Letters of Franz Liszt Volume II Part 56

(housekeeping, or a public house]

Next Whit-week "Tonkunstler-Versammlung" in Wiesbaden. On the 5th June Bulow conducts the first concert there, at which Bronsart's beautiful and valuable "Fruhlings-Fantasie," Billow's music to Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar," and my "Faust Symphony" will be performed. Bulow kindly plays the piano the same evening, and has chosen Tschaikowsky's Concerto. Besides this his favorite pupil Schwarz produces several "Etudes transcendantes." [By Liszt] Till the middle of July I stay here. Then Bayreuth, and at the end of August Villa d'Este. To Frau Jessie Hillebrand and her husband [who were just then in London] give heartfelt and faithful devotion, with respectful thanks, from

Theirs in old friendship,

F. Liszt

Weimar, May 25th, 1879

[The explanation, accompanying this letter, of the idea of the "Hunnenschlacht" is as follows:]

Kaulbach's world-renowned picture presents two battles--the one on earth, the other in the air, according to the legend that warriors, after their death, continue fighting incessantly as spirits. In the middle of the picture appears the Cross and its mystic light; on this my "Symphonic Poem" is founded. The chorale "Crux fidelis," which is gradually developed, ill.u.s.trates the idea of the final victory of Christianity in its effectual love to G.o.d and man.

247. To Ludmilla Schestakoff

Madame,

Your ill.u.s.trious brother Glinka is one of the well-chosen admirations of my youth. His genius has been known to me ever since the year 1842; and at my last concert in St. Petersburg (in '43) I played the "Marche tscherkesse" from "Russlan and Ludmilla," and a brilliant transcription by Vollweiler of several themes from the same Opera.

Glinka remains the Patriarch-prophet of music in Russia.

With my sincere thanks to you for sending me the beautiful score of "Russlan," carefully edited and well arranged by Messrs.

Rimsky-Korsakoff, Balakireff and Liadoff [The score was published in 1879.], I beg you to accept, Madame, the expression of very respectful homage of your very humble servant,

F. Liszt

Weimar, June 14th, 1879

248. To Alexander Borodin, Caesar Cui, Anatolie Liadoff and Nicolas Rimsky-Korsakoff in St. Petersburg

Very Honored Gentlemen,

You have done a work of serious value under the form of a jest.

Your "Paraphrases" charm me: nothing can be more ingenious than these 24 Variations and the 16 little pieces upon the favorite and obligato subject

[Here, Liszt writes a 4-bar musical score excerpt of the main theme of the 24 Variations]

In short, here we have an admirable compendium of the science of harmony, of counterpoint, of rhythms, of figuration, and of what in German is called "The Theory of Form" (Formenlehre)! I shall gladly suggest to the teachers of composition at all the Conservatoires in Europe and America to adopt your "Paraphrases"

as a practical guide in their teaching. From the very first page, the Variations II. and III. are true gems; and not less the other numbers continuously, up to the grotesque Fugue and the "Cortege"

which crown the whole work gloriously. Thanks for this dainty feast, gentlemen, and I beg that when any one of you brings out a new composition he will let me know it. My most lively, my highest and most sympathising esteem has for many years been a.s.sured to you; pray accept also the expression of my sincere devotion.

F. Liszt

Weimar, June 15th, 1879

249. To Capellmeister Professor Jos. Bohm in Vienna

Honored Herr Vereinsleiter [Conductor of a Verein (Society)], I follow your edifying endeavors in the Cacilien-Verein with sincere interest. It seems singular that they should stumble on obstacles. What is in question? Innovations?...By no means. The n.o.blest Conservatism remains the essence and aim of the Cacilien- Verein; it merely demands a serious study and proper performances of the most dignified cla.s.sical authors in Church music, Palestrina and La.s.sus at the head. Nothing can reasonably be objected to this, and you may confidently maintain, dear sir, that "recognition must take place and the good cause prove victorious."

I beg you will put down my name as a subscriber to your "Vienna journal for Catholic Church music," [Professor Bohm was at that time the editor of it, and had invited subscriptions for a monument to the musical historian Ambros.] and have the numbers which have already appeared addressed to me in Weimar.

Be so good as to employ the enclosed hundred florins for the gravestone of my highly esteemed friend the late A. W. Ambros.

Yours with all esteem,

F. Lizst

Weimar, June 22nd, 1879

250. To Vera Timanoff

A hearty welcome to you, Ill.u.s.trissima, and pray tell M. Sauret that I shall be delighted to make closer acquaintance with him. I greatly admired his superb talent in Vienna.--You know my rule never to bother anyone, and least of all artistes; but if M.

Sauret should feel inclined to play something at the Hofgartnerei this morning, it would give me great pleasure.

In any case I invite him to come (at eleven) with you, and I shall request you to fulfil your promise of captivating us by your performance (not by dancing, but by your superior fingering) of Rubinstein's Ballet, "Feramors."

Yours affectionately,

F. Liszt

Sunday Morning [Summer, 1879]

251. To Adolf von Henselt

Very dear friend,

Our meeting once more is a cordial pleasure to me. According to your last letter, you purposed arriving on the 19th inst. Why delay? Still, arrange it entirely according to your own convenience. Only allow me to make one observation: on Wednesday evening, 23rd July, I am invited by somebody where a refusal would be wrong and stupid. But if you were favorably inclined, our extra three-handed whist might be quite well arranged at the house of this somebody.

[Henselt was in Weimar the 19th and 20th July. "We played together, not on the piano, but certainly half a dozen games of whist, of which I fortunately lost five at least," wrote Liszt to Fraulein von Schorn.]

Your version with the grace note [pa.s.sing note?] B flat pleases me best.

[Figure: musical example, two bars]

[The two bars of music refer to C. M, v. Weber's "Episodic Thought," which Henselt had transcribed for piano and amplified; he published it in March, 1879, dedicating it to "his friend Franz Liszt." Henselt at first meditated calling it "Hymn of Love." But Liszt found the term rather too highflown for this favorite melody. "Episodic thought is more suitable," he wrote, and so that t.i.tle remained.]

In expectation of seeing you, and in faithful and admiring friendship,

Weimar, July 12th, 1879