Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt Volume II Part 22

229.

MUNICH, December 12th, 1856.

DEAREST RICHARD,

I have come to a close of my stay at Munich, and want to send you a few short notes of it before returning to Weymar, which will happen tomorrow evening. First of all about the performance of "Tannhauser", which took place last Sunday (apart from the subscription nights) for the benefit of the Munich poor. The Princess had taken two boxes, which we occupied together with Kaulbach, E. Forster, Liebig, Carriere, and others. The scenery and dresses are brilliant, but probably you would not like them particularly, and I, for my part, think them mannered and pretentious. In the orchestra the wind (especially flutes, clarinets, and ba.s.soon) is excellent. The violins and double ba.s.ses (six in number) are a little hazy, and lack the necessary energy, both in bowing, which is short and easy-going, and in rhythm. The PIANOS and CRESCENDOS are insufficient, and for the same reason there is no fulness in the FORTES. "Lachner" has, no doubt, studied the score with the greatest accuracy and care, for which thanks and praise are due to him. But in the drama, as you know and say best, "we must become WISE by means of FEELING."

"Reason tells us SO IT IS, only after feeling has told us SO IT MUST BE;" and as far as I can tell, Lachner's feeling says little about "TANNHAUSER", although he was called several times before the curtain at the first performances. The part of "Tannhauser"

was sung by "Herr Jung", the husband of "Lucile Gran." He succeeded, in my opinion, better than the public here seemed to think, which is, as a rule, somewhat lukewarm and stolid. "Frau Dietz", whose figure and personality do not particularly fit her for "Elizabeth", sang the beginning of the second act with intelligence and feeling, but in the last act she was no longer up to the mark, and the prayer in the third act was applauded as if it had been "The Last Rose of Summer." "Kindermann's" voice is splendid, but there is no trace of "Wolfram" about him. Still less was "Fraulein X." able to identify herself with Venus, whom she seemed to conceive as an ideal Munich barmaid. "Lindemann", the Landgrave, you know, from Hamburg; his voice is as powerful as ever, and he might, later on, serve you as "Fafner" or "Fasolt."

"APROPOS", your "X." is a perfect madman, and I should certainly not advise you to have anything to do with a man like him. He asked me to attend a vocal practice of his pupils, when the poor people had to shout nothing but four or five notes do, de, da!

"X." has entirely surrendered himself to his monomania of method, which to him has become a kind of dram-drinking. His circ.u.mstances are in a very bad way, and I am told that he keeps himself alive chiefly by acting as clerk in a tailor's business here. This, of course, is by no means to his discredit, and I think, on the contrary, that he would do much better to give up his method, and take to tailoring EX PROFESSO.

Our concert at St. Gallen has not been without an echo at Munich, and Lachner, with whom I lived on friendly terms, proposed to me soon after my arrival to write for the parts of the two Symphonic Poems to St. Gallen, so as to have them played during my stay at the subscription concerts. I thanked him politely for the distinction intended for me, and reserved to myself the permission of making use of it another time. At the theatre I heard CLEMENZA DI t.i.tO (the festival opera on the King's birthday), JESSONDA, THE PROPHET, and TANNHAUSER; at the subscription concert the D minor symphony by "Lachner", his fourth, if I am not mistaken. LOHENGRIN is promised--that is, they are talking about it; but amongst the present artists one would have to search for "Ortrud" with a lantern. The Munich public is more or less neutral, more observing and listening than sympathetic. The Court does not take the slightest interest in music, but "H.M." the King spoke to me about TANNHAUSER as something that had PLEASED him. "Dingelstedt" complains of the impossibility of giving importance to the drama, and gives two or three operas every week for the sake of the receipts.

"Kaulbach" and I have become sincere friends. He is the right sort of fellow who will please you too, for the very reason that many people call him intolerable. As lately as yesterday I roared to him:

[Here, Liszt ill.u.s.trates with a 2 1/2 bar musical score example with the words, "He - da! He - da! He - do!"]

His designs for Shakespeare's "Tempest" (Ariel as Capellmeister in the air) are splendid. He must paint your portrait for me later on.

Farewell, dearest Richard. I must take care that we meet soon.

Your

F. L.

230.

ZURICH, December 16th, 1856.

Several times, dearest friend, I made an attempt to write to you on serious, and to me important, matters, but I had many things to settle in my own mind first. At last I feel sufficiently mature, and will tell you in plain words what is in my heart.

Your last visit, much disturbed as was our intercourse, has left a decisive impression on me, which is this: your friendship is the most important and most significant event of my life. If I can enjoy your conversation frequently and quietly, and in my own way, I shall have all that I desire, and the rest will be of subordinate value. You cannot have a similar feeling, because your life is just the opposite of mine. You love diversion, and live in it, and your desire of self-concentration is therefore temporary. I, on the contrary, live in the most absolute solitude, and therefore want occasional diversion, which, however, in my meaning, is nothing but artistic stimulus. That stimulus the musical world cannot give me; you alone can. All that I lack, especially as a musician, owing to nature and insufficient education, my intercourse with you and no one else can alone give me. Without this stimulus my limited musical capacity loses its fertility; I become discontented, laborious, heavy, and producing becomes torture to me. I never had this feeling more vividly than since our last meeting.

I have therefore but one desire, that of being able to visit you when I wish, and of living with you periodically.

Well, seriously speaking, how does this matter stand? This letter will find you at Weimar. What news have you to give me from the Grand Duke? I ask you urgently, let me have conclusive and definite information soon. Much depends upon it. Let me explain about Weimar. I want to come to the Altenburg, not to Weimar; and if it were possible I should be quite willing to live there incognito. As this will be impossible, my existence might be noticed by the Court. If the Court wants anything of me, I am prepared to appear there in person, either reading my poems, or performing fragments of my music, such as the first act of the "Valkyrie," in conjunction with you, and after our fashion. I do not want to go before the public at all. Can this be arranged, and can the possibility of my visit to Weimar be accelerated?

Concerning my income and my recent hopes of a pension from the Weimar Court separately, or in conjunction with others, you have given me some important hints, which I have not left unnoticed or unconsidered. I should prefer to remain without subvention from that quarter which would make any subsequent relation to the Weimar Court much easier to me, because it is my nature to give rather than receive.

I do not deny it would be very desirable if you could soon make an arrangement with the Hartels about the "Nibelungen," for which object, in accordance with your kind offer, I gave you discretionary power. If you should succeed in this, it would certainly be advisable to interest the Weimar Court in my work, to the extent that it might for some time grant me certain advantages on account of the honorarium which I should receive for the publication.

If you could not ask this without loss of dignity, my only way would be to give up the "Nibelungen," and begin a simple work such as "Tristan" instead, which would have the advantage that I could presumably dispose of it to the theatres at once, and receive royalties in return, although, as you know, the music trade would give me nothing for it.

Let me express my sincere regret at giving you again care and anxiety. If you decline to meddle with what I ask you, I shall think it quite natural on your part; but more depends upon your decision, and especially upon your success, than you may perhaps imagine. I cannot drag on like this.

Since my return from St. Gallen I have not seen a soul except Herwegh. Solitary walks, a little work and reading, const.i.tute my whole existence, in addition to which there were some unpleasant attacks on the little rest I have, which did not allow me to breathe freely, and impaired my health to an unbearable extent.

The correspondence between Goethe and Schiller alone pleased me much; it reminded me of our relation, and showed me the precious fruits which, in favourable circ.u.mstances, might spring from our working together.

Your Munich news showed you to me in your ever serene artistic element, which I cordially enjoyed with you. Your encounter with X. I regret. All I told you of the man was, that at one time I was pleased with his voice and manner, but could form no judgment whatever of his method. As you were no longer able to hear him sing, and as none of his pupils was sufficiently advanced to let you hear some real thing, I can well understand that the poor man must have bored you terribly with his theory; but I thank you for the trouble you have taken, and shall make use of your hint. I thought you would have been able to let me know something about Dingelstedt, and his conduct towards "Tannhauser," etc. Probably there was nothing pleasant to tell, and you remained silent in consequence. A thousand thanks to the most excellent Princess for the most astonishing cushion, and especially for the famous German letter. I sent her a short answer to Munich, but it probably did not reach you.

To the good Child I shall write shortly; continue to love me all three of you. I need it. Best remembrances from my wife.

Farewell, and let me soon hear something comforting.

Yours longingly,

R. W.

231.

DEAREST FRANZ,

I must think of protecting myself against any conceivable unpleasantness in connection with the impending warlike troubles in Switzerland.

Could not the Grand Duke get me from the Prince of Prussia, as chief of the army, a safe conduct against any possible ill- treatment or imprisonment on the part of the Prussian authorities? If this is impossible, I should have to fly to France in case of a Prussian occupation, which would be unpleasant to me. I am sure you will be good enough to do all in your power to set my mind at rest.

Of course the best thing would be if I could soon come to Weimar; but it appears that none of the difficulties of my position will be spared me.

Shall I hear from you soon?

A thousand loving and longing greetings.

232.

January lst, 1857.

DEAREST RICHARD,

I am in bed once more, covered with the whole flora of my Zurich ills. Unfortunately I am no longer near you, and must be content to celebrate the New Year with you by letter. You could not meet with better luck than I wish you from the bottom of my heart. The hope of serving you and, perhaps, of living together with you soon for some time, keeps me active and cheerful, although the external aspects are not of the most favourable kind. At Carlsruhe, where I stayed a day three weeks ago, the Grand Duke and Grand d.u.c.h.ess spoke with the warmest interest of your works.

("Lohengrin" was being studied for production at Christmas.) Our Grand Duke here did the same at my arrival, adding, however, his apprehension, that for the present nothing could be done for you, and that I must have patience. How sick I am of this patience you may easily imagine.

I wrote to the Prince of Prussia the day before yesterday explaining your business at some length to him. I shall probably have a reply, which I will communicate to you in due course. The warlike dangers in Switzerland do not appear to me of a very urgent kind, but I thought this a good opportunity for calling the attention of the Prince to your miserable fate, which is in such glaring contrast to your fame and artistic activity. The Prince is an honourable character, and it may be expected that his intercession will be of service to you later on. In the meantime, you ought, I think, to take no further step, nor waste a single word, because this would lead only to useless humiliation for you.

As soon as the favourable moment arrives which I expect, I shall write to you. On the occasion of the performance of "Lohengrin"

for the wedding of the son of the Prince of Prussia, I advise you again to write to the young Prince in the sense previously discussed by us. Probably your affair will have entered a different stage by then.

"Tannhauser" was given here on Boxing-day with great success, and "Lohengrin" will follow soon. For the latter we shall have to get Frau Stager from Prague, because amongst our local artists there is none who could undertake Ortrud. Otherwise everything here is very much in the old groove, and there is little to please me.

I long very much for my work. As soon as I am quite recovered I shall shut myself up in it, and you will be always present to my mind, until we may at last live together in the body.

Your

F. L.