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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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.

The "wanton, ragged garments of the Muse," which you abandon with
strict generosity, make a show and please almost everywhere. Her
sensual charm is not unknown to me; yet I think I may say that it
was given me to lay hold of a higher and a pure ideal, and to vow
to it my whole endeavors for many years past. You, dear friend,
have, through your singing, often led me to this in the best way,
without thinking of it. Moreover it always does me so much good
when we meet in unity in the same path.--

Owing to a heap of visits (among which were several of deep
interest, such as Kaulbach, Varnhagen, Carus, etc.), I have been
much interrupted in the completion of the "Elizabeth." Still, I
hope to be ready with it by February. You will then again do the
best part for it, and must practice works of artistic mercy!--
What is the good of anything that is written on paper, if it is
not comprehended by the soul and imparted in a living manner?--
But among the works of mercy I am not desirous that you should
have to bury a still-born Oratorio!--

My heartfelt, twofold greetings to Milde, as friend and as
artist. I am writing the part of Landgrave Ludwig for him--and,
as the Landgrave is very speedily got out of the way, I will ask
him to undertake, in addition, two other parts (those of a
Hungarian magnate and a bishop).

The day after tomorrow I accompany the Princess to the mountains
and cascades of the Tyrol. On our return journey we shall spend a
couple of days in Munich, and shall be back here by the end of
September. Will you allow me to conduct "Alceste" on the 2nd of
October?--Sobolewski's "Comala" [Opera by Sobolewski.] is fixed
for the 12th. I shall give over to our common friend Lassen (to
whom please remember me warmly) the pianoforte rehearsals during
my absence.

I hope you will get quite strong and enjoy yourself much at the
seaside, dear friend, and return in good spirits to us at Weymar,
where you are quite indispensable to

Yours most truly and devotedly, F. Liszt

P.S.--Possibly Fraulein * * * (whose name at this moment I
forget) will come from Berlin to Weymar during my absence. I
recommend her again to Milde and yourself. Preller will introduce
her to you, and I beg that Milde will help her with good
teaching. If I am not mistaken, she would stand proof well in
mezzo-soprano parts.

I have trustworthy tidings of the brilliant success of the first
performance of "Lohengrin" in Vienna (on the 19th of this month).
Rienzi was also taken up again in these days as before.

206. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear honored Friend,

The memorandum is excellent, and I agree with it in all points. I
have noted this, according to your wish, at the end by the words
vu et approuve [Seen and approved.] (a perfectly correct formula
in French). The Prince's address is as follows:--

To His Highness Prince Constantin Hohenzollern-Hechingen,
Lowenberg, Silesia. I should not be able for the present to find
you a Paris correspondent. But, as I understand, Bülow intends to
go to Paris in the course of this winter, and would then be best
able to tell you of a colleague there. There is no hurry about
the article on theater curtains. As soon as I am somewhat through
the mass of arrears in correspondence I will take an opportunity
of sending it to you, but whether it will be in time to appear in
the first number of the "Anregungen" I cannot say.

I told Pohl yesterday that I wish the Dresden Weber concerto
affair in the meantime not to be mentioned in the paper. The
whole affair has for the moment made an extraordinary stir, and I
will tell you about it later on. For the present there is nothing
to be said about it on our side, even if other papers mix
themselves up in it in an incompetent manner. Very likely the
winter will slip away before the intended concert comes off. [The
Dresden theater directors intended, as M. M. v. Weber tells us in
his biography of his father (vol. ii., p. 721), to arrange a
concert for the benefit of the Weber Memorial which was to be
erected. Liszt was equally desirous of doing something publicly
for the Master whom he so highly esteemed; but "because they
could not agree whether he should take part in the directors'
concert or use the personnel of the Royal Opera at his own
concert, neither of the concerts was given."]

Sobolewski (who has been detained this time by his theater work
in Bremen) will come here for the second performance of "Comala".
I will let you know about it.

The work is worth your hearing and interesting yourself in. Owing
to the acting of the two Schmidts (husband and wife), as guests
here, ["Das Gastspiel"--the playing as guests at a theater--is an
expression used when actors or singers other than those attached
to the theater of the place come to act or sing there for a time]
the second performance has been postponed until towards the
middle of this month.

I will send Riedel the pianoforte edition of my Mass very
shortly.

With heartfelt greetings,

Yours,

F. Liszt

November 2nd, 1858

207. To Johann von Herbeck

Dear Friend,

Your three splendid fellows, my high-minded and honorable
gipsies, ["Die drei Zigeuner" ("The Three Gipsies"), by Lenau,
for voice with pianoforte accompaniment.] are most excellently
lodged on the Altenburg. First of all the song was played on the
violin, then with cello--another time I tried it alone, and
yesterday Caspari sang me the song, so full of pith and beauty
and intrinsic worth, to the delight of us all and of myself in
particular. It will remain as a brilliant repertoire piece
amongst us, and I shall very soon introduce it to Tichatschek,
who will assuredly give it with inspiration and will make it
widely known. Please forgive me, dear friend, for not having
expressed my warm thanks to you sooner.--I only got home a few
weeks ago from my journey to the Tyrol and Munich, and have
scarcely been able to sit down to write, owing to all the
business pressing upon me from every side. If Lessing says "One
must not must," nevertheless the saying of Kladderadatsch, "Bien
muss," ["The bee must"--referring to a joke in the German Punch
(Kladderadatsch).] is, for ordinary mortals, much more
applicable--and over this "bee must" one at last becomes quite
idle from sheer weariness.

I will take the first opportunity of sending you your manuscript
of the score of the Mass for men's voices to Vienna. The Gloria,
which was performed at the University Jubilee Festival of Jena
last August, was made most effective by your excellent
instrumentation. You will observe a slight alteration at the
conclusion (six bars instead of five, and a slightly less risky
modulation), which I beg you to follow at any performance there
may chance to be in Vienna.

As regards the choruses to "Prometheus," I confess to you
candidly that, much as I thank you for thinking about them, I
think it is wiser to wait a little bit. I am not in the slightest
hurry to force myself on to the public, and can quietly let a
little more of the nonsense about my failure in attempts at
composition be spread abroad. Only in so far as I am able to do
something lasting may I place some modest value upon it. This can
and will be decided by time alone. But I should not wish
previously to impose on any of my friends the disagreeables which
the performance of my works, with the widespread presuppositions
and prejudices against them, brings with it. In a few years I
hope things will go better, more rationally, and more justly with
musical matters.

Until then we will go forward composedly and contemplatively on
our way! Once more best thanks and greetings from yours in all
friendship,

F. Liszt

Weymar, November 22nd (St. Cecilia's Day), 1858

208. To Felix Draseke

My very dear Friend,

Herewith the piano edition of the two first acts of "Sigurd."
[Opera by Draseke.]--Imagining that you may also want the score
of the first act, which had remained here, I send it also, sorry
as I am to part from this monumental work. Under present existing
circumstances, which on my side are passive and negative, as I
intimated to you after the performance of Cornelius's Opera,
there is no prospect of putting Sigurd on the boards at present.
But I promise myself the pleasure and satisfaction of letting all
your "Tamtis" and "Beckis" be heard, when I have again resumed my
active work at the Weymar theater, for which there may probably
be an opportunity next season.

After you left Weymar we had to swallow a kind of second piece or
supplement to the performance of the "Barber of Baghdad," on
occasion of Madame Viardot's performance as "guest" here. But I
will not weary you with tales of our local miseries and crass
improprieties. I will only intimate thus much--that, under the
present Intendant régime, to my sorrow, the inviting of Frau
Schroder-Devrient to play here as guest is met by almost
unconquerable difficulties from within. Tell our excellent friend
Bronsart this, and tell him into the bargain that a concert (in
the room in the Town Hall), at which he and Frau Schroder-
Devrient should appear without any other assistance, would
certainly be very welcome to the public, and I should look upon
this as in any case a practical introduction to the performance
as guest. This matter lies outside my present sway, but it goes
without saying that I will not fail to let my slight influence
towards a favorable solution of the matter be felt.--

The day before yesterday I heard at Gotha your countryman's new
opera (Diana von Solange) for the second time. The work was
received with great approval, and is shortly to be given in
Dresden, where you will be best able to judge of it. Mitterwurzer
and Frau Ney have some very effective moments in it.

The concerts of the joint Weymar and Gotha orchestras (a matter
which I broached long ago) again came under discussion, and
possibly this March an attempt will be made to set them going.
Meanwhile let us look after our cordial [Magen-Starkung] "mentre
che il danno e la vergogna dura," ["Whilst prejudice and shame
last."] as Michael Angelo says.--

Friendly greetings from your faithful and devoted

F. Liszt

January 12th, 1859

Will you give the enclosed letter to Bronsart?

209. To Heinrich Porges In Prague

[Now Royal music-director and conductor of a first-rate Gesang-
verein [vocal union] in Munich, where he has lived since 1867.
Born 1837. Is also a writer on music.]

Dear Sir and Friend,

Owing to your affectionate understanding of what I have striven
after in the "Dante Symphony" and the "Ideale", you have a
special right to both works. Allow me to offer them to you as a
token of my sincere attachment, as also of the grateful
remembrance which I keep of the Prague performance. [At Porges'
initiative the medical students had invited Liszt, in 1858, to a
concert, at which his Dante Symphony and the Icdeale were given.
In 1859 Bulow was also invited at Porges' inducement.] Taking
your kindness for granted, I beg you to give the other two copies
to Herr Professor Mildner and Herr Dr. Ambros with my best
thanks.

It is to be hoped that this year's "Medical" Concert will have
favorable results. My valiant son-in-law, H. von Bulow, cannot
fail to be recognized among you as an eminent musician and noble
character. I thank you and Herr Musil (to whom I beg you to
remember me most kindly) for offering Bülow this opportunity of
doing something in Prague.--There is no doubt that he will
fulfill all your expectations.

For the next "Medical" Concert I willingly place myself at your
disposal. Possibly we might on this occasion venture on the
Symphonic Poem No. I "Ce qu'on entered sur la Montagne"--the
chorus "An die Kunstler," and the "Faust Symphony?"--The
respected medical men would thus take the initiative in the new
musical pathology!--

For the Tonkunstler-Versammlung, etc. [Meeting of Musicians], in
Leipzig at the beginning of June Dr. Brendel is expecting you,
and I rejoice at the thought of meeting you again there. If the
affair is not too much hampered in its natural course by local
miseries and malevolence, it may do much for the bettering of our
suffering musical position. In any case we will not fail in doing
our part towards it.

With highest esteem, yours most truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, March 10th, 1859

210. To Capellmeister Max Seifriz in Lowenberg

[Autograph in the possession of Herr Alexander Meyer Cohn in
Berlin.]

Dear Friend,

I feel the most heartfelt sympathy with you in your sad days at
Lowenberg, and trust with you that they will not last much
longer. When there is a suitable opportunity, express to our
Prince my heartfelt, grateful devotion. Then tell me quite openly
and candidly whether my visit to Lowenberg, in the course of next
month, will be welcome and will make no trouble. I had planned to
spend the Easter week there, and only await preliminary tidings
from you to announce myself by letter to His Highness. Dr.
Brendel wished at the same time to pay his respects to the
Prince. The press of work upon him just now especially will only
allow him to stay a couple of days with you; but I for my part,
if I am assured that my visit will not come inopportunely, should
like to prolong my stay a little. Perhaps, as you are so kindly
intending to invite Damrosch, it might be arranged for him to
come at the same time. It would be a great pleasure to me to see
the valiant friend and comrade in Art again with you.

I give you once more my best thanks for the kind attention which
you have caused to be bestowed on my works. The many attacks on
me which I have to bear enhance still more the value I place on
the sympathy and concurrence of my friends.

By today's post I send you the scores of the Dante Symphony, the
"Ideale," and the Goethe March, which have just come out--the
former merely to read through (as a memento of the Dresden
performance, which served as a rehearsal to me, after which
several alterations in the score occurred to me)-but the other
two might not be wholly unsuitable for a performance with your
gallant orchestra, to whom I beg you to remember me most kindly.

May the things be welcome to you, dear friend, as a token of the
very high esteem of

Yours in all friendship,

F. Liszt

Weymar, March 22nd, 1859

211. To Eduard Liszt

Warmest thanks for all you have done, said, and felt, dearest
Eduard. I hope that I am only going a few steps in front of you,
and that in a couple of years the same distinction will fall to
your lot, in which I shall then have the same pleasure as is
granted to you today. [This would be the bestowing of the title
of nobility on Liszt, who, however, as is well known, never used
it.]

Herewith my letter of thanks to S. E. von Bach. [Austrian
Minister of the Interior.] Perhaps you would think it well to
deliver the letter yourself. Take the opportunity of remembering
me to Wurzbach, who has always been most friendly to me. I will
write to Daniel one of these next days. The Princess goes
tomorrow to Munich, where Kaulbach is painting the portrait of
Princess Marie. On the 30th of this month I again make a visit to
Prince Hohenzollern at Lowenberg (Shlesia), and shall then soon
take up my quarters at Leipzig, where we shall have to live
through some rather warm days on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd June. For
the rest there are good prospects for us there; and, even if
dishonesty and malevolence make the utmost exertions (as we may
expect they will do), this can do us but very little injury
(where it does not help us).

You have possibly already heard that the Schiller Festival in
Weymar has been frustrated by the imprudence of Dingelstedt. In
spite of that I am composing the Introduction to the Festival by
Halm, which may find its use here or elsewhere. With heartfelt
thanks and greetings, your

F. Liszt

[Weimar,] April 5th, 1859

212. To N. N., Music-Director at Weimer

[Autograph in the possession of Herr Gille, Privy Councillor in
Jena.]

Dear Herr Music-Director,

I learn today by chance of the measures which have been taken a
posteriori against the concert conducted and arranged by Herr
Gotze [Carl Gotze, chorister, afterwards music-director.] and
sincerely regret that a Weimar music-director and Weymar Court
musician could deem such a thing suitable.

I, with my exceptional and only occasional dealings with the
orchestra here, can only draw your attention to the fact of how
deplorably such occurrences run counter to a nice feeling of
decorum, and still more to the nobler artist feeling.

With compliments,

F. Liszt

April 17th, 1859

213. To Peter Cornelius In Vienna Weymar

May 23rd, 1859

Dearest Friend,

I learn with joy from your letter (which has just crossed mine
from Lowenberg), that things are going well and comfortably with
you in Vienna. It is easy to see that your stay there, when once
you have made a firm footing, will become very advantageous--and
whatever I can do towards helping this you may be sure I shall
do. Herewith a few lines for Herr von Villers, Secretary of the
Saxon Embassy (where you will learn his address). He is one of my
older friends who has remained very dear to me. In his refined
poetic and musical feeling many kindred tones will sound for you.
Tell him all about Weymar and play him something from the
"Barbier". [Cornelius' Opera] Although he lives somewhat a part,
he can prove himself agreeable to you in many things,--firstly,
by his own personal intercourse--and then also by his relations
with Baron Stockhausen (the Hanoverian Ambassador), at whose
house there is frequently really good music, etc.--Don't delay,
therefore, looking up Villers.

For today I must beg you also to get the Prologue for the Leipzig
days [The Leipzig Tonkunstler-Versammlung (Meeting of Musicians),
from which the Allgemeine Deutsche Musikverein (Universal German
Musical Society) sprang] ready as quickly as possible. I shall
settle down at the end of this week (Saturday) in Leipzig--Hotel
de Pologne. It would be very good of you if you could send me the
Prologue to Leipzig within eight days. Address to Brendel,
Mittelstrasse, 24. I still do not possess a single copy of my
Mass, because I sent on the two or three that had been previously
sent to me at once to M[usic]-D[irector] Riedel for studying the
work. But my cousin, Dr. Eduard Liszt, will certainly be
delighted to give you your copy at once. You have only to tell
Daniel to bring it to you, if you have not time to call on
Eduard.

Frau von Milde, Bulow, Bronsart, Draseke, Lassen, etc., etc.,
etc., are coming to Leipzig from Monday, 30th May, until Sunday,
4th June. You must not fail us, dearest friend, and we await you
with open arms and loving hearts. Your

F. Liszt

The Princess stays a little longer in Munich, and will not get to
Leipzig till towards the end of this month. Remember me most
respectfully and warmly to Hebbel.

Best greetings to Catinelli.

Once more, please send the "Prologue".

214. To Dr. Franz Brendel

[Autograph in the possession of Herr A.O. Schulz, bookseller in
Leipzig.]

Herewith is an answer to the nine points of your letter of today,
my dear friend [Referring to the Tonkunstler-Versammlung in
Leipzig, in June, 1859].

1. The Mildes have got leave of absence from Monday, 30th April,
till Friday, 3rd June, inclusive. Your programme remains as
already fixed. Duet from the "Flying Dutchman", "Cellini Aria",
Songs by Franz and Schumann (etc. ad libitum).

2. I will bring all the orchestral parts that there are with me,
or, better still, I will send you the whole lot tomorrow. For
"Tasso" the whole set is complete--but for the "Duet" from the
"Dutchman", and the "Cellini Aria" and "Overture" a couple of
copies of the quartet will have to be written out afresh in
Leipzig.

3. I do not possess the "Overture to the Corsair" [By Berlioz]
(and would not recommend it for performance), and the "Prelude to
Tristan" Bülow will see after.

4. I expect more particulars from Bülow in the course of the
week.

5. I am writing today to Cornelius about the Prologue affair.

6. Herewith is the German text of the Mass,[Lizst's "Gran
Festival Mass."] which is to be printed in Leipzig in the same
manner as in Vienna--namely, with the addition of the Latin text-
-and which belongs to the General Programme of the Festival.
This programme we will settle and revise together next Sunday.

7. Leave of absence for Frau Pohl will be attended to.

8. I reserve to myself the matter of deciding on what pianists
shall accompany the Ballads, and undertake the piano part of the
"Trios" that are to be given. If possible I want Bronsart to take
a part in it.

9. I will send off the definite invitations to the nobility next
Sunday (at latest) from Leipzig to Gotha and Meiningen. I am
coming to you on Saturday afternoon, 21st May [Must be 28th May,
as the letter is dated the 23rd], and shall then stay in Leipzig
till the end of the Festival. For the present a suitable room
(without sitting-room) will satisfy me, and I beg you to bespeak
this for me in the Hotel de Pologne for Saturday. My ministering
spirit should have his room close to mine, because looking for
him and calling is highly disagreeable to me.

Goodbye till Saturday. Your

F. Liszt

Monday, May 23rd, 1859

P.S.--The performance of "Judas Maccabaeus" (for the Handel
Festival) is announced here for next Wednesday, 25th May.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, there will be a similar Handel celebration in
Erfurt with a performance of the "Messiah." Frau von Milde will
sing the soprano part there. Let Pohl know this--perhaps he may
like to hear "Judas."

The rehearsals of Rietz's little Opera are in progress, and
Pasque (who has written the libretto for it) told me yesterday
that the first performance will take place next week. Probably
Rietz will undertake to conduct it, as I proposed.

215. To Felix Draseke

Where, my dear, excellent friend, have you got hold of the
extraordinary idea that I could be angry with you? How to begin
such a thing I really should not know. You are far too good and
dear to me for me not to remain good to you also in all things!--
Herewith are a few lines for Wagner, which however you don't in
the least need. I am glad that you are not putting off this
journey any longer. But before you set out WRITE to Wagner (you
can add my lines to your letter extra), and inquire whether he
will be staying at Lucerne still, so that your Swiss pilgrimage
may not be in vain.--You will be certain to get an answer from
Wagner by return of post, and will thus be sure of your object.

Schuberth tells me that "King Helge" will ride into his shop
almost immediately...to Sigrun, the ever blooming delicious
sorrow!--How scornfully, "without greeting or thanks," will "King
Helge" look down upon all the other wares in Schuberth's shop.
Somewhat as the hippopotamus looks on toads and frogs.--But it is
quite right to let the Ballade come out, and I am impatiently
awaiting my copy.--[Liszt subsequently formed out of Draseke's
song the melodrama of the same name.]

I hope it may be possible for me to come to Lucerne at the end of
August. But send some tidings of yourself before then to

Your sincere and faithful

F. Liszt

[Weimar,] July 19th, 1859

216. To Peter Cornelius in Vienna

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