims that are made on me, to find time to do so. So do not scold me, dear friend, for having left your last letter unanswered. I had given myself a great deal to do with some manuscripts; the final proofs of the Faust and Dante Symphonies, in particular, which will now soon be engraved, had occupied me much longer than I expected. The two works are now as well finished as I am in a position to make them, and will, I hope, hold their POSITION.

I congratulate you most warmly on the performance of your opera. You may safely expect various disagreeables in connection therewith, which are inseparable from musical work. The great thing is to remain cheerful, and to do something worth doing. The cuckoo take the rest!--

Let me have a talk with you about the Zellner matter in Vienna, if, as seems likely, I have to go there at the end of May for the performance of my Mass. Meanwhile thank you very much for the pains you have taken over the proof-sheets of this long- protracted work, and I should be glad if the whole were ready to come out by the time I reach Vienna.

Tausig, who is to come out in Berlin at the beginning of January, will probably come with me. There is again a real "bravo," [Literally, iron-eater.] as Hummel said of me when he heard me in Paris in the twenties.

Will you be so kind as to give the enclosed letters to Winterberger and Rubinstein? How is our friend Winterberger getting on in the not very suitable atmosphere of Vienna? Let me know something about him soon. Yours ever,

F. Liszt

Weymar, December 5th, 1857.

189. To Hofcapellmeister Stein In Sondershausen.

[Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.-- The addressee, a first-rate conductor (born 1818), lived from 1853 in Sondershausen; died 1864.]

Let me give you once more my hearty thanks, dear friend, for the delightful day you gave me at Sondershausen, which continues so brightly and pleasantly in my recollection. The rare consummation with which your orchestra solved one of the most difficult tasks, and brought "what one hears on the mountains" [Liszt's Mountain Symphony] to the impressive understanding of the ears in the valley (if not indeed under the water and worse still), strengthens me in my higher endeavors,--and you, dear friend, will have to bear some of the responsibility if I go on writing more such "confused," "formless," and, for the every-day critic, quite "fathomless" things.

Singer [A letter from this first-rate violinist is on the same sheet with Liszt's.] needs no further recommendation from me, as he is already known to you as an eminent virtuoso. Especially at Court concerts his own refined and brilliant qualities are placed in their most favorable light.

If it is possible for you to take an opportunity of bringing out my dear and extraordinary budding genius Carl Tausig ["The last of the virtuosi;" as Weitzmann called him; born at Warsaw 1841; died at Leipzig 1871.] at the Court, I promise you that he will do honor to your recommendation.

In all esteem and devotion, yours ever,

F. Liszt

Weymar, December 6th, 1857

190. To Alexander Ritter in Stettin.

Dear friend,

Your tidings sound as incredible as they are pleasant. And I must admit, what has long been proved to me, that you are a valiant and excellent friend, and prove your friendship splendidly by the success of your venturesome undertaking. Specially do I give you my best thanks for the pregnant and poetic form which you gave to the Tasso programme. Later on, as you have broken the ice in so happy a fashion, we can push on with

[Here, Liszt illustrates with a musical score excerpt of the beginning of the Symphonic Poem "Festklange."

and other such corrupt things in Stettin!--

I was not able to attend to your letter about the matter of the parts of the Flying Dutchman until after my return to Weymar. Herr von Dingelstedt spoke to me about the idea in regard to the fee for Wagner (from the Stettin Directors), and the reply to you from the Secretary Jacobi will be to that effect. If, as I presume, you can so arrange that this idea is carried out, and that Wagner receives his fee, the parts shall be sent you from here.

I visited your dear sisters many times in Dresden, and had some delightful chats with them.

In Carl's Sonatas [Carl Ritter], which I have read with much interest, there is a decidedly musical germ; only I hope that by degrees more juicy fruit may spring from it.

Cornelius is bringing his completed opera back to Weymar at the end of this month. [Doubtless "Der Barbier von Baghdad."] Lassen, who is getting on splendidly with his ("Frauenlob "), has composed several exquisite songs between whiles. "Landgraf Ludwig's Brautfahrt" ["Landgrave Ludwig's Bridal Journey," an unpublished opera of Lassen's.] will again be given next Sunday, and from New Year (1858) Lassen will act as Grand Ducal Music Conductor of Weymar. Gotze is retiring from work, and your friend Stor undertakes his post as First Music Conductor. Damrosch, your successor, has composed a quite remarkable Violin Concerto with a Polonaise Finale, with which you will be pleased.

Recall me most kindly to your wife's remembrance, as one who remains ever

Yours in all affection and devotion,

F. Liszt

Weymar, December 7th, 1857

191. To Capellmeister Max Seifriz At Lowenberg

[Autograph in the possession of Herr Alexander Meyer Cohn in Berlin. The addressee (1827-85) was, after 1854, conductor to Prince Hohenzollern-Hechingen at Lowenberg in Silesia, until the latter's death in 1869, when he became Court Conductor in Stuttgart.]

Dear Herr Capellmeister,

With my very best thanks for your friendly letter I send you, according to your wish, the score of the "Prometheus" choruses. For the present I am not requiring it, and send it you with great pleasure, so that you may be able to read it through at your ease. I fear, alas! that the difficulty of some of the intonation in the first choruses may make the studying of it a rather detailed matter to you. Such irksomeness unfortunately attaches to all my works, not excepting the Ave Maria, which I might nevertheless venture to recommend to you next, if you have any intention of performing a vocal work of my composition. It was published by Breitkopf & Hartel (score and parts), and has been pretty favorably received at various performances of it.

I wrote yesterday to His Royal Highness, and expressed my special thanks for the kind attention in inviting Herr von Bulow during my stay at L. I rejoice immensely at the thought of these days, in which musical matter will by no means be wanting to us. Meanwhile remember me most kindly to your orchestra, which preserves so well its high renown, and accept, my dear sir, the assurance of high esteem with which I remain

Yours in all friendship,

F. Liszt

Weymar, December 24th, 1857

In the early part of April you shall hear when I am coming to Lowenberg.

192. To Alexander Seroff

My dear Sir,

By what I said in the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, [1858, No. 1, in the article "Oulibicheff and Seroff."] on New Year's Day, of your remarkable articles on Oulibicheff, you will have seen to what point I take your ideas into consideration, and how closely we meet in our musical convictions. To the sincere eulogies which I have had much pleasure in addressing to you in public, it remains to me to add those which I owe you for the conscientious work that you have had the kindness to communicate to me by sending me the pianoforte score of Beethoven's Quartet in C sharp minor. Without the least exaggeration, I don't think anything of its kind could have been better done, as much on account of the intelligent division of the parts between the two pianos, as by the skill with which you have appropriated to the piano the style of this Quartet, without forcing or disfiguring anything.

In this latter task there are without doubt some impossibilities which one cannot fail to recognize, and, whatever effort we may make, we shall never succeed in rendering on our instrument either the intensity or the delicacy of the violin bow. In the same manner the coloring, and the fine nuances of the violin, viola, and violoncello will always escape us--but in spite of this it is due to you in justice to recognize that your work identifies itself as far as possible with the sentiment and thought of the original, and that you have frequently succeeded in supplementing the poverty and defects inherent in such an arrangement.

About six weeks ago I sent your manuscript to Mr. Schott, the editor, at Mainz, recommending him to publish your arrangement. Up to the present time I have received no reply, which, however, seems to me a good sign. As soon as ever I hear his determination I will let you know. Possibly in the course of the summer you will find a few weeks' leisure to make a journey into these parts and to bring us the complete collection of your arrangements of Beethoven's latter instrumental works. In that case let me beg of you, my dear sir, not to forget me, and to rest assured beforehand of the lively interest that I shall take in your work, which it would be doubly interesting to me to go through with you. Bearing in mind the original, we should probably find, between us, some details to modify previous to a definite publication.

For today allow me to thank you once more, my dear sir, very cordially for having associated me in thought with your beautiful work, and pray accept the expression of very sincere and affectionate regard of

Yours very truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, January 8th, 1858

193. To Basil von Engelhardt

[A very intelligent musical amateur, a friend of Glinka's, and publisher of several of his works]

Sir,

Whilst giving you my very sincere thanks for so kindly sending me the Glinka scores published by your friends, I am much pleased to be able at the same time to inform you that the Capriccio on the melody of the "Jota Aragonese" has just been performed (on New Year's Day) at a grand Court concert with most complete success. Even at the rehearsal the intelligent musicians whom I am proud to count among the members of our orchestra had been both struck and delighted by the lively and piquant originality of this charming piece, so delicately cut and proportioned, and finished with such taste and art! What delicious episodes, cleverly joined to the principal subject (Letters A and B)! What fine nuances and coloring divided among the different timbres of the orchestration (Letters C to D)! What animation in the rhythmic movement from one end to the other! How the happiest surprises spring constantly out of the logical developments! and how everything is in its right place, keeping the mind constantly on the watch, caressing and tickling the ear by turns, without a single moment of heaviness or fatigue! This is what we all felt at this rehearsal; and the day after the performance we promised ourselves to hear it again speedily, and to make acquaintance, as speedily as possible, with Glinka's other works.

Will you, my dear musician, be so kind as to renew the expression of my gratitude to Madame Schestakoff for the honor she has done me in dedicating this work to me? And when you have time, do come and hear it with your own ears at Weymar. I can assure you that you will not have occasion to regret the troubles of a little journey; and were it only the rhythm

[FIGURE: Music example in 2 staves, the upper 'wind and brass', the lower 'string quartet']

that would be enough to make ample amends for them. I beg you, sir, to accept the assurance of my sincere regard.

F. Liszt

Weymar, January 8th, 1858

P.S.--I shall be much obliged if you will send me two supplementary parts of the quartet (first and second violin, viola, and bass) of each of Glinka's works.

194. To Felix Draseke

[Now professor at the Dresden Conservatorium, a well-known composer of importance, also a writer on music (born 1835)]

Your articles [Published in the paper started by Brendel, "Hints" (or "Suggestions")], which were so universally suggestive, my dear and valiant friend, have given great pleasure to us on the Altenburg. I hope to have an opportunity of showing you my gratitude in a lasting and abiding fashion. Meanwhile be satisfied with a good conscience in having strengthened and sustained an honest man in his better purpose.

I have received through Brendel an invitation to Prague, which I shall probably accept for the beginning of March. I am delighted to think of seeing you again, dear friend, in passing through Dresden, and perhaps you might make it possible to accompany me to Prague. The "Dante Symphony" and the "Ideale" are again to be given there, and, if I am not mistaken, you will rather like the former work in its present shape. The Dresden performance was a necessity to me, in order to realize its effect. As long as one has only to do with lifeless paper one can easily make a slip of the pen. Music requires tone and resonance!--I cannot at first lay claim to effectual results, because I have to meet too much opposition. The chief thing is that my present works should prove themselves to be taking a firm footing in musical matters, and should contribute something towards doing away with what is corrupt...

What is Reubke [A pupil of Liszt's.] doing, and how does he like Dresden?--Take him most friendly greetings from me. By-the-by ask him also to give me tidings as soon as possible (through Herr Menert) about the copying of the orchestral parts of the Rubinstein Oratorio "Paradise Lost," and to get Herr Menert to send me these parts to Weymar by the end of this month at latest. It is to be hoped that Reubke won't have left the score in his box like Pohl! But if by chance he has committed such a transgression I beg that he will make amends as speedily as possible.

Fischer (the organist) wrote to me lately, to ask me for a testimonial to his musical ability, as he wants to have one to show in Chemnitz. Please to make my friendly excuses to him for not fulfilling his wish--possibly, in view of the enmity which I have to bear on all sides, such a document would do him more harm than good; apart from the fact that I very unwillingly set about drawing up such testimonials. He must not, however, misconstrue this disinclination on my part, and may rest assured of my readiness to be of use to him.--

I would still draw your attention to Bronsart's concert in Leipzig. It will take place in a few days, and if you can get free I invite you to it. Bronsart is a very dear friend of mine; I value him as a character and as a musician. If you go to Leipzig go and see him; he will please you, and will receive you in the most friendly manner. He is a friend of Bulow's. Both names have the same initials, and for a long time Bronsart signed himself "Hans II." in his letters to me.--

In the virtuoso line we have lately been hearing Sivori and Bazzini here several times. The latter is now in Dresden; I told him that Reubke would perhaps call on him. Get Reubke to do so, and assure him that he will be most friendlily received. A well- known piece of Bazzini's, "La Ronde des Lutins," was, by a printer's error, called "Ronde des Cretins!" ["Rondo of Idiots."] What an immeasurably large public for such a "Rondo"! If only half of them would become subscribers to the Anregungen (Hints)!

Once more a thousand thanks, dear friend, for your courageous battling; I on my side will endeavour not to let us have to acquiesce with too overpowering a modesty! [An untranslatable pun on the words "beseheiden" and "Bescheidenheit."

Yours ever,

F. Liszt

[Weimar,] Sunday, January 10th, 1858

195. To Louis Koehler

My very dear friend,

A few days ago I received a letter from Koenigsberg, signed by a gentleman unknown to me. By chance this letter has got lost, and I cannot myself remember the exact name. But, as your name was mentioned in it, I beg you to be so good as to let Herr * * * know that I do not possess the arrangement of the second movement of my Faust Symphony made by Zellner in Vienna for pianoforte, violin, harp, and harmonium, and that consequently I cannot hand it over to him. Besides this, I do consider such a fragmentary performance of this work of mine, which stands in such bad credit with the critics, as rather unsuitable, and would not advise any concert-giver, and still less any concert-directors, to smuggle into a programme my name so challenged as a composer. How long this curious comedy of criticism will last I am unable to determine; anyhow I am resolved not to trouble my head about the cry of murder which is raised against me, and to go on my way in a consistent and undeterred fashion. Whether I shall be answerable for the scandal, or whether my opponents will entangle themselves in the scandal, will appear later. Meanwhile they can hiss and scribble as much as they please. In the course of the summer my "Faust" and "Dante" Symphonies will be published by Hartel, together with a couple of new Symphonic Poems. The "Faust Symphony" is dedicated to Berlioz, and the "Dante" to Wagner. I am sending them to you, dear friend, with the two pianoforte arrangements, with the risk that nothing will please you in them, which however will not prevent us from being good friends. You may rest assured that I shall always be grateful to you for the friendliness you have shown me in past years, and that I would never attempt to compromise you with my future. For the latter I alone can and must care.

Please then make my best excuses to Herr * * *, whose kind letter has, alas! cost me much useless searching, and continue your personal well-wishing to your ever faithful friend (though fallen in musical esteem and under your ban),

F. Liszt

Weymar, February 1st, 1858

196. To Professor L. A. Zellner in Vienna

You may believe me, dear friend, when I tell you that all the disagreeables and vexations which the preparations for the performance of my Mass [The Gran Festival Mass.] draw upon you are the most acutely felt by myself. Do you really think it is desirable to go against trifles of this sort and openly to fight them? I should not like to decide this "a distance"; but I promise you that I will not leave you in the lurch if in the end the indispensable invitation to me follows. The concert at Prague is to take place on the 12th of March, and I invite you to it. Then after that I can travel with you on the 14th to Vienna or return to Weymar. But I hope the former. I have nothing whatever to say against the invitation of the Pest singers, because the four persons have remained in my friendly remembrance. Yet I must remark that the performance of the solos in my Mass offers no special difficulties, and that consequently it could be quite suitably and satisfactorily given by Vienna singers, which seems both simpler and pleasanter. Herr Dr. Gunz, Herr Panzer, and Fraulein Huber are quite satisfactory to me as soloists, as also Fraulein Friedlowsky, of whom I have heard the highest praise as Elizabeth. The tenor and alto are the chief people concerned, as they have the principal subject in the Kyrie and Benedictus. If we have two rehearsals with pianoforte, which I shall have great pleasure in holding with the ladies and gentlemen myself, we shall thoroughly get to the bottom of it; and if the singers have steadfastness enough to make an effect with their part the thing will go of itself.

With regard to the chorus and orchestra I reserve it to myself to express my thanks to Hellmesberger and the chorus-directors in writing, as soon as I have definite tidings. But to you, dear friend, I can only repeat that he who will understand me loves me also--and that I remain,

Yours in all friendship,

F. Liszt

Weymar, February 8th, 1858

197. To Peter Cornelius in Mainz

[Weimar,] February 19th, 1858

It is very bad, dearest Cornelius, that you have so long forsaken us! Much as I must approve of your decision to finish writing your Opera ["Der Barbier von Baghdad"] completely, yet I am dreadfully sorry to be without you for so many months. I did hope that you would be with us on the 18th of February for certain; now you announce yourself for the middle of March, at which time I shall probably not be here. On the 12th of March I conduct a concert at Prague, at which the "Ideale" and the "Dante Symphony" will be given. Thence I proceed to Vienna, and later to Loewenberg (in Silesia) to my noble and most amiable patron Prince Hohenzollern-Hechingen, who, in spite of political changes, has not only retained his Hechingen orchestra, but has also increased it by fresh members.

I wish I could give you better tidings of my work, best friend, than I am able to do. The last few months have passed without my being able to do any steady work at my writing. I have merely sketched and patched.

By May will appear a new edition of the Kuenstler-Chor (with some important simplifications and improvements), and shortly after that the volume of my "Gesammelte Lieder" ["Collected Songs."] (about thirty), one or two of which will not be displeasing to you. I shall not be able to set to the working out of my Elizabeth till my return from Vienna.

The three songs [by Cornelius] (dedicated to Princess Marie) [Princess Wittgenstein, now Princess Hohenlohe in Vienna.] are charming and excellent. There is in them such a refined and true proportion in union with such fervent and ardent mood that other people besides the author must love them.

In order to make no break in my wonted fault-finding, I observe that in the fifth bar of the first song the A-flat is more agreeable than G.

[Figure: Music example showing the passage in question.] The carrying out of the motive in the second song:

[Figure: Here Liszt writes 2 bars of music to illustrate.]

(page 2, last line, and page 3) you have done most happily--also the moonlight conclusion of it,

[Figure: Here Liszt writes 3 bars of music to illustrate.]

and the poetic delineation of the last verse in the third song (in which the rests in the voice part and the motive in the accompaniment, enlivened by the rhythm [Here follows in the original an illegible sign. In the song there come in here, in place of the quaver movement which has prevailed hitherto, some long-sustained chords in the accompaniment, which are again interrupted by the quaver movement.], make an excellent effect):- -

"Wenn mein Lied zu Ende geht, Sing ich's weiter in Gedanken, Wie's im Wald verschwiegen weht, Wie die Rosen sich umranken!"

["When my song is ended quite, Yet in thought I still am singing, As the wood at silent night Echoes from the day is bringing!"]

Well and good, dearest Cornelius, and now some more soon, let me beg of you! Don't make too long pauses in your hermitage, and allow us to tell you and prove to you how truly we love you.

F. Liszt

P.S.--About two months ago I at last sent Schott the proofs of the second year of the "Annees de Pelerinage," together with the manuscript of Seroff's arrangement for two pianofortes of Beethoven's C-sharp minor Quartet. Will you be so good as to get Schott to let me know the fate of the C-sharp minor Quartet? Although two-piano arrangements are somewhat thankless articles of sale, yet perhaps Schott may manage to bring out this Quartet, of which I should be very glad.

Don't forget, dearest friend, to remind him that he has left my letter about this matter hitherto unanswered--and I should be glad to let Seroff know something definite.

198. To Dionys Pruckner in Munich

"Lohengrin" be thanked that I hear something from you again, dear Dionysius, and I give you my best thanks that you wrote to me directly after the first performance, and thus gave me fresh good tidings [Namely after the first performance of Lohengrin in Munich, on February 28th, 1858]. What criticism will emit about it by way of addition troubles me little--in our present circumstances its strength consists mainly in the fear which people have of it; and, as the Augsburg gentlemen renounce all claim "to wash to teach us," nothing remains for us but to teach ourselves better than they can do it.

Ad vocem of the severe gentlemen of Augsburg, I will send you in a few days Bronsart's brochure "Musikalische Pflichten" ["Musical Duties." Leipzig, Matthes, 1858] (in answer to the "Musikalische Leiden" ["Musical Sufferings." In Nos. 353-55 of the supplement to the Augsburg Allgemeine Zeitung, 1857.], etc.). The A[llgemeine]Z[eitung] only made a couple of extracts from it in its columns, and from these the point was missing. Bronsart exquisitely accuses our opponents of ill-will, unfairness, and calumniation. Since they have not succeeded in silencing us in a conspicuous manner, they would like to kill us insignificantly, for which, however, other weapons would be necessary than those which they have at their command.

Meanwhile Bronsart's form of argument will give you a pleasant hour, and if, as you tell me, you have found in Munich a few comrades of the same mind, let the "Musikalische Pflichten" be recommended in their circle.

Amongst other things the assumption of the reporter of the A. Z. that Wagner himself had never conducted his Lohengrin better than Franz Lachner, appeared to me very droll. It is well known that Wagner has never heard this work, let alone conducted it!-- Ignorance of this kind is, moreover, not the worst on the other side, where intentional and unintentional ignorance and lies (not to mince the matter) are continually being directed against us.

But enough of that. Let us continue to go on our own way simply and honorably, and let the tame or wild beasts on our right and left behave as they like!--

I have not kept your last letter (during my stay in Dresden). Address, up to the 25th of this month, to Haslinger in Vienna. I shall get there by the beginning of next week, and shall conduct the Gran Mass in the Redouten-Saal [Ball-room] on the 22nd and 23rd. Next Thursday the "Dante Symphony" and the "Ideale" will be given here--and on Sunday "Tasso" (in a Conservatorium Concert). Tausig and Pflughaupt [A pupil of Henselt and Liszt (1833-71)] play my two Concertos.

In the E-flat major (No. 1) I have now hit on the expedient of striking the triangle (which aroused such anger and gave such offence) quite lightly with a tuning-fork--and in the Finale (Marcia) I have pretty nearly struck it out altogether, because the ordinary triangle-virtuosi as a rule come in wrong and strike it too hard.

Rubinstein and Dreyschock came to see me in Weymar before I left. The latter is intending to go to Munich. Go and see him and give him greetings from me.

Write and tell me, dear Dionysius, if I can be of use to you in any way, and you may always dispose of Yours in all friendship,

F. Liszt

Prague, March 9th, 1858

P.S.--Give me some tidings about your stay in Munich. With whom do you have most intercourse? Do you see many of my friends there--Kaulbach, Frau Pacher, etc.? Do you give lessons? Are you thinking of settling there, or do you intend to make a concert tour, and if so, where?--Send me also your exact address.

199. To Eduard Liszt

Dearest Eduard,

Hearty thanks for your few lines.

The letter of invitation has not yet arrived. It goes without saying that I shall accept it; and as soon as I know in what form and to whom I have to reply, I shall write at once. Meanwhile I intend to reach Vienna on Monday, or Tuesday at latest. After tomorrow's concert (with "Dante" and the "Ideale") there is still a Conservatorium Concert to come off on Sunday at midday, at which I shall conduct "Tasso," and also my first Concerto will be played by Herr Pflughaupt. I shall either start for Vienna at once that same evening, or else on Tuesday early. Will you be so good as to order me rooms, as before, in the Kaiserin von Oesterreach [Empress of Austria.] hotel? I am bringing Tausig with me, whose acquaintance you will like to make.

Yours in spirit, and by the ties of flesh and blood,

F. Liszt

Prague, Wednesday early, March 10th, 1858

I received the five hundred gulden all right--and also the big bill, which was a pleasant surprise to me, for when I left Weymar I had made up my mind to give up all claim to it. Now that it has come, however, it must be something good!--I promise you this, that we shall not disgrace ourselves, and shall even surpass the expectations of our very few friends!--

200. To Frau Dr. Steche in Leipzig

Vienna, March 20th, 1858

How many excuses I owe you, my dear lady and kind friend, for all the trouble and disagreeables that the "Preludes" have occasioned you! I can really scarcely pardon myself for having written the piece!--When the Princess informed me of your kind intention I wrote to her that a performance of my things in Leipzig appeared to me untimely, and that I was resolved to let them fall into oblivion rather than to importune my friends with them. Hence the heterogeneousness of the letters and telegrams to you, dear madam, which I beg you kindly to excuse. Candidly, I still think it is better not to have the "Preludes" performed now in Leipzig;[As there had already been a performance of this on the 26th of February, 1857, this can only refer to a performance in the "Euterpe" Concerts.] but I thank you none the less warmly for the kind interest you take in my compositions--in spite of their bad name--and take this opportunity of repeating to you the expression of high esteem and friendly devotion with which I remain

F. Liszt

201. To Professor L. A. Zellner in Vienna

Pest, April 6th, 1858

Dear Friend,

With the

[Here Liszt writes a musical score excerpt of a whole note A falling to quarter note D, in octave below middle C, with the word 'Cre - do' under the notes]

Cre-do we will conclude this time in Vienna! We must not give certain gentlemen any occasion to imagine that I concern myself about them more than is really the case. Faust and Dante can quietly wait for the due understanding of them. I must send them next to Hartel, so that they may be published by the end of this year. Give my very best thanks to Hellmesberger for the kind way in which he meets me; he will forgive me if I cannot as yet put it to use. Under existing circumstances it is wise and suitable for me "to strive with earnest consistency for my high aim, regardless of adverse circumstances and small-minded people."

At the end of next week I go to Lowenberg, and thence back to Weymar. Therefore no concert in Vienna for this season--what may happen later on remains meanwhile undecided.

The Pest concert has also not been given; but possibly my Symphonic Poems may obtain a hearing in Pest sooner than in Vienna, because I may expect much more susceptibility to them here. When I have got my Opera finished, [This must be "Sardanapalus."] I must in any case stay here a couple of month-- and on that occasion, perhaps, I may be able to bring in my Symphonic things in three or four concerts. But there is no hurry whatever for this; the "Elizabeth" and the Opera must be finished first...

My intention had been to get to Vienna yesterday, and to be satisfied with calling only on our four solo-singers and Count Raday in Pest to express my thanks. But I was pressed on all sides in so kind a manner to let my Gran Festival Mass be heard again that I willingly acquiesced. The articles in the Austrian p[aper], and your brochure, have done the most towards stirring up the general wish. The public is like this--that they only know what they ought to think of a work when they see it printed in black and white!--You have therefore to answer for it if the Mass is performed here a second time--on Friday afternoon in the Museum-Saal (for the benefit of the Conservatorium) and on Sunday in the Parish Church. On Monday evening I shall be in Vienna. I wrote to Tausig yesterday that we would decide on the evening of our musical meeting at your house after Countess Banffy has chosen on the evening for her soiree (at which Tausig will play). If I hear anything further about it Tausig shall let you know at once, so that you may be able to make your invitations in advance. On Thursday or on Saturday at latest I leave Vienna. All further particulars viva voce.

Yours ever,

F. Liszt

There is no truth in the idea of a private concert. I will tell you in what way I might be able to realize it another time--and will take counsel and consent about it from you.

202. To Eduard Liszt

Dearest Eduard,

It is not enough that I have already been in all sorts of trouble here in connection with the two performances of the Gran Mass, which will take place next Friday and Sunday (for which four to five rehearsals at the least are indispensable)--but now the post from Vienna brings me bad tidings, for which indeed I was prepared, but which, nevertheless, are by no means desired by me. I had a long letter yesterday from our friend Z., which I am answering with a decided refusal as regards a nearly impending performance of my Symphonic Poems in Vienna. For this time we will stop at the two performances of the Gran Mass--neither a note more nor less. Later on we will consider how we shall stand on the next occasion, and I shall take counsel with you about it, because I have the conviction that you not only intend and act for the best and kindest as regards me, but also the most judiciously!--

On Monday evening I shall be back in Vienna--and will expect you directly I reach home. If possible I shall start from Vienna on Thursday evening--but at the latest on Saturday early. I have written to Tausig to take my old rooms for me. Much as I should like to come to you, yet this time it is simpler for me to stay at an hotel.

To our speedy meeting, which, alas! will be a good deal clouded for us by these various obstructions. But in Vienna it can't be otherwise. On this account you must soon come again to Weymar, where we can belong to ourselves.

Heartfelt greetings in sincere friendship and loving devotion from

F. Liszt

Pest, April 7th, 1858

203. To Adolf Reubke, Organ-Builder at Hausneinsdorf in the Harz.

[Written on the death of his son Julius Reubke (died June 3rd, 1858), a favorite pupil of Liszt's.]

Dear Sir,

Allow me to add these few lines of deepest sympathy to the poem by Cornelius, ["Bein Tode von Julius Reubke" ("On the Death of Julius Reubke"). Cornelius, Poems. Leipzig, 1890.] which lends such fitting words to our feelings of sorrow. Truly no one could feel more deeply the loss which Art has suffered in your Julius, than the one who has followed with admiring sympathy his noble, constant, and successful strivings in these latter years, and who will ever bear his friendship faithfully in mind--the one who signs himself with great esteem

Yours most truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, June 10th, 1858

204. To Prince Constantin von Hohenzollern-Hechingen

[Autograph in the possession of Herr Alexander Meyer Cohn in Berlin.--This very musical Prince was for years Liszt's patron, and often invited the latter to stay with him at his Silesian residence at Lowenberg, where he kept up an orchestra.]

Monseigneur,

When Your Highness was kind enough to express your views to me respecting your noble design of encouraging in an exceptional manner the progress of musical Art, and to question me as to the best mode of employing a certain sum of money for this object, I think I mentioned to you Mr. Brendel, the editor of the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, as the best man to make your liberal intentions bear fruit. As much on account of the perfect uprightness of his character, which is free from all reproach, as for the important and continuous services which his paper and other of his works have rendered to the good cause for many years past, I consider Mr. Brendel entirely worthy of your confidence.

It is not lightly that I put forward this opinion--and I venture to flatter myself that my antecedents will be a sufficient guarantee to Your Highness that in this matter, as in any others in which I may have the honor of submitting any proposition to you, I could follow no other influences, no other counsels, than those of a scrupulous conscience. Putting aside all considerations of vanity or personal advantage foreign to the end in view, my sincere and sole desire is to make Your Highness's intentions and capital the most productive possible. It is with this view that I have openly spoken of the matter to Brendel, whose letter, which I venture to enclose herewith, corresponds, as it seems to me, with the programme in question.

I venture to beg you, Monseigneur, to look into this attentively, and to let me know whether you will grant permission to Brendel to enter into these matters more explicitly by writing to you direct. In the event of the propositions contained in his letter meeting with the approval of Your Highness, as I trust they may do, it would be desirable that you should let him know without too much delay in what manner you would wish your kind intentions carried out.

In order to fulfill its task of progress, the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik has not spared its editor either in efforts or sacrifices. By the fact that it represents, in a talented and conscientious manner, the opinions and sympathies of my friends and myself, it is in the most advanced, and consequently the most perilous, position of our musical situation; therefore our adversaries lose no opportunity of raising difficulties for it. Our opinions and sympathies will he sustained, I doubt not, by their worth and conviction; but if Your Highness condescends to come to our aid, we shall be both proud and happy--and it is by spreading our ideas through the Press that we can best strengthen our position.

In other words, I am convinced that, in granting your confidence to Mr. Brendel, the sum that Your Highness is pleased to devote to this matter will be employed in the most honest manner, and that most useful to the progress of Art--and that all the honor and gratitude which your munificence deserves will spring from it--as is the earnest desire of him who has the honor to be, Monseigneur, Your Highness's most devoted and humble servant,

F. Liszt

Weymar, August 18th, 1858

205. To Frau Rosa von Milde

[Court opera-singer in Weimar, nee Agthe; the first Elsa in Lohengrin; a refined and poetical artist]

Weymar, August 25th, 1858

My honored and dear Friend,

If the outward circumstances which you mention in your kind letter are not exactly of the kind that I could wish for you, yet I am egotist enough to be much pleased at its friendly contents towards myself. Accept my warmest thanks for them--and let me tell you how anxious I am that you should like me very much, and how desirous I am to deserve this--as far as it can be deserved; for the best part of a harmonious intimacy must ever remain a free gift.