Letters of Franz Liszt, Volume 2: From Rome to the End

F >> Franz Liszt; letters collected by La Mara and translated >> Letters of Franz Liszt, Volume 2: From Rome to the End

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30

I am delighted with what you tell me of Wilhelmj. Please assure
him of my best regard and of the pleasure I shall have in showing
it to him with more consequence. The Concerto for which he asks
has already been begged for several times from me by Sivori and
Remenyi. I don't know when I shall find time to write it. There
is not the least hurry for it, as long as criticism constrains
violin-virtuosi to limit themselves to a repertoire of four or
five pieces, very beautiful doubtless, and no less well known.
Joachim naively confessed to me that after he had played the
Beethoven and Mendelssohn Concertos and the Bach Chaconne he did
not know what to do with himself in a town unless it were to go
on playing indefinitely the same two Concertos and the same
Chaconne.

Sgambati and Pinelli announce six matinees of Chamber Music every
Wednesday, beginning the day after tomorrow. The audience will be
more numerous this year than formerly. People are beginning to
talk about these matinees in the aristocratic salons in which it
is often de bon ton not to listen to good music.--

Towards spring Sgambati will bring you his new laurels, and will
also tell you about his future prospects. The deciding of his
marriage will influence all the rest: it might almost be
regretted that our friend should abandon himself to an excess of
honorable feeling!

Without offending any one, the famous saying about the Chassepot
rifle may be applied to the Chickering Piano; it is doing wonders
at Rome. Everybody talks to me of it, and wants to see and hear
it. One of my archeological friends calls it "the Coliseum of
Pianos"!

My affectionate respects to your mother;--sympathetic
remembrances to Miss Williams; a friendly shake of the hand to
Callander;--admiring chirps to Bocage;--warmest compliments to
the Pearsolls, and

Very cordially yours,

F. Liszt

Rome, January 13th, 1868

63. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

My hearty congratulations upon our Falcon-colleagueship [Brendel
had received the Weimar Order of the Falcon of Watchfulness
(Falkenorden der Wachsamkeit)] and henceforth always, "Vigilando
ascendimus."

As I was expecting parcels and news from Leipzig I delayed
answering your friendly letter. I have not yet received either
the Almanack, or the corrected proofs of the "Elizabeth". How did
the performance in the Pauliner Church [Riedel had arranged a
performance of the "Elizabeth" in Leipzig.] go off? Ask Kahnt to
let me have one or two of the notices of it--especially the
unfavorable ones. Remind him also to write to Otto Roquette about
the translation of the Latin chorus at the end, to which I
referred in my last letter to him.

Berlioz's "Requiem" is the corner-stone of the programme for the
Altenburg Tonkunstler-Versammlung. I have often speculated about
the possibility of having this colossal work produced.
Unfortunately the Weimar churches were not sufficiently spacious,
and in Brunswick, where the Egidien church would be a magnificent
place for musical festivals of any kind, other difficulties stood
in the way. Probably Altenburg also does not possess any building
sufficiently large to hold an orchestra for the "Dies Irae", and
Riedel will have to reduce the 16 drums, 12 horns, 8 trumpets and
8 trombones to a minimum. But, even though it should not be
possible to give a performance of the whole work, still there are
portions of it--such as the "Requiem Aeternam," the "Lacrymosa
and Sanctus"--that are extremely well worth hearing and
appreciating.

The sketch of the programme furnishes an excellent antidote to
Berlioz's Requiem, in Handel's "Acis and Galatea"; and some
smaller things of Draseke, Lassen and my humble self might be
introduced in between.

Sgambati's co-operation will depend upon my journey. I am unable
as yet to say anything definite about it. Not till June can I
decide whether I can come or not. To speak frankly it will be
difficult for me to leave Rome at all this year.

With regard to your personal affairs I can but again assure you
that I take the liveliest interest in them. The modesty of your
claims, dear friend, is very much out of proportion with the
importance of the services you have rendered. One rarely meets
with demands that are as just and as unpretending as yours. Be
assured of my sincere readiness to promote your interest in
higher quarters, and to do what I can to satisfy you.

With warmest thanks and kindest greetings yours,

F. Liszt

Rome, January 26th, 1868

Sgambati's matinees for Chamber-music are better attended than
ever this winter. They include all that is musically interesting
as regards Rome.

64. To Walter Bache

Dear Mr. Bache,

I thank you cordially for your kind letter, and beg you to rely
always on my feelings of sincere affection and esteem.

It would certainly be a great pleasure to me to see you again in
London this summer, yet I could not venture to promise or to keep
my promise, and must abstain from either.

Please therefore to make my excuses to the Secretary of the
Philharmonic Society, and to thank him for his kind intentions
towards me. If an opportunity of realising them should occur
later on,--without disappointment or disagreeableness to any
one,--I should be much pleased. As regards the present time it is
superfluous to give any thought to the proposition you transmit
to me, in view of the obligations which will retain me elsewhere.
I am even doubtful whether it will be possible for me to accept
the invitation of my German friends to the Tonkunstler-
Versammlung at Altenburg in July.--

The good news you give me of Klindworth is very pleasant to me.
May he remember me sufficiently well to know how much I
appreciate him and what an affection I have for him.

Sgambati is very much in fashion this winter, and the fashion is
perfectly right in this. He sends you a thousand affectionate
greetings, and Lippi, [A Roman pupil of Liszt's] Mdlle. Giuli
[Liszt's best lady-pupil in Rome] and the other patients of the
"Scuola" [School] hold you in warm remembrance.

Accept also, dear Mr. Bache, the assurance of my very sincere
devotion.

F. Liszt

Rome, January 30th, 1868

The performance of my symphonic works in London must, like the
concert of the Phil. Society, be postponed. Your zeal in this
matter touches me much. I would not wish tosuppress it, and only
beg you to moderate it so that it may be all the more fruitful.

65. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

I have nothing to find fault with in the sketch of the Altenburg
programme except that my name occurs too often in it. I am afraid
of appearing obtrusive if several works of mine are produced at
every Tonkunstler-Versammlung. Certainly the repetition of the
13th Psalm might be permissible and even advantageous to myself,
as you kindly remark; also I should not care to raise any protest
against the chorus "An die Kunstler," and simply because it has
hitherto been more screamed at than heard, for it has been
accounted one of my most culpable heresies to have set these
words of Schiller's to music after Mendelssohn, and indeed
without copying Mendelssohn and without humoring the customary
taste of Vocal Societies. Parenthetically be it said that
Schiller and "Manhood's dignity" forbade me to make this
composition any pleasanter. I dreamt a temple and not a kiosk!--

If you run the risk of giving this Artists' Chorus in Altenburg I
must beg the conductor to take all possible care in rehearsing
it--and to aim at the most dignified composure in the
performance. Like reverberating marble-pillars must be the effect
of the singing!--

Please thank Stade [Director of the Court orchestra, and Court
organist in Altenburg (born 1817); he was a friend of Liszt's for
many years.] most warmly for his friendly intention to play one
of my Organ pieces. He will probably choose either the Variations
on the Basso continuo of Bach's Cantata "Weinen, sorgen, seufzen,
klagen" ("Weeping, grieving, sighing, lamenting")--or the BACH-
Fugue.

Discuss the matter again with Riedel and Stade, as to whether 3
items by Liszt on the programme are not too much. I will gladly
yield to your decision, and wish only there were more prospect of
my being able to attend this Tonkunstler-Versammlung. However I
cannot say anything definite about it till June.

Sgambati gives a concert next week in Florence. On his return at
the end of April it will be decided whether he can undertake the
journey to Altenburg or will have to remain here all summer.

Sgambati is decidedly not an artist for a watering-place,
although as a virtuoso his talent is extraordinary and
undoubtedly effective. He plays Bach, Beethoven, Chopin,
Schumann, and my most troublesome things with perfect
independence and in a masterly style. His artistic tendencies and
sympathies are altogether "new-German." This winter we heard two
of his larger works: a Pianoforte-Quintet and a Nonet for
strings. Both of these deserve to be brought out by our Musik-
Verein.

Ad vocem of the dedication of Seifritz's Overture, you have come
to the right resolution in dedicating the 2nd year's issue of the
Almanack to Prince Hohenzollern. I likewise approve of the
following numbers being dedicated to the Princes in whose
capitals the Tonkunstler-Versammlungen are held.

The first number of the Almanack seems to me very successful. But
the historical Calendar might gain in interest by omissions and
additions. Mediocre local celebrities such as "H.S. in E., T.D.
in B., L.A. in L.," etc., etc., do not need to figure as
historical. As little do a couple of first performances that were
given in Weimar under my conductorship. See to it, dear friend,
that more important data are collected in good time, and that
superfluous data are rejected.

As I told you in Leipzig, the Grand Duke has determined to have
me in Weimar for a couple of months during the winter (towards
the beginning of '69). Perhaps I may go somewhat sooner.

With the next sending of proofs please ask Kahnt to enclose the
manuscript of the 18th Psalm ("The Heavens declare the glory of
God") for male voices. It is written on very large sheets of
music-paper and bound in boards. But in order that the parcel may
be made a more convenient size let the boards be removed and the
manuscript paper doubled up. Kahnt will remember that I left him
this manuscript seven years ago.

With hearty greetings, yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

March 3lst, 1868

66. To Johann von Herbeck

Dear Friend,

My cousin Eduard will bring you the score of the 18th Psalm
intended for the Mannergesang-Verein [Vocal Society for Men's
Voices] in Vienna. Allow me at this opportunity again to offer
you my sincerest thanks for the kindly feelings you have always
entertained for me. The further fate of the Psalm forwarded to
you I leave wholly in your hands. You will have to decide whether
it is suitable for being performed at the Jubilee Festival of the
Mannergesang-Verein. If you think it is I shall be glad; still I
beg you not to make it any special consideration, and if you
think it more advisable not to burden the Festival-programme with
it, I shall be quite content, feeling convinced, dear friend,
that you will know best what is most to my advantage.

Otherwise the study of it would give no trouble. The Psalm is
very simple and massive--like a monolith. And, as in the case of
other works of mine, the conductor has the chief part to play.
He, as the chief virtuoso and artifex, is called upon to see that
the whole is harmoniously articulated and that it receives a
living form. In the rhythmical and dynamical climax, from letters
B to E (repeated from H to L), as also in some of the ritenuti;
especially in the passage:

"The law of the Lord is perfect,
Converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure,
Making wise the simple, etc.,"

you will find substance to prove your excellence as a conductor.

Well, dear friend, you know what it is brilliantly to arouse a
flaming spirit out of dead notes.

Accept the assurance of my sincere esteem and affection.

F. Liszt

Rome, June 9th, 1868

67. To Dr. Franz Brendel

[This is the last of the many letters Liszt addressed to Brendel,
who died a few months afterwards.]

Dear friend,

As might have been foreseen, I must unfortunately give up all
thought of paying you and my friends of the Tonkunstler-
Versammlung a visit this year. Were it possible for me to get
away from here, I should today start for Munich, in honor of the
"Meistersinger" which is to be performed next Sunday--and thence
I should go to Weimar and Altenburg. In place of this I have to
remain here till the end of the month. After that I mean to go to
the neighborhood of Ancona for some sea baths. Please send me at
once, in a wrapper, the notices of the Altenburg Musical Festival
that have appeared in the Neue Zeitschrift.

Sgambati asks me to send you his kindest excuses. He would have
much liked to wander to Germany, but he too is nailed here for
this summer. His concerts in Florence with Wilhemj a few weeks
ago were very successful. Sgambati is quite a phenomenal pianist
for Italy, and is certain to do himself credit elsewhere on
account of his sterling qualities, and his rare excellence as a
virtuoso is combined with a personality of the greatest
amiability and reliable artistic feeling. There is some talk of
his getting an appointment in St. Petersburg.

A fortnight ago I heard from Paris that Berlioz was failing in
health and suffering greatly. When I saw him last (in the spring
of '66) he was then already physically and mentally broken down.
Our personal relations always remained friendly, it is true, but
on his side there was somewhat of a gloomy, cramped tone mixed
with them...

Neither Schumann nor Berlioz could rest satisfied at seeing the
steady advance of Wagner's works. Both of them suffered from a
suppressed enthusiasm for the music of the future.

I shall not be able to decide about my proposed stay in Weimar
till the end of the year. Till then I shall keep quiet here or in
the neighborhood, the extreme boundary to which is indicated by
the sea baths of Ancona. Several other invitations have had to be
courteously declined. But next year a considerable change may
take place in my outward circumstances, and may again draw me
closer to Germany. How this last chapter of my life will shape
itself I cannot yet foresee.

The Vienna Mannergesang-Verein have kindly asked me to provide a
composition for their Jubilee Festival. This is the reason why I
asked Kahnt for the score of the 18th Psalm ("The Heavens declare
the glory of God"), which has at last come, and was despatched to
Vienna the day before yesterday [published by Schuberth,
Leipzig]. Kahnt has no doubt also received the corrected
pianoforte score of the "Elizabeth." And there happily remains
only the full score to do, the proofs of which I am expecting
now.

During the winter my innumerable social duties rendered it
absolutely impossible for me to write any longer compositions.
This enforced idleness vexes me extremely--and I intend to assume
an air of rudeness to rid myself of a great many people. It is
more especially intrusive correspondents who are a vexatious
waste of time to me. Since the "Coronation Mass," I have in fact
only written one solitary work: a "Requiem" for male voices with
simple organ accompaniment [published by Kahnt, Leipzig].

How much I should like to hear Berlioz's colossal Requiem in
Altenburg!--Think, when there, in all friendliness of

Your sincerely attached

F. Liszt

Rome, June 17th, 1868

Again I beg you to send me regularly the programmes and the
notices of the Altenburg T.K.V. in the Neue Zeitung.

68. To E. Repos

Dear Sir,

As you are kind enough still to remember about the "Ave Maris
Stella" it would be inexcusable of me to forget it. My first
manuscript having gone astray I spent the whole of yesterday in
rewriting this very simple song, of which you will receive two
versions at once by the next possible occasion; one for
mezzosoprano voice with Piano or Harmonium accompaniment, the
other for 4 male voices with a little Organ accompaniment. In
this latter please excuse my very bad writing, over and above
whatever there may be defective in the composition. I cannot,
here, have several copyists at my disposal as in Germany. The
only one whom I can employ is ill--and I have not time to wait
till he gets well, for from tomorrow I undertake my pilgrimage to
Assisi and Loretto--after which I shall make a villeggiatura of
at least six weeks at Grotta-mare (near Ancona, on the shores of
the Adriatic).

I depend on your kindness to send me the final proofs of the "Ave
Maris Stella" to the address which I will give you shortly.

How shall I manage to get you my biographical notice published in
1843 in the voluminous collection of the Biographae Pascallet? I
really do not know. This notice is both the most exact, the best
edited, and the kindest of all that have appeared about me in
French. Mr. Fetis quotes it in my article of the Biographie univ.
des Musiciens, and I have asked Mr. le Chanoine Barbier de
Montault to look for it at Angot the editor's.--The entire
collection of the Biographaie Pascallet must be, amongst others,
in the library of Mr. Emile de Girardin, but the illustrious
publicist has so many great matters to attend to that I should
scruple to trouble him about such a trifle.

In any case it will be easy to unearth our unhappy little Opus in
question in the Bibliotheque imperiale, where, if necessary, it
can be copied for the use of Mr. le Ch. de Montault.

Please, dear sir, count on my very sincerely affectionate and
devoted sentiments.

F. Liszt

Rome, July 1st, 1868

A thousand thanks for your kind sending of the Repertoire of St.
Sulpice, which is this moment come.

69. To Prof. Carl Riedel in Leipzig

[1827-88, founder and director of the celebrated Riedel Verein in
Leipzig, and after Brendel's death President of the Allgemeine
Deutsche Musikverein.]

Dear Friend,

My sincere congratulation upon your glorious accomplishment--the
performance of Berlioz's Requiem in Altenburg, and also my
kindest thanks for all the trouble and care you have bestowed
upon the "Elizabeth" and the "13th Psalm." I hope to hear
Berlioz's "Requiem" next winter in Leipzig, and also some of
Bach's contrapuntal "feste Burgen." My ears thirst for them!

Meanwhile let me ask Frau Professor Riedel kindly to accept me
herewith in effigy as an inmate.

With sincere esteem, I remain, dear friend,

Your gratefully attached

F. Liszt

Grotta Mare, August 12th [1868]

70. To E. Repos

Dear Sir,

By the same post I return you the proofs of the "Ave Maris
Stella," which reached me yesterday. Will you be kind enough to
have the various errors of these first proofs corrected on the
plates. Exactitude in editions is a duty of the profession, too
often neglected.

I will send you, by the first opportunity, a short "Offertoire"
(of some 40 bars) for men's voices. The text forms part of the
service of St. Francis--"Mihi autem adhoerere Deo bonum est," and
I composed it lately at Assisi.--In about a week's time I shall
be back in Rome, where I left my manuscripts; amongst others a
"Requiem" for men's voices with Organ accompaniment. The style of
it is very simple, and whatever goodwill one brings to it the
execution will also be very simple. If it would suit you to
publish this "Requiem" (of about some thirty small pages of
print) I will send it you with the "Offertoire" of St. Francis.

Accept, dear sir, the expression of my distinguished and devoted
sentiments.

F. Liszt

Grotta Mare, August 26th, 1868

Address Rome.--I have not received any letter from you for
several months.

71. To Prof. Dr. Siegmund Lebert in Stuttgart

[The addressee was a distinguished pianoforte teacher (1822-
1884), co-founder of the Stuttgart Conservatoire, co-editor of
the Grosse Clavierschule (Lebert and Stark), and of the
instructive edition of Classical pianoforte--works published by
Cotta, in which Liszt, Bulow and Faisst took part. It is to these
last-mentioned works that the letters here given refer.]

Dear Friend,

To satisfy rational and righteous people is the better part of my
life. I am very glad that you approve of the letter to the French
edition of your Method, and that you find it appropriate. I have
simply said what I think. I pledge myself always to be true in
speech and action, however many annoyances and misinterpretations
may be hurled at me in return. In confidence I will tell you what
is the rule of my whole existence; it consists of the daily
prayer: "O veritas Deus, fac me unum tecum in perpetua
caritate!"--

Excuse the delay in the return of the 3rd part of the Method. I
thought of making use of some favorable opportunity of sending it
to Stuttgart to save you the expense of postage; but no such
opportunity has presented itself, and so this concluding volume
of the Method was despatched to you through the agency of Herr
Kolb (Wurtemberg consul in Rome). The added notes are very
unimportant, because, in fact, I had no other weightier remarks
to make. While playing through the Etudes I found myself put into
a thorough good humor, and this must be my excuse for the few bad
jokes which my mischievous pencil scribbled down. Please do not
let them go further; such jests must be kept quietly to
ourselves.

In Grotta mare I wrote about 20 pages of the technical exercises.
Unfortunately a host of correspondence prevents my making
progress with the work I have already begun and which is finished
in my head. The Italians say: Give time, time ("dar tempo al
tempo"), which often provokes me utterly!--

First of all I shall set to work at the Weber and Schubert
edition, which I hope to send you by the beginning of November.

Please present my best thanks to Baron Reischach for his kind
letter. The business point of it (the Weber and Schubert edition)
I herewith answer; that I shall redeem my promise by the
beginning of November; and that with an easy conscience I shall
then give proof of my gratitude by writing to Baron R. myself.

In sincere and friendly collaboratorship, I am

Yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

Rome, September l0th, 1868

72. To E. Repos

Dear Chevalier and Friend,

Your last letter interests me much, and I thank you very
sincerely for the confidence you show me. Certainly I should ask
nothing better than to reply to it as you wish; but there is the
difficulty. Shall you reproach me with "claudicare in duas
partes"? No, I do not think you will, for I do not intend to have
any hitch; it is simply that the small influence which, in
certain given circumstances, I could exercise, is paralysed by
other circumstances that now predominate. I should be obliged to
explain various things to make you understand my extrinsic
inaptitude, and consequently my obligatory abstention on some
points which touch me closely. I prefer not to enter into these
details in writing; perhaps we shall have an opportunity of
speaking about them: as to the present time the following is my
reply, reduced to the most concise terms:

I entirely approve of your two projects of the competition of
sacred Music, and of the definitive, normal and really Catholic
edition of the Plain-Song of the Church. These two enterprises
are opportune and desirable, and may be carried out to your honor
and advantage. All the same I am not in a position to serve you
efficaciously utraque. Therefore I ought not to be mixed up with
it,...unless any contingency as unforeseen as decisive should
supervene.

You will have read in the Correspondance de Rome that the work of
M. Sre. Alfieri has remained in suspense. It is not a posthumous
obstacle with which your edition would have to contend, but
another, which might also be called Legion.

The "Requiem" and the "Offertoire of St. Francis" shall be sent
to you in a fortnight. Before sending them to you I want
carefully to look through the copy, so as to save the engraver as
many corrections as possible.

I shall not leave Rome till Christmas; from January till the end
of March I shall be at Weimar.--

Pray accept, dear Chevalier and friend, the assurance of my
affectionate devotion.

F. Liszt

September 19th, 1868

When will the 1st volume of your publication of the History of
the Popes and Cardinals come out? I shall be much obliged if you
will send it me.

73. To C.F. Kahnt, the Musical Publisher

[Facsimiles of this and No. 99 appeared in the Neue Zeitschrift
fur Musik, June 18th, 1890.]

Dear Sir and Friend,

The delay in the receipt of your letter did not in any way lessen
the very welcome news it contained, for which I thank you
cordially. Herewith also my warm congratulations in regard to the
little red-colored Altenburg volume.

Of the gracious acceptance accorded to the dedication copy of the
"Elizabeth" I have already received a full report, which is
altogether satisfactory. The second copy de luxe please to keep
for the present. I should like to present it to our Grand Duke ad
honorem of the Wartburg Library.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30