Letters of Franz Liszt, Volume 1, From Paris to Rome:

F >> Franz Liszt; Letters assembled by La Mara and translated >> Letters of Franz Liszt, Volume 1, From Paris to Rome:

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Remember me most kindly to your wife, and remain good to

Your very sincere and grateful friend,

F. Liszt

Weymar, February 20th, 1854

P.S.--If you see Count Tyskiewicz please repeat my invitation to
him to come for a couple of days to Weymar. If he is free next
Thursday, that would be a good day. We have a concert here at
which the "Kunstler-Chor" and a new orchestral work of mine ("Les
Preludes"), the Schumann Symphony (No. 4.), and his Concerto for
four horns will be given.

109. To Louis Kohler

My very dear Friend,

I come late--yet I hope you have not forgotten me. I am sending
you, together with this, the score and pianoforte arrangement of
my chorus "an die Kunstler," ["To the artists."] and also those
numbers of the Rhapsodies which have been brought out by
Schlesinger. The "Lohengrin" score you have no doubt received two
months ago from Hartel, whom I begged to send it you direct--also
the "Harmonies" from Kistner, and the last number of the
"Rhapsodies" from Haslinger. At the end of the year you shall get
some still greater guns from me, for I think that by that time
several of my orchestral works (under the collective title of
"Symphonische Dichtungen" [Symphonic Poems.]) will come out.
Meanwhile accept once more my best thanks for the manifold proofs
of your well-wishing sympathy, which you have given me publicly
and personally. You may rest assured that no stupid self-conceit
is sticking in me, and that I mean faithfully and earnestly
towards our Art, which in the end must be formed of our hearts'
blood.--Whether one "worries" a bit more or a bit less, as you
put it, is pretty much the same. Let us only spread our wings
"with our faces firmly set," and all the cackle of goose-quills
will not trouble us at all.

That your article has been rudely and spitefully criticized need
not trouble you. You presuppose your reader to have refinement
and educated feeling, artistic acuteness, a fine perception, and
a certain Atticism. These, my dear friend, are indeed rare
things--and only to be found in very homoeopathic doses among our
Aristarchuses. Sheep and d[onkeys] have no taste for truffles.
"Good hay, sweet hay, has not its equal in the world," as the
artist-philosopher Zettel very truly says in the "Midsummer
Night's Dream"! Moreover, dear friend, things didn't and don't go
any better with other better fellows than ourselves. We need not
make any fancies about it, but only go onward quietly,
perseveringly, and consistently.

"Lohengrin" will be given here on the Grand Duchess's next
birthday, April 8th. Gotze is coming this time from Leipzig, and
sings the part of the Knight of the Swan. I hope that in May
Tichatschek will undertake the role; he has already been studying
the complete work for a long time past, and has had a splendid
costume made for it. Perhaps you will be inclined to hear this
glorious work here either in April or May. That would be very
delightful of you, and I need not tell you how pleased I should
be to see you among us again.--

Rafi is working hard at his "Samson," and tells me that he will
have finished it by Christmas. Cornelius, whom I think you do not
know (a most charming, fine-feeling and distinguished nature),
has likewise a dramatic work, poem and music, in readiness for
next season. We gave a good performance of Gluck's "Orpheus"
lately, and for the last performance of this season (end of June
I think we shall still give the Schubert opera "Alfonso und
Estrella," if those same theater influences which already made
themselves prominent by the "Indra" performance when you were at
Weymar do not decide against this work, so interesting and full
of intrinsic natural charm!--Farewell, dear friend, and send
speedy tidings of yourself to

Yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

Weymar, March 2nd, 1854

110. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

Herewith an article which I send you for your paper. "Euryanthe,"
which I conduct here tomorrow, is the occasion of it. Still a
more general question is aroused in it, which I am to a certain
extent constrained "to agitate" from Weymar.["Gesammelte
Scriften" vol. iii., I.] I flatter myself that our ideas will
meet and harmonize in it. At first I had prefaced it by a couple
of introductory lines, which I now erase. Will you be so good as
to introduce me yourself in the Neue Zeitschrift by a few words?
You will be the best one to make up this little preface. My name
can be put quite openly with its five letters, as I am perfectly
ready to stand by my opinion.

Tuesday morning I go to Gotha. The Duke's opera is to be given at
the end of this month, or at latest on the 2nd April, and from
the day after tomorrow till the first performance I shall be
quartered at Gotha. In consequence of this I must unfortunately
give up my excursion to Leipzig for the moment,--but I hope that
David will allow another rehearsal in the Gewandhaus in the
course of April, after the "Lohengrin" performance here with Gaze
(on April 7th and 8th), which I must of necessity conduct. The
news, which it appears some papers have published, that I was
thinking of arranging a concert in Leipzig, belongs to the
generation of ducks [geese?] who amuse themselves in swimming
around my humble self. My visit to Leipzig has no other object
than to make some of the musicians acquainted with one or two of
my symphonic works. Should they be pleased with them, they might
perhaps be given there next season. In any case, however, several
of them will appear in score next autumn.

My time is exceedingly limited, and I must see about a great many
things today which do not put one in the mood for correspondence.

Yours in friendship,

F. Liszt

Saturday, March 18th [1854]

111. To Louis Kohler.

[Weimar, April or May, 1854]

My very dear friend,

I am extremely glad that you liked my article on "Euryanthe" and
theater direction, and I thank you most truly for your warm and
very encouraging letter. For many weeks past I have been
imitating you (as you and others always set me a good example),
and am publishing several views on Art-subjects and Art-works in
the Weimar official paper. By degrees these articles will swell
into a volume, which shall then contain the complete set.

For the present I allow myself to send you my Sonata, which has
just been published at Hartel's. You will soon receive another
long piece, "Scherzo and March," and in the course of the summer
my "Annees de Pelerinage, Suite de Compositions pour le Piano"
will appear at Schott's; two years--Switzerland and Italy. With
these pieces I shall have done for the present with the piano, in
order to devote myself exclusively to orchestral compositions,
and to attempt more in that domain which has for a long time
become for me an inner necessity. Seven of the Symphonic Poems
are perfectly ready and written out. I will soon send you the
little prefaces which I am adding to them, in order to render the
perception of them more plain. Meanwhile I merely give you the
titles:--

1. "Ce qu'on entend sur la Montagne" (after V. Hugo's poem in the
"Feuilles d'Automne").

2. Tasso. "Lamento e Trionfo"

3. "Les Preludes" (after Lamartine's Meditation poetique "Les
Preludes").

4. "Orphee."

5. "Promethee."

6. "Mazeppa" (after V. Hugo's Orientale "Mazeppa").

7. "Festklange."

8. "Heroide funebre."

9. "Hungaria."

By Christmas I intend to bring out the scores of all these--which
would make about fifteen hundred plates in octavo size.

The post affair in regard to your letter with the article on
Raff's "Fruehlingsboten" is very unpleasant to me. Neither has
come into my hands, or else I should assuredly have let you know
much sooner. What has become of it cannot now be traced; a
similar thing happened also with a manuscript sent to me from
Dresden, which was never able to be found. Excuse me, dear
friend, for the carelessness which you supposed I had shown, of
which I am in this case not guilty, as Pohl has already written
to you by my request--and continue to keep for me always your
sympathetic friendship, with which I remain, in complete
harmonious unison,

Yours most truly and gratefully,

F. Liszt

112. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

Whilst you are trotting about in Leipzig aus Rand und
Band,[Uncontrolledly; a pun on the words Rand and Band (edge of
the paper and volume), Brendel being editor of a paper.] I have
been obliged to keep my bed, owing to a slight indisposition. The
reading of your article in the Jahrbuchern [Year-books] has given
me a pleasant hour, and I thank you heartily for the value and
significance which you accord to my influence and endeavour here,
both in this article and in the topographic section of your book.
As long as I remain here we will take care that Weimar does not
get into a bad way.

I hope to be quite on my legs again in a few days. My present
indisposition is nothing but an overstrain and knock-up, which a
couple of days' rest and some homoeopathic powder will easily set
right. Probably we shall see one another in the early days of
next week at Leipzig; but don't let us speak of it before-hand,
as I have already been three times prevented from making this
little trip.

The Orpheus article was sent to you yesterday. Perhaps it would
still be possible to let it appear in the next number of the
paper; if not, then it can appear the following week. The order
of succession which I gave you by letter appears to me the right
one, and begins with the Orpheus. This article is moreover as
good as new, for, as your paper allowed me more space, I profited
by it to make the earlier articles twice as long.["Gesammelte
Schriften." vol. iii., 1.]

There are several points in your writing that we will soon talk
over viva voca. I am still really very weak today, and merely
wanted to write to thank you, and to tell you of my speedy advent
in Leipzig (probably next Tuesday or Wednesday).

Yours in friendship,

F. Liszt

Wednesday, April 26th, 1854

Your commissions to Cornelius and letter to Cotta have been
attended to.

113. To Louis Kohler

Dear Friend,

I am going once more to give you a pleasure. By today's post you
will receive Richard Wagner's medallion. A friend of mine, Prince
Eugene Sayn-Wittgenstein, modeled it last autumn in Paris, and I
consider it the best likeness that exists of Wagner.

A thousand thanks for all the kind things you write and think of
me. I very much wish that you should be in agreement with my
present and my next work. If I could only dispose of my time
better! But it is a wretched misery to have to spend one's time
upon so many useless things and people, when one's head is quite
full of other things!--Well, it must be so. God grant only
patience and perseverance! I cannot remember for certain whether
I have already sent you the Avant-propos to my Symphonic Poems,
which I have in the meantime had printed on the occasion of their
performance here. In any case I send them, together with the
portrait for which you asked. I am now working at the ninth
number (Hungaria)--the eight others are perfectly ready; but it
will certainly be next spring before they appear in score.

Of pianoforte music I have nothing more to send you (until the
"Annees de Pelerinage" appear at Schott's), except the little
"Berceuse," which has found a place in the "Nuptial Album" of
Haslinger. Perhaps the continuous pedal D-flat will amuse you.
The thing ought properly to be played in an American rocking-
chair with a Nargileh for accompaniment, in tempo comodissimo con
sentimento, so that the player may, willy-nilly, give himself up
to a dreamy condition, rocked by the regular movement of the
chair-rhythm. It is only when the B-flat minor comes in that
there are a couple of painful accents...But why am I talking such
nonsense with you?--Your very perspicuous discovery of my
intention in the second motive of the Sonata--

[Here, Liszt illustrates with a 2-measure score excerpt from his
Sonata]

in contrast with the previous hammer-blows--

[Here, Liszt illustrates with another 2-measure score excerpt
from his Sonata, similar to the first excerpt above except the
melody is transposed and the rhythm is slightly different]

perhaps led me to it.

Farewell, my dear friend, and remain good to your

F. Liszt

Weymar, June 8th 1854

114. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

I have had to alter a good deal in the "Robert" article,
especially in the division of the subjects. Do not be angry about
it. It will only make a very little trouble, and it pleases me
better like this. Ergo my present Varianten [various readings]
must be printed word for word in the next number.

If you have a couple of hours to spare, come next Saturday to
Halle. Schneider's "Weltgericht [Last Judgment] is to be given
there by the united Liedertafel [Singing Societies] of Dessau,
Magdeburg, Berlin, Halle, etc. (on Saturday afternoon at 3
o'clock), and I have promised to be there. It would give me great
pleasure to meet you at Halle; I shall put up at the Englischer
Hof there. I hope you will accept my invitation, and therefore I
shall say, Auf Wiedersehen [Au Revoir]!

Yours in friendship,

F. Liszt

June 12th, 1854

It will be easy for you to find out for certain about the
performance at Halle. In any case I shall come for the day fixed
for the "Weltgericht" (a peculiar work, written, as it were, from
a pedestal of his own!). At present it is announced for next
Saturday. Should there be any alteration, I shall arrange
accordingly, and come later.--.

P.S.--The proofs must be very carefully revised, as there are a
great many little alterations. Be so good as to revise the whole
thing accurately yourself. When the article has appeared, please
send me today's proofs back. ["Gesammelte Schriften," vol. iii.,
I.]

115. To Karl Klindworth in London

[A pupil of Liszt's, eminent both as a pianist, conductor, and
musical editor; born at Hanover in 1830, lived in London, Moscow,
and America; has, since 1882, been director of a music school in
Berlin.]

Best thanks, dear Klindworth, for your nice letter. After the
"Lamento" it seems a "Trionfo" is now about to be sounded. That
gives me heartfelt pleasure. Your Murl-connection and Murl-
wanderings [The Society of "Murls" (Moors, Devil-boys--that is to
say, Anti-Philistines) was started at that time in Weimar. Liszt
was Padischah (i.e. King or President); his pupils and adherents,
Buelow, Cornelius, Pruckner, Remenyi, Laub, Cossmann, etc., etc.,
were Murls.] with Remenyi [A celebrated Hungarian violinist.] are
an excellent dispensation of fate, and on July 6th, the day of
your concert at Leicester, the Weimar Murls shall be invited to
supper at the Altenburg, and Remenyi and Klindworth shall be
toasted "for ever!"--[Liszt writes "for ever hoch leben lassen."]

On July 8th I go from here to Rotterdam. The days of the
performances are July 13th, 14th, and 15th. The last number but
one of Brendel's paper (June 16th) contains the complete
programme. The principal works will be Handel's "Israel in
Egypt," Haydn's "Seasons," the Ninth Symphony, and a newly
composed Psalm by Verhulst (the royal conductor of the
Netherlands, director of the Euterpe Concerts in Leipzig about
twelve years ago, and at present director of the Rotterdam
Festivals). Roger, Pischek, Formes, Madame Ney, Miss Dolby, etc.,
have undertaken the solos, and the programme announces nine
hundred members. It would be very-nice if you and Remenyi and
Hagen [Theodor Hagen, a writer, known as a witty critic of his
time under the name of "Butterbrod" [bread and butter] in the
signale; died subsequently in America.] could come; in that case
you would have to start at once, for on the 13th it begins, and
on the 16th I leave Rotterdam--and go for a couple of days to
Brussels, where I shall meet my two daughters.

A couple of Murls would look well in Rotterdam, and would make up
to me in the best possible way for a lot of Philistinism which I
shall probably have to put up with there (by contact with many
honorable colleagues and companions in Art)...So, if you possibly
can, come. We will then have a Murl-Musical Festival in my room.
(N.B.--I shall be staying with Mr. Hope, the banker.)

One has to get accustomed to the London atmosphere, and make
one's stomach pretty solid with porter and port. For the rest,
musical matters are not worse there than elsewhere, and one must
even acknowledge some greatness in bestiality. If you can stand
it, I am convinced that you will make a lucrative and pleasant
position for yourself in London, and also gain a firm footing for
the Murl propaganda ("une, indivisible et invincible") on the
other side of La Manche, "ce qui sera une autre paire de
manches." (In case you don't understand this joke, Remenyi must
explain it to you.) So be of good courage and among good things!
However things may be, never make capitulation with what is idle,
cowardly, or false--however high your position may become-and
preserve, under all circumstances, your Murldom!--

The two pieces from Raff's "Alfred" [Arranged by Liszt for the
piano.] have been brought out by Heinrichshofen (Magdeburg), and
are dedicated to Carl Klindworth. Write me word how I can send
them to you in the quickest and most economical manner--together
with the Sonata. [It bore the title, in Liszt's handwriting, "Fur
die Murlbibliothek" (for the Murl Library).] The Dante Fantasia
will appear in the autumn, with the other pieces of the "Annees
de Pelerinage," at Schott's, and I will tell him to reserve a
copy for you.

Since you went away I have worked chiefly at my Symphonic Poems,
composing and elaborating. The nine numbers are now quite ready,
and seven of them entirely copied out. Next winter I intend to
publish the scores, which ought to make about a thousand engraved
plates. Immediately after my return from Rotterdam I shall set to
work on the Faust Symphony, and hope that I shall have it ready
written out by February.

Hartel is publishing also a couple of transcriptions from
"Lohengrin" (the Festal March before the third act, with the
Bridal Chorus, Elsa's Dream and Lohengrin's rebuke to Elsa),
which I wrote lately.

A propos of Hartel, haven't you heard anything of your
arrangement of the Schubert Symphony? The matter is being delayed
rather long, and when I go to Leipzig I will inquire at Hartel's.
[The arrangement for two pianos of the C major Symphony was
brought out by them.] I have nothing new to tell you of Wagner.
Joachim and Berlioz came to see me in May. Hoffmann von
Fallersleben has settled here, and we see each other pretty
often. His last poems, "Songs from Weymar," are dedicated to me.

Mason went to London a fortnight ago, and will probably come to
Rotterdam. Laub is getting married in Bohemia, and brings his
wife here in September. Schulhoff was also with me for a day.

Of Rubinstein I will tell you more when there is an opportunity.
That is a clever fellow--the most notable musician, pianist, and
composer, indeed, who has appeared to me from among the newer
lights, with the exception of the Murls. Murlship alone is
wanting to him still. But he possesses tremendous material, and
an extraordinary versatility in the handling of it. He brought
with him about forty or fifty manuscripts (Symphonies, Concertos,
Trios, Quartets, Sonatas, Songs, a couple of Russian Operas,
which have been given in Petersburg), which I read through with
much interest during the four weeks which he spent here on the
Altenburg. [Liszt's home] If you come to Rotterdam you will meet
him there.

Now farewell, my dear Klindworth, and let me soon hear from you.

Your

F. Liszt

July 2nd, 1854

From the 10th to the 15th of July letters will find me in
Rotterdam--Poste restante. N.B.--Remenyi gives me no reply about
the manuscript of Brahms' Sonata (with violin). Probably he has
taken it with him, for I have, to my vexation, rummaged through
my entire music three times, without being able to find the
manuscript. Don't forget to write to me about this in your next
letter, as Brahms wants this Sonata for printing.

116. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

I send you herewith a long article on "Harold" and Berlioz, which
Pohl will translate, and adopt in his intended book on Berlioz.
Be so good as to see that Pohl gets the manuscript as soon as
possible, as he is probably in Leipzig now.

[The article appeared in the "Neue Zeitschrift" in 1855
(afterwards "Gesammelte Schriften," vol. iv), whereas it did not
appear in Pohl's book on Berlioz, which only saw the light thirty
years later, in 1884.]

Tonight I go to Rotterdam for the Musical Festival, and thence
for a couple of days to Brussels. On the 22nd--24th of July I
shall come to Leipzig for a few hours, before I get back to
Weimar.

I suppose you have given up your Rotterdam journey. If you have
anything to send for from there, write me a line immediately to
Poste restante, Rotterdam.

Two articles are ready for your paper, "Die weisse Frau" [The
White Lady] and "Alfonso and Estrella." As soon as the
"Montecchi" and the "Favorita" appear you shall receive them [the
complete "Gesammelte Schriften," vol. iii, 1]. The "Fliegender
Hollander" is also ready, but must be copied.["Gesammelte
Schriften," vol. iii., 2.] This article is a very long one, and
will take up several of your numbers.

Remember me kindly to your wife, and bear me in friendly
remembrance as your willing collaborator and attached friend,

F. Liszt

Weymar, July 7th, 1854

117. To Anton Rubinstein.

[Rubinstein (born 1830, at Wechwotynetz in Russian Bessarabia)
gave concerts as early as 1839 in Paris, and Liszt, who was
there, welcomed in the boy the future "inheritor of his playing,"
and helped him in his studies, both during his stay in Paris, and
during his stay in Vienna later on, by giving him lessons. When
Rubinstein, in 1854, after a long sojourn in Russia, came back to
Germany, Liszt gave him a most hospitable reception at the
Altenburg at Weimar.]

What are you doing with yourself, my dear Van II.? [From
Rubinstein's likeness to Beethoven Liszt jokingly called him Van
II. (that is, Van Beethoven)] Are you settled according to your
liking at Bieberich, and do you feel in a fine vein of good-humor
and work, or are you cultivating the Murrendo[This must refer to
some witty joke.] of your invention?

Your luggage van of manuscripts was sent off to you the day after
my return, and will have reached you in good condition, I think.
I acquit myself herewith of my little debt of one hundred
thalers, with many thanks for your obligingness, until the case
arises again. A propos of obligingness, will you please send me
the letter of introduction for Cornelius's sister, who is about
to begin her theatrical career in the choruses of the Italian
opera at St. Petersburg? I told Cornelius that you had promised
it to me. And I should be very glad to send it him without too
much delay. His sister is an excellent young person, not too
pretty, but well brought up, and whom one can introduce with a
good conscience. It is to be feared that she will feel herself
very isolated there, and will get "Heimweh" [homesickness]!

Let me hear from you soon. As regards myself I have very little
to tell you at this moment. Weymar is deserted, as the Court is
absent. Schade alone is radiant, for he has already got a heap of
subscribers to his "Weymar'sche Jahrbucher" [Weimar Year-books],
the first number of which is half printed and will definitely
appear on the 28th August. Mr. de Beaulieu will not be back for
three weeks; in spite of this send me your scenario of the
Russian opera as soon as ever you have finished it, for I will
see that he has it, and, if there is no political obstacle (which
is a very exceptional circumstance in these matters), your work
shall be given next November. [The opera "The Siberian Hunters"
was, in point of fact, given at Weimar through Liszt's
instrumentality.] When you have sufficiently enjoyed the charms
of Bieberich, come and see me at the Altenburg. It seems to me
that you will be at least as comfortable here as elsewhere
(Baden-Baden with Madame * * * excepted!), and Van II may be
certain of being always welcome

To his very affectionate friend,

F. Liszt

Weymar, July 31st, 1854

For the translation of your opera I again recommend Cornelius,
but you will have to pass some weeks here to hasten the work.

118. To Dr. Franz Brendel

You would have greatly deceived yourself, dear friend, if you had
attributed any sort of personal aim to my last intimation
regarding the conduct of the critical part of your paper. By no
means could that be the case, and I think I even said to you in
the course of conversation that, so long as my set of articles on
various operas, which provisionally closes with the "Flying
Dutchman", is going on in the Neue Zeitschrift, it seems to me
more becoming not to bespeak any other musical productions of
mine. None the less do I consider it desirable and quite in the
interest of our cause that, for the future, the more important
productions, especially the works of R. Schumann, Hiller, Gade,
etc., should be brought into consideration more fully and oftener
than has been the case of late years. The bookseller's views, as
regards the sending or non-sending of works, appear to me
unimportant and even injurious for the higher position which your
paper maintains.--

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