Ever faithfully yours,
F. Liszt
364. To Alfred Reisenauer
Dear Friend and Art-Comrade,
I beg you to send me here, in manuscript, your capital orchestration of the 3rd Mephisto-waltz. Don't take the trouble to alter anything in this manuscript or to write anything new; send it me just as I have seen it. When it has been copied the printed edition will follow, with the name of Reisenauer attached to it.
In all friendship,
F. Liszt
Weimar, September 1st, 1885
365. To the Editor of the "Allgemeine Musikzeitung," Otto Lessmann, in Charlottenburg
[Was published in the Allgemeine Musikzeitung of September 1885]
Dear Mr. Editor,
With regret, and a firm conviction, I repeat to you in writing that Theodor Kullak's forgetfulness ought to be made good by his heirs. Otherwise it would be severely denounced as unfaithfulness to his position as an artist. A fortune of several millions gained by music-teaching ought not to remain buried without any regard to music students. Unless the heirs prefer to found a Kullak-Scholarship, I consider that they are in duty bound to endow the four existing musical scholarships—those in the names of Mozart, Mendelssohn, Meyerbeer, Beethoven—with 30,000 marks each: total 120,000 marks.
With well-known opinions, mindful of the artist's standing, I am yours truly,
F. Liszt
Weimar, September 5th, 1885
366. To Casar Cui
Very honored Friend,
The very gracious propagandist, the Countess of Mercy-Argenteau, has already received a transcription of your brilliant "Tarentelle." I will send a second copy of it to Bessel (Petersburg), and shall ask him to give it to you, trusting that you will not disapprove of the few liberties and amplifications that I have ventured to make in order to adapt this piece to the programmes of virtuosi pianists.
Sincere feelings of esteem and attachment.
F. Liszt
Munich, October 18th, 1885
367. To Countess Mercy-Argenteau
Dear admirable Propagandist,
It is your habit to write the most charming letters in the world. Before receiving your last I had sent you from Weimar my transcription of Cui's "Tarentelle." If you will condescend to illustrate it with your fingers it will receive its full meed of light.
I am sure you will be so kind as to send my note to Cui, who, I hope, will not be vexed with the varying readings and amplifications I have ventured to make, with a view of bringing the pianist still more forward. In this kind of transcription some sort of distinction is wanted.
Tomorrow evening I shall be in Rome,—Hotel Alibert. Please send me word there of your safe receipt of the manuscript.
Constant homage, admiring and sincere.
F. Liszt
Innsbruck, October 24th, 1885
368. To Eduard Reuss in Carlsruhe [Pianist, pupil of Liszt's.]
My dear Friend,
Thanks and praise for your capital orchestral arrangement of the "Concerto pathetique." It appears to me effective, well- proportioned, and done with a refined and due understanding of it. I had but little to alter in it; but some additions to the original are desirable, in order to allow full scope to the piano virtuoso. ["This 'Concerto Pathetique' seems to me a murderous piece, with which first-rate virtuosi can make an effect," writes Liszt, on the 10th November, to Reuss.] Hence, in different places, there are altogether somewhere about fifty to sixty bars which I add to your manuscript. The beginning is also to be ten bars sooner, and the ending to conclude with twenty-two bars more.
I hear an orchestration of the same "Concerto pathetique" spoken of, as having been produced in Moscow. I do not know it myself, and after yours there is no use in it. I received in Weimar, almost simultaneously with yours, a letter from Joseffy in New York, begging me to instrumentate the piece. I shall answer him very soon that your score is already completed, and that he is to apply to my friend Eduard Reuss if he is disposed to perform the "Concerto" with orchestra in America. [Joseffy played the "Concerto Pathetique" in this form from a copy, in the spring of 1886, in New York.]
Enclosed is my recommendation to Hartel with regard to the publishing. Send it together with your manuscript, of which it is not necessary to make a copy—only my scribbling of the additions must be copied out clean and clearly on an extra sheet.—
Probably Hartels will not show themselves disobliging. If they undertake the publication I should still like to read through the last proof-sheets.
The most charming recollection remains to me of Carlsruhe.
[Namely, of the "Tonkunstler-Versammlung" of the "Allgemeine
Deutsche Musikverein," from the 27th May to the 1st June, 1885.]
The Grand Duke was so gracious and truly kind!—
Assure your wife of my sincere attachment.
Faithfully yours,
F. Liszt
Hotel Alibert, Rome, November 4th, 1885
369. To Breitkopf and Hartel
[This is Liszt's last autograph letter to the Firm; a later one on the same subject (on the 16th June, 1886) is only signed by him]
My dear Sirs,
Although your shop is already saddled with two editions of my "Concerto pathetique," I recommend you most particularly the excellent orchestral arrangement of the same piece, [By Eduard Reuss. It was published by Breitkopf and Hartel.] to which I have added some bars for more completion, which should also be included in the possible (?) later piano editions.
The poet and the writer often make alterations. With the engraving of music this is more difficult, though not entirely to be put aside.
With esteem,
F. Liszt
Rome, November, 1885
370. To Walter Bache
My very dear Friend,
Certainly your invitation takes precedence of all others. So choose the day that suits yourself and I will appear. Without Walter Bache and his long years of self-sacrificing efforts in the propaganda of my works my visit to London were indeed not to be thought of.
Do you know your namesake (without the final E), Herr Emil Bach, Prussian Court-pianist? I enclose herewith a second letter, which I have answered, as I did the first, that I must not be the occasion of expense and inconvenience to any one. Orchestral concerts are expensive everywhere, especially in London. Consequently I cannot encourage Emil Bach's project, and can only dissuade him from putting it into execution. Send me word about this.
Gratefully and faithfully yours,
F. Liszt
Rome, Hotel Alibert, November 17th, 1885
Mr. Stavenhagen, [Now one of the most celebrated pianists] a pianist and musician of real talent, wants to come out in London, and is writing to you on this subject.
370a. To Walter Bache
My very dear Friend,
It is fixed then: Thursday, 8th April, Ricevimento [Reception] at
Walter Bache's house. Enclosed is the letter of the Philharmonic
Society, together with the rough copy of my reply which I send
off today. Please observe the postscript:
"If, in the concert at which one of my Symphonic Poems will be performed, Mr. Walter Bache would play some Pianoforte composition of mine, that would give me great pleasure. I permit myself to give this simple hint without the slightest desire of influencing your programme, which it is for you to fix."—
I am quite of your opinion, dear friend. The accented poaht of my coming to London is to be present at the "Elizabeth" performance. It was this that decided my coming, and it is to be hoped it will be a success. [It was given on the 6th April, 1886, under the conductorship of Mackenzie. Bache had already given it in London in 1876.]
I have answered Emil Bach's first and second letters to the effect that I should not wish to involve any one in expense, and that consequently I must dissuade him from giving an orchestral Liszt concert. Beg Littleton personally to make my wish quite clear to Herr Emil Bach, that his proposed concert should not be given. .—.
Faithfully yours,
F. Liszt
November 26th, 1885
I have just received a second letter from the "Philharmonic Society."—To my answer to the first (sent yesterday) I have nothing to add.
370b. To the Philharmonic Society
Very honored Directors,
Much flattered with your kind intention to admit one of my
"Poemes Symphoniques" on to the programme of the Philharmonic
Society, during my stay in London, I beg you to accept my sincere
thanks.
Will you please choose, according to your own pleasure, the work which suits you best, and also ask your "conductor," Sir Arthur Sullivan, from me, to direct it?
For twenty years past I have been quite outside of any work as orchestral conductor and pianist.
Distinguished consideration and loyal devotion.
F. Liszt
Rome, November 26th, 1885
P.S.—If, in the concert at which one of my Symphonic Poems will be performed, Mr. Walter Bache would [etc., see quotation in previous letter].
371. To Countess Mercy-Argenteau
Dear admirable Propagandist,
Herewith is a different rendering of the shake, with an indication to the left hand of the motive which is then taken up again in full. This new shake is a little awkward to do, but not too troublesome. Will you be so kind as to send it to Cui, and beg him to be my emissary to the editor of the original of Cui's brilliant "Tarantelle," for the publication of the transcription? To my regret the smallness of my income obliges me to leave no stone unturned to make money out of my transcriptions, [La modicite de man revenu m'oblige a faire fleche, non pas de tout bois, mais de fagots de mes transcriptions. The literal translation is, "Obliges me to utilise, not the wood, but the faggots of my transcriptions," the point of the sentence turning upon the French idiom "faire fleche de tout bois," which in English is rendered by a totally different idiom.—Trans.] for which I am now paid in Germany, Russia, France, at the rate of from twelve to 1500 marks apiece, for the copyright in all countries.
Observe that I choose works to be transcribed, and refuse myself to any other demands. This year, for instance, I have confined myself to the volume that you condescend to accept—and that you will, I hope, bring to the light by the diamonds and pearls of your fingers.
Mr. Bessel therefore only has either to send me 1200 marks in payment, or else to return me the manuscript without being ashamed.
Most humble and constant homage.
F. Liszt
Rome, November 21st, 1885
When you have sent me word of the result of the negotiation with
Bessel, I will write my thanks and acknowledgments to Cui.
N.B.—The new shape should be printed as an Ossia, above the old one.
372. To Camille Saint-Saens
Very honored Confrere and very dear Friend,
I shall certainly be in London the first week in April. With regard to my visit to Paris I am still very undecided, as I do not wish to expose myself to discomfiture like that which I had to go through in '66. [Liszt's scruples were removed; as is well known, he went to Paris, and found himself indescribably feted there. The triumphs of his youth were repeated once more in the evening of his life.]
Everywhere and always I shall be happy and proud of your collaboration, and remain your sincere admirer and devoted friend,
F. Liszt
Rome (Hotel Alibert), November 28th, 1885
I shall remain here till the middle of January. This summer Mme. Montigny [Mme. Montigny-Remaury, an excellent pianist; retired into private life on her second marriage in Vienna] spoke to me of her marriage, which has now taken place. M. de Serres gave me the impression of an honest man who adores his wife. I have no news of the newly married couple.
There is nothing more witty than your remark on the perpetual youth of composers in Paris. In your company, dear friend, I would gladly be of the party, in spite of my seventy-four years.
373. To Eugen d'Albert
[The most important and many-sided of the younger pupils of
Liszt]
Admired, Dear "Albertus Magnus,"
Thank you for the dedication of your worthy, noble, effective Concerto, which I have again read through with special pleasure, and heard played by Stavenhagen.
Is no edition of it for two pianofortes come out? I think such editions are desirable—almost indispensable. They are also much used now.
Congratulating you on your happiness in becoming a father, with best regards to your wife,
Yours most truly,
F. Liszt
Rome, December 26th, 1885
370. To Sophie Menter
Kind Diplomatist and Very Dear Friend,
I am writing my most humble thanks to the Grand Duke Constantine for his gracious invitation, together with the very kindly intentioned consideration of my age and failing eyesight—and especially my unfitness for pianoforte playing and orchestral conducting. This deters me from making any pretensions to a fee; but you know, dear friend, that my small income would not be sufficient to pay for lodging and a carriage in Petersburg. From the 1st to the 12th April I am detained in London. If it is not too late then, to Petersburg comes
Yours ever most faithfully,
F. Liszt
Rome, December 30th, 1885
In the middle of January I return to Budapest. Friendly greetings to the New School, whom I will beg to assist me as a veritable privy council in Petersburg. From the next letter of the Grand Duke Constantine I await the decision whether my journey to Petersburg in the middle of April is accepted or not.
375. To Eduard Reuss
My Dear Friend,
Still some slight alterations and amplifications in the "Concerto pathetique."
The drum rhythm
[Here, Liszt illustrates with a 2-bar musical score excerpt]
appears to me too risky; if the drummer comes down plump on it he will spoil the whole piece. Let's therefore put
[Here, Liszt illustrates with 3-bar musical score excerpt]
This rhythm will serve us twice as a transition,—and at the end.
Before the end of this month I shall be in Budapest, and at the beginning of April in London, for the "Elizabeth" performance (St. James's Hall) under Mackenzie's conducting.
Faithfully yours,
F. Liszt
Rome, January 10th, 1886
376. To Walter Bache
My Very Dear Friend,
They seem determined in London to push me to the Piano.
I cannot consent to this in public, as my seventy-five-year-old fingers are no longer suited to it, and Bulow, Saint-Satins, Rubinstein, and you, dear Bache, play my compositions much better than what is left of my humble self.
Perhaps it would be opportune if friend Hueffer would have the kindness to let the public know, by a short announcement, that Liszt only ventures to appear as a grateful visitor, and neither in London nor anywhere else as a man with an interest in his fingers.
In all friendship yours,
F. Liszt
Budapest, February 11th, 1886
77. To the Countess Mercy-Argeneau
Very Admirable and Admired One [Tres admirable et admiree],
Your most amiable letter did not reach me without some delay, for
I took about ten days to make the journey from Rome to Budapest.
Madame Falk writes to me also of the concert at Liege, but I fear I shall only have excuses to offer. On the 20th March I shall be in Paris, where the "Gran Mass," too much criticised, and even hissed by some low fellows (at the Pasdeloup concert in '66), is to make its reappearance at St. Eustache on the 25th March. This time M. Colonne will conduct it, and I am assured that it will be better understood now…
Invariable homage,
F. Liszt
Budapest, February 17th, 1886
Very affectionate thanks for the invitation of Argenteau. Whether I can avail myself of it must remain in abeyance for your very humble servant, old and enfeebled.
378. To Sophie Menter
Dear and Respected Diplomatist,
Eight days before the 19th April (Russian style) I will be in Petersburg. I entreat you to make as little ceremony as possible for my humble self. The two programmes appear to me all right; I will tell you when I get to Petersburg what my small part in them will be. On the 19th April, then, "Elizabeth;" on the 23rd a concert.—Tell the Committee to address their invitation to me, for the two performances, to "Novello and Co., Music Publishers, 1, Berners Street, London." From the 1st to the 12th April I am Novello's guest. How does it stand with regard to my lodging in Petersburg, for which my inadequate means will not suffice?—From you, dear friend, I shall expect to hear something definite in London.—However honorable for me were the invitation to Warsaw I could not comply with it now. My return to Weimar is requisite before the end of May, on account of the Tonkunstler-Versammlung at Sondershausen.
Heartily and truly yours,
F. Liszt
Argenteau [Liege], March 18th, 1886
Enclosed are some lines and the photographs that friend Zet wished for.—To write anything further under the photographs for the use of the newspaper I consider quite superfluous. Excess does not suit me at all.—
379. To the Countess Mercy-Argenteau
Westwood House, Syndenham (Near London, Where Everything is
Distant).
Wednesday, April 14th, 1886
Very Dear President and Brave Russophile Propagandist,
The second performance of the "Elizabeth," which is fixed for next Saturday, at the Crystal Palace, detains me here some days longer than I had anticipated.
From Tuesday next till Easter Tuesday I have asked for the kind hospitality of the Lynens (at Antwerp).
There is still some talk of the "Elizabeth" at the Trocadero on the 30th April. If you were not to be there it would be an affront to your very humble and admiring old servant,
F. Liszt
This time I shall stay at the Munkacsys' (Avenue Villiers, 53).
(In great haste.)
359. To Alexander Ritter in Meiningen
Antwerp, April 20th, 1886
My Very Dear Friend,
Heartfelt thanks for the dedication. Your "fauler Hans" [Ritter's
Opera, "Der faule Hans"—"Lazy Hans"] has nothing lazy in it.
With its graceful, refined wit it is excellent company for our
dear "Barber of Bagdad," which I shall shortly recommend Baron
Loen (Weimar) to take up again in conjunction with the "fauler
Hans."
Faithfully,
F. Liszt
In the middle of May I shall be back in Weimar. Give my respectful greetings to your wife.
381. To Frau Amalie von Fabry
My Dear Friend,
I wish my rooms in Budapest to remain closed during my absence. [Many inquisitive people were fond of going and having a look round, so that Liszt was obliged to prohibit it.] For the rest, His Excellency Minister Trefort must give his own commands. There is no risk of his meeting with any opposition from my humble self. I shall not pass this summer much quieter than the winter and the spring. Next week I shall be at the Musical Festival at Sondershausen; then here again until the 30th June.
My granddaughter, Daniela von Bulow, is to be married on the 3rd July, at Bayreuth, to the highly esteemed Art-historian Thode. After that, I shall stay from the 5th to the 18th July with my dear, excellent friends the Munkacsys, at their castle of Colpach (Luxemburg). I shall be present at the entire cycle of the Parsifal and Tristan performances at Bayreuth, from the 20th July till the 23rd August.
I am already more than half blind; perhaps I shall not have to wait long for the rest…
Ever faithfully yours,
F. Liszt
Weimar, May 27th, 1886
382. To Madame Malwine Tardieu
Weimar, May 29th, 1886
My sight is going, dear friend, and I can no longer write without difficulty.
Cordial thanks for your letter, and farewell till we meet at
Bayreuth, at the performances of Parsifal and Tristan.
Your very affectionate
F. Liszt
I shall be at Bayreuth on the 3rd July—the wedding day of my granddaughter Daniela.
From the 4th to the 18th July my excellent friends the Munkacsys will be my hosts at their castle of Colpach (Luxemburg), whence I shall return to Bayreuth, to stay there till the last performance on the 23rd August.
Would you send me Victor Hugo's "Le theater en liberte"? We will settle our accounts at Bayreuth.
383. To Eduard Reuss
My Dear Friend,
The weakness in my eyes is increasing, and on that account I cannot write to you "mano propria." I wish to bring good luck to Wilhelm Franz. Meanwhile I thank you heartily for making me godfather.
In sincere friendship yours most truly,
F. Liszt
Sondershausen, June 5th, 1886
384. To Frau Reuss-Belce, Opera-Singer to the Court of Baden
My Dear Lady,
The thanks which I have just expressed to your husband I double to you, as you have played the principal part in the family-drama of Wilhelm Franz.
With the most heartful wishes for the continued prosperity of parents and child I remain
Yours most truly,
F. Liszt
Sondershausen, June 5th, 1886
385. To Eduard Reuss
Very Dear Friend,
I have just received the enclosed reply from Hartel. Send him, therefore, the score with the Piano part, and recommend him to print this complete score—not the orchestral score alone—if possible by next October, that is to say, end of September. Then, for the present, two copies of the complete score will be wanted for performance—one for the conductor and one for the soloist who has so long had to play the Piano part out of the score, until you, perhaps with little delay, arrange the orchestral part for a second Piano, and the Concerto comes out in an edition like the E-flat Concerto.
Yours in all friendship,
F. Liszt
Weimar, June 22nd, 1886
N.B.—On the 1st July I am leaving here for a couple of months.
386. To Sophie Menter
Bayreuth, July 3rd, 1886
My very dear Friend,
Tomorrow, after the religious marriage of my granddaughter
Daniela von Bulow to Professor Henry Thode (Art-historian), I
betake myself to my excellent friends the Munkacsys, Chateau
Colpach, Grand Duchy of Luxemburg.
On the 20th July I shall be back here again for the first 7-8 performances of the Festspiel [Festival Play]: then, alas! I must put myself under the, to me, very disagreeable cure at Kissingen, and in September an operation to the eyes is impending for me with Grafe at Halle.
For a month past I have been quite unable to read and almost unable to write, with much labor, a couple of lines. Two secretaries kindly help me by reading to me and writing letters at my dictation.
How delightful it would be to me, dear friend, to visit you at your fairy castle of Itter! But I do not see any opportunity of doing so at present. Perhaps you will come to Bayreuth, where, from the 20th July to the 7th August, will be staying
Your heartily sincere
F. Liszt
[This was the very last letter written by the Master's hand. He returned in bad health from Colpach to Bayreuth. Yet once again he heard "Parsifal" and "Tristan" then he lay down upon his death-bed, and at 11 o'clock on the night of the 31st July his great soul had passed away into everlasting peace.]
******************************
Supplement of Some Letters Received During The Printing:
387 To Hofmarschall Freiherr Von Spiegel In Weimar
[Autograph in the Liszt-Museum at Weimar.]
Monsieur Le Grand Marechal,
I am very happy to learn through you that Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess has deigned to accept with kindness my translation of the beautiful work of Beethoven which I have permitted myself humbly to offer to her. For musicians, the original of this work marks the summit of perfection of the classical style (an extremely arbitrary designation, in my opinion) among non-symphonic instrumental compositions. Beethoven—as well as many great geniuses in the history of Art— is like the ancient Janus; one of his two faces is turned towards the past, the other towards the future. The Septet to a certain extent marks the point of intersection, and is thus unreservedly admired both by the devotees of the past and the believers in the future.
On this account I thought there was a suitability in paying my respectful homage to Her Imperial Highness by means of it, until such time as I should be allowed to place a longer work at her feet, and one which will more particularly express my personal gratitude.
It is only yesterday that the very flattering lines of Your Excellency have reached me. It is therefore not my fault that I have not sooner replied to the gracious request which you are pleased to make me with reference to my journey to Weimar.
Without any doubt I eagerly accept Your Excellency's invitation for the month of October. Allow me only to beg you to be so good as to let me know whether you consider it will be best for me to arrive at the beginning or end of the month. Not being entirely master of my time, I should be particularly glad to know from you the most favorable week.
I have the honor, Monsieur le Grand Marechal, to be, with respect, Your Excellency's very humble and obedient servant,
F. Liszt
Paris, September 30th, 1841
19, Rue Pigalle (Permanent Address).
388. To Eugenio Gomez, Organist of the Cathedral at Seville
[Autograph, without address, in the Liszt-Museum in Weimar. The addressee (born 1802) was both pianist and composer.]
You have been pleased, my dear Monsieur Gomez, to ask my perfectly frank opinion of your "Melodies harmonisees," and-quite frankly [Liszt uses the same expression—tout franc—in each case.]—I am much embarrassed by it, for it is in vain I turn them over and over again; on every side I find only compliments to make you about them. It is true that you could not doubt their sincerity any more than you could the real merit of your work. It is needless to speak of the modesty of true talent; this modesty cannot go to the extent of foolishness, and the Artist and supreme Architect of the spheres gives us Himself the example of this legitimate satisfaction which the consciousness of having done well brings us, by rejoicing over His work each day of the Creation.
One defect, nevertheless, and a very grave defect, which I have discovered in your "Harmonies" by dint of searching, is, that there are only 12 instead of 24 or 48—as all true lovers will wish. Make haste, my dear Monsieur Gomez, set yourself to work, and repair as quickly as possible this unpardonable defect in your labor; and, while extending it to the utmost, think sometimes of your most affectionate and devoted servant,
F. Liszt
389. To Madame(?).
[Autograph, without address, date, and conclusion, in the Liszt-
Museum at Weimar.]
[Sevilla, end of December, 1844]
You have not told me too much of the wonders of Seville, Madame, and, nevertheless, you could hardly have told me beforehand of that which I have found the most charming—the letter from Mademoiselle Caroline. Thanks to her charming lines, I found myself in the best possible frame of mind for the enjoyment of all imaginable chefs d'oeuvre, and I could not have been more disposed to admiration and wonderment! During the ten days which I have just spent in Seville I have not allowed a single day to pass without going to pay my very humble court to the cathedral, that epic of granite, that architectural Symphony whose eternal harmonies vibrate in infinity!—
One cannot use any set phrases about such a monument. The best thing to do would be to kneel there with the faith of the charcoal-burner (if one could do so), or to soar in thought the length of these arches and vaulted roofs, for which it seems that there is even now "no longer time"!—As for me, not feeling myself enough of the charcoal-burner or of the eagle, I am constrained to stand with my nose in the air and mouth open. Nevertheless my prayer sometimes climbs up like useless ivy, lovingly embracing those knotted shafts which defy all the storms of the genius of Christianity.
Whatever you may think of my enthusiasm for your cathedral, it is a fact that I have been entirely absorbed by it during the ten days I have spent in Seville; so much so, that it was only on the evening before my departure that I could prevail on myself to visit the Alcazar.
In truth, if one might wish for the re-introduction of the bastinado, it would be to apply it exclusively to those malicious wretches who have dared to besmear so many ravishing flights of fancy, so many fairy-like vagaries, with lime and plaster.
What adorable enchantment and what hideous devastation!
The heart expands—and then contracts at every step. Little do I care for the gardens (which, by the way, slightly resemble the ornamental gardens of a priest); little do I care even for the baths of Maria Padilla, which, in fact, have slightly the effect of an alkaline; but what outlines, what harmonious profusion in these lines, what incredible voluptuousness in all this ornamentation! Would that I could send them you in this envelope, such as I have felt and devoured them with my eyes!
Here are, indeed, many marks of admiration, and you will certainly smile at me, will you not, Madame? But what can I do? And how, after that, can I speak to you of myself and my paltry individuality?
390. To Madame (?)
[Autograph sketch of a letter, without address, date, and conclusion, in the Liszt-Museum at Weimar.]
[Probably beginning of 1845]
What are your travelling plans for this winter, Madame? Mine are quite unsettled. I did not succeed in leaving Spain, and the fact is that, being well, there is no sense in searching for better elsewhere.The only thing that provokes me is the necessity in which I am placed of having to give up the rest of my duties at Weymar for this winter. But I shall try to take a brilliant revenge in the course of this very year.
In spite of our agreement I have not sent you the bulletin of my peaceful victories in the arena of Madrid [Liszt gave concerts in the Teatro del Circo in Madrid from October till December 1844.](and elsewhere), because you know that there are certain things which are moreover very simple, but which I cannot do. More than once, nevertheless, I have regretted you in your founder's loge—the first in front—and I have turned to that side in expectancy of the inciting bravos which used to begin before all the others at the brilliant passages!
La Melinetti will doubtless have given you my ancient news from Pau! Poor woman, with her luxury of a husband (a superfluity which was not in the least a necessary thing for her), and her little impulsive ways,…she has really promised me to be at length reasonable, steady, and deliberate. I hope she will keep her word. With a little wit, behavior, and tact, she could make herself a very good position in Pau. Mme. d'Artigaux, [When unmarried, as Countess Caroline St. Criq, sixteen years before this time, she had possessed Liszt's whole heart, while hers belonged to him. But the command of her father, Minister St. Criq, separated eir ways, because he—was only an artist. Liszt thought of her in his last Will, but she left this world before him, at the beginning of the seventies.] who is the most ideally good woman I know, takes a real interest in her. Several other people sincerely wish her well—it only depends on herself to take a good position there—but unfortunately she is too outspoken, and inclined to play tricks.
What do you know of the elegaic and seraphic Chopin? I wrote a few lines from Pau to Mme. Sand, but my letter hardly asked for a reply, and she has, moreover, better things to do.
391. To Madame (?) in Milan
[Autograph in the Liszt-Museum in Weimar]
[1846]
I am at your feet, Madame, and kiss your hands—but it is impossible not to quarrel with you, and that seriously, over the last lines of your letter! Through what absence of mind, let me ask you, could you have written to me, "I do not speak to you of our affairs because I remember that your sympathies are not with us"? Frankly, if you were to tell me that I have never played any but false notes on the piano, and that my calling was that of a retail grocer, this opinion would offer, to my thinking, a greater degree of probability. Evidently, in my double character of citizen and musician, I am not even to exonerate myself from the fault you [ascribe] to me. Suffer me then not to dwell longer upon it, and deign for the future to spare me the pain which all suspicion of this kind would cause me.
Otherwise your letter was a great joy to me; first, as coming from you; and then, as announcing the realization of a wish, an idea, to the postponement of which I had resigned myself as well as I could, but which I had hardly relinquished. Your Sardanapalus comes in the nick of time, just as the 2000 francs will be opportune to the poet. The mode of payment is very simple. Belloni's sister being in Milan, she will have the honor of calling upon you, and an return for the restoration of the manuscript she will discharge the total of my debt, viz., two thousand francs. Allow me only a last request, which is that you will kindly take the trouble to read the whole libretto through again, and, if it should be expedient, to communicate to the poet direct any observations which you consider necessary. The notes and commentaries which you have added on the margin of Rotondi's libretto (which I keep very carefully) showed such a complete virtuosity in this style of subject that one could not possibly do better than submit with confidence to your decision.—[The plan of composing an opera "Sardanapalus" occupied Liszt for years.]
Thanks to God, and to this good star which has let me live many years pretty uprightly, "as if I were immortal," as you put it, behold me now since the end of September in last year entirely out of the circle of concerts—and it does not seem likely that I shall soon return to this drudgery.—I shall remain in Weymar till the 15th August; then I shall go and make a tour in the Crimea by way of the Danube, probably returning by Constantinople if I can manage it.—
Next spring "Sardanapalus" will be ready,—and I shall perhaps have to speak to you about another matter at the same time, a matter about which it is worth while speaking to you.—
Be good enough to acknowledge the receipt of these lines; but pray spare me abuse, and be pleased to do me the honor of believing without reserve or restriction in the upright sincerity of my sympathies, and in my frank and firm good-will to transform them into acts or deeds, according to circumstances, in the degree of which I am capable.
Yours ever, with admiration and friendship,
F. Liszt
392. To Frau Charlotte Moscheles (?)
[Draft of an undirected autograph letter in the Liszt-Museum at Weimar.—Presumably written to the wife of the distinguished piano-virtuoso and teacher Ignaz Moscheles]
I am most grateful to you, Madame, for wishing to keep me in remembrance on the occasion of the publication of the Album of Workers, and I hasten to reply as quickly and as well as I can.
I must, nevertheless, confess to you in all sincerity that I am a little embarrassed as to the choice to be made among the number of useless and unusable manuscripts which I should be charmed to put at your kind disposal. After the Arbeiter Chor [workman's chorus] and the Arbeiter Marsch [workman's march] with which I have just gratified two Albums in Vienna, your gracious letter comes as a surprise rather short of apropos. How malapropos, is it not? But let us see how to remedy this.—
I thought first of a "Marche funebre" for the use of the bankers; then of an "Elegie" dedicated to the idle; next of "Jeremiades Omnibus" [lamentations for all];—but nothing of that sort quite satisfies me.
In default of perfection, permit me to be satisfied with the relative best (which will be, it seems to me, a better choice): a Paraphrase—charitably adapted to the fingers of charitable pianists who will have the charity to buy and to play it—of Rossini's "Charite;" which I shall have the honor of sending to you through Mr. Kistner early in July. An old saying of a very old Father of the Church would, if needful, justify this choice. "In things necessary, Unity; in matters doubtful, Liberty; in all things, Charity!"—
Will you have the goodness, Madame, to remember me very kindly to my excellent master and friend, Moscheles? and accept again, I beg you, the expression of my respect, and of my most affectionate sentiments.
F. Liszt
Weymar, June 22nd, 1848
393. To Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst
[Portions of this, as of the previous letter, were printed in the "Voltaire."—Addressee the famous violin virtuoso and composer (1814-1865)]
May 30th, 1849
Dear Friend,
Weymar has not forgotten you, and I hope soon to be able, after the return of the Hereditary Prince whom we expect for the day of his fete, by the 24th of May at the very latest, to forward to you the token of the distinguished remembrance in which you are held. It pleases me to think that it will be agreeable to you, and that it will tend to attach you more in the sequel to people worthy to appreciate you.
I should have desired to tell you sooner of this, but the inevitable delays in present circumstances postpone more than one wish.
After the deplorable days in Dresden Wagner came here, and only departed again in order to escape from a warrant (lettre de cachet) with which the Saxon government is pursuing him. I hope that at the present moment he will have arrived safe and well in Paris, where his career of dramatic composer cannot fail to be extended, and in grand proportions. He is a man of evident genius, who must of necessity obtrude himself on the general admiration, and hold a high place in contemporary art. I regret that you have not had the opportunity of hearing his "Tannhauser," which is for me the most lyric of dramas, the most remarkable, the most harmonious, the most complete, the most original and selbstwurdig (the most worthy of its country), both in foundation and form, that Germany has produced since Weber. Belloni has, I believe, written to you on the subject of Wagner, to ask for information as to the actual state of the English Opera in London. I make no doubt that if it were possible for Wagner to obtain from the directors a tour of performances in the course of the year for a new work ("Lohengrin," the subject of which, having reference to the Knights of the Round Table who went to search for the Holy Grail, is of the most poetic interest) he would make a great sensation and large receipts by it. As soon as he tells me the news of his arrival in Paris, allow me to induce him to write to you direct if his plans do not change in this matter.
394. To Joseph Dessauer
[Draft of an autograph letter, without address, date, and conclusion, in the Liszt-Museum at Weimar.]
[Probably at the beginning of the fifties.]
Heartiest thanks for your Songs. I rejoice that you consider me worthy of a dedication, and I promise you that if we meet again I will sing you the songs by heart. Perhaps you will bring me again into such a mood for songs as will impel me to write something of that sort. My earlier songs are mostly too ultra sentimental, and frequently too full in the accompaniment.
395. Testimonial for Joachim Raff
[Draft of an autograph letter, without address and date, in the
Liszt-Museum at Weimar]
[Probably at the beginning of the fifties.]
The talents of M. Raff as composer and musician are a fact so evident and certain, his recent orchestral compositions as well as his works for voice and piano furnish such forcible proofs of it, that I consider it superfluous to add to this evidence and to certify it further.
Having had more opportunity than others, during the few years of our intercourse, of appreciating his capacities (notably at the time of the Musical Festival at Bonn for the inauguration of Beethoven's monument in 1845,-and of those to Herder and Goethe at Weymar in 1850, etc.), knowing thoroughly both the score of his four-act Opera "King Alfred," given many times with great success in Weymar under the author's conductorship, as well as many of his manuscript works, which I sincerely esteem, I shall always make it my duty seriously to recommend M. Raff to those of the Musical Institutes which attach a value to the possession of an intelligent director and one well acquainted with the exigencies and the progress of the art.
F. Liszt
396. To Dr. Eduard Hanslick in Vienna
[The renowned musical author and critic (born in Prague in 1825), professor of the history of music in the University of Vienna.— The letter refers to the Mozart jubilee concert conducted by Liszt in Vienna, and to Hanslick's critique, in which he censured the want of courtesy with which Liszt, who had been invited to conduct this concert, was treated by the committee and the public.]
Sir,
The manner in which you have given an account in the Presse of the two concerts of Sunday and Monday, corresponds entirely with the opinion which I had of you—and you have proved yourself on this occasion, according to your custom, an eminent critic and a perfect gentleman. [The word "gentleman" is in English in Liszt's letter.]
Permit me to offer you my sincere thanks for the part you have been pleased to devote to me, and to hope that the coming years, in bringing us more together, will better enable me to prove the sincere sentiments of esteem and distinguished regard, the assurance of which I beg you to accept.
F. Liszt
January 3lst, 1856
397. To the Austrian Minister of the Interior, Freiherr von Bach
[Autograph sketch of a letter in the Liszt-Museum at Weimar. The Gran Mass was in fact engraved and published by the State printing-press at Vienna.]
Your Excellency,
The interest and protection which your Excellency extends to the spiritual interests of the empire permit me to bring forward the wish and the petition that the Mass which I composed by order of His Eminence the Prince Primate of Hungary for the Dedication- Festival of the Basilica at Gran, and performed there on the 3lst August, may be printed and published in full score and piano score by the Royal Imperial State printing-press at the cost of the State.
Without improperly praising my own composition I venture humbly to express the confidence that the Catholic significance and spirit which form its groundwork and supplement its modest porportions would gradually be more propagated and comprehended by the publication of the work, so that I might hope to have furnished a not unworthy contribution to Christian Art as well as to the great Church and Country's Festival of the 31st August.
In the expectation that my request will meet with that assisting favor which is indispensable to earnest and honest artistic effort, I have the honor to remain most obediently
Your Excellency's most humble and devoted servant,
F. Liszt
Vienna, September 18th, 1856
398. To (?) in Leipzig
[Draft of an autograph letter, without address, date, and conclusion, in the Liszt-Museum at Weimar.—The contents refer to the Orchestral Concert of the Tonkunstler-Versammlung, planned and carried out at Leipzig in the beginning of June, 1859.]
[Spring, 1859.]
Dear Friend,
At the same time with your letter I received from Brendel fuller information about the Leipzig preliminaries, to which he will also receive a fuller reply.
I am not of opinion that the Orchestral concert is to be given up immediately on account of the negative decision of Rietz. Very possibly David will undertake to conduct it, and I advise Brendel to come to a good understanding with him about it. On the other hand it might be expected, in a case of necessity, that the Weimar and Sondershausen orchestras would unite to carry out the Programme. But this latter must be as strictly adhered to as was formerly determined, and not lose its exclusive character as "compositions by collaborators of the newspaper only"—Schumann, Berlioz, Wagner, R. Franz, and lastly my humble self. I cannot therefore in any respect agree to the concession enjoined by Brendel, of admitting works of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, etc., nor do I see the motive of it. As far as the musical is concerned, I consider it impossible to give such an exceedingly rich programme on one evening without stupifying the public; that would go beyond the ill-famed London concerts which last six hours, not to speak of the fact that we should have to put the recognised classics far too much in the shade!—But, above all, such an over-loaded programme is thoroughly unsuitable to the jubilee-celebration of the Neue Zeitschrift, which on this occasion [ought] especially to emphasize its just claims and the progress in Art which it aims at and supports. On this account it is necessary to adhere to the limits of the programme originally agreed upon.
Finally, in case insurmountable hindrances should arise to prevent the carrying out of this same, I have no inclination to substitute for the Orclaestral-concert one for Chamber-music. But the word "Evening entertainment" must, as is self-evident, be entirely dispensed with. Our business is to raise, to educate the audience, not to amuse them; and if indeed, as Goethe very pertinently says, "deep and earnest thinkers are in a bad position as regards the public," we will therefore not so much the less, but so much the more earnestly maintain this position. Meanwhile it is advisable to advertise the first evening's musical performance by the expression Concert in the Gewandhaus, until we have quite decided whether it shall be a concert with orchestra, or only with chamber-music. [An orchestral concert took place in the theater, when compositions by Mendelssohn, Schubert, and Chopin were, nevertheless, included among the others.]
N.B.-Please not to communicate these remarks to any one except perhaps Brendel, as the very outspoken opinions herein about the Concert-programme must absolutely be kept secret.
399. To Dr. Eduard Hanslick
[The letter refers to Hanslick's notice of Liszt's book "Les
Bohemiens et leur musique," in the Vienna Presse (the old one).]
Sir,
Experience having taught me to regard as a fate attached to my name the impossibility of publishing anything which does not instantly gather round it opinions as contrary as they are forcibly enunciated, I am, although quite accustomed to these little storms, very sensitive to the kindly judgment of those who, not letting themselves be influenced by this transitory impulse, desire to take into consideration what I have written, with sobriety and composure, just as you have done in your account of my book "Des Bohemiens."-I am above all extremely obliged to you for having admitted that, if the requirements of my subject, and the opinion which after some twenty years of reflection I have formed of Bohemian music, compel me to attribute to a nomad people an art thoroughly imbued with a poetry which could only have been developed in a wandering nation, I have none the less endeavored to bring into prominence everything for which this art is indebted to the comprehension and taste which the Hungarians have always had for the music of Bohemia. I desire in no way to diminish the merit of the works, while at the same time I see the impossibility of considering as emanating from them the expression of sentiments which could not in their nature belong to them, however sympathetically they were associated therewith.—
Still, the point which I notice first, in consequence of the very violent and premature attacks of which I have been the object, is not the one which I regard as the most important in my volume. As a matter of fact it would signify little to me as artist to know whether this music is originally from India or Tartary. That which has appeared to me worthy the study of an artist is this music itself, its meaning, and the feelings it is destined to reproduce.—It is in trying clearly to account for these latter that I have only found it possible to connect them with people placed in the exceptional conditions of the Bohemians; and it is through asking myself what the poetry of this wandering life would be (a question so often raised), that I have become convinced that it must be identical with that which breathes in the Art of the Bohemians. This identity once made evident to my mind, I have naturally sought to make it felt by and evident to my readers. The better to succeed in this I have corroborated my opinion by grouping together as a sort of complement various suppositions about the question of these sources. But the scientific side of this question has never been, in my eyes, anything but very accessory; I should probably not have taken up the pen to discuss it. If I have raised it, that has been the consequence, not the aim of my work. Artist, and poet if you like, I am only interested in seeing and describing the poetical and psychological side of my thesis. I have sought in speech the power of depicting, with less fire and allurement possibly, but with more precision than music has done, some impressions which are not derived from science or polemics-which come from the heart and appeal to the imagination.
Poetical and descriptive prose being little used in Germany, I can easily conceive that, on the announcement of the title of my book, a set of lectures, rather than a kind of poem in prose, will be expected. I own that I would never have attempted to lecture on a subject the materials of which did not appear to me sufficient for this purpose. How small a number of people, moreover, would have been interested in learning the little which it would be allowable to affirm in this case? Whilst the expression of the innermost and deep feelings, whatever they be, from the moment that they have been powerful enough to inspire an art, is never entirely unattractive, even to the more extended circle which includes not alone musicians, but all those who feel and wish to understand music. Thanking you once more, Sir, for the perfect impartiality and clearness with which you have stated and criticised the compilation of my book, I beg you to accept this expression of my complete esteem and distinguished consideration.
F. Liszt
September 20th, 1859
END OF LETTERS OF FRANZ LISZT, VOL. II.
INFO ABOUT THIS E-TEXT EDITION
This volume of "Letters of Franz Liszt" is the second volume of a 2-volume set. The letters were selected by La Mara, and translated into English by Constance Bache. The edition used was an original 1894 Charles Scribner edition (New York), printed in America. Each page was cut out of the book with an X-acto knife and fed into an Automatic Document Feeder Scanner to make this e- text; hence, the original book was, well, ruined in order to save it.
Some adaptations from the original text were made while formatting it for an e-text. Italics in the original book were ignored in making this e-text, unless they referred to proper nouns, in which case they are put in quotes in the e-text. Italics are problematic because they are not easily rendered in ASCII text, although, unlike in the first volume, they often add some useful emphasis to Liszt's expression.
Almost everything occurring in brackets [ ] are original footnotes inserted into the text. The marking .—. appeared in the original volumes and indicates points where original material in the letters was lost or fragmented.
Also, special German characters like U with an umlaut, and French characters like a's and e's with various markings above them were ignored, replaced with their closet single-letter equivalents. U with an umlaut is U, A with a caret above it is A, and so on. Words altered include Gotze, Tonkunstler, Gluck, Handel and Bulow, among numerous others.
In addition, the English spellings of words like "honour," "colour," "humour," "splendour," "favour," "endeavour" "labour," "vigour," "neighbour" "saviour," "behaviour" and "theatre" were changed into American equivalents like "honor," "color," "humor," "splendor," "favor," "endeavor" "labor," "vigor," "neighbor" "savior," "behavior" and "theater."
This electronic text was prepared by John Mamoun with help from numerous other proofreaders, including those associated with Charles Franks' Distributed Proofreaders website. Thanks to M. Fong, N. Harris, S. Morrison, J. Roberts, R. Zimmerman, P. Rydzewski, D. McKee, R. Rowe, E. Beach, M. Beauchamp, K. Rieff, D. Maddock, T. Mills, B. Wyman, J. Hyllegaard, T. McDermott, M. Taylor, K. Peterson and several others for proof-reading.
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