Letters of Franz Liszt Volume I Part 54

220. To Johann von Herbeck

Dear Friend,

Warmest thanks for your persevering and well-wishing sympathy. It is a great pleasure to me that you are bringing about the performance of the Ma.s.s for men's voices on the 23rd October, and I hope that, as you have once "made your way through it," we shall also not succeed ill.

The "sneaking brood" (as you well name the people) can henceforth growl as much as they like. What does that matter to us, so long as we remain true and faithful to our task? In the performance last year at Jena (at the secular celebration of the University) I had the opportunity of convincing myself how capital your instrumentation of the Ma.s.s sounds, and I especially beg that you will not leave out one iota of it in the oboes or trombones. The organ alone is not sufficient, especially if there is a large chorus, and the completion of the accompaniment could not have been better accomplished than you have done it.

N.B.--At the Jena performance I hit upon the following alterations at the conclusion of the Gloria:

[Here, Liszt ill.u.s.trates with a vocal score musical excerpt]

If you are agreed with this, then let this simplification serve for Vienna. I can only send you the score and parts of the "Prometheus" choruses towards the middle of November, as Klitzsch (in Zwickau) has arranged a performance of this work on the 12th to the 14th November, and I have already placed the parts at his disposal. If this delay does not hinder your kind intention of having the "Prometheus" choruses performed in Vienna, I will send the whole packet of parts to your address in Vienna, free, immediately after the Zwickau Concert. For the poem belonging to it, which I will also send with the rest, it is desirable that you should get an adequate tragic declaimer. In Dresden Davison undertook this, and in Zwickau Frau Ritter will declaim it. I am writing today to Herr von Bulow, but rather doubt whether he will be able to accept your invitation for this winter. According to what he told me lately, he thinks of going to Warsaw and Paris in the latter part of the winter. With regard to the eventual choice of a piece you may, moreover, pacify the strict gentlemen of the Committee. In case Bulow should make his appearance at the Philharmonic Concert he will, on my advice, not play my A major Concerto (nor any other composition of mine), but just simply one of the Bach or Beethoven Concertos. My intimate friends know perfectly well that it is not by any means my desire to push myself into any concert programme whatever...With regard to the scores and parts that you want, I have noted on a separate sheet which ones I have at my disposal, and where you can obtain the rest. In conclusion allow me once more to beg you kindly to let me have a couple of lines about the performance of the Ma.s.s.

Perhaps some things may occur to you which might still be altered and simplified. Do not deprive me, dear friend, of your good advice, which I shall be glad to make use of in the score edition of the Ma.s.s which must shortly ensue. Naturally your name will stand on the t.i.tle-page, and the responsibility of the instrumentation will be remitted to you.

With friendly thanks and highest regard, I am

Yours most truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, October 11th, 1859

221. To Felix Draseke

Dear excellent friend,

Your surmise that I could not go away from Weymar at present was quite correct. The Altenburg is indeed very deserted, as Princess Marie went away directly after her marriage on the 15th October, and the Princess went to Paris yesterday for several days--yet I will not leave my own hearth so soon, even if my outward activity be much limited henceforth (as I have already intimated to you) both here and elsewhere.--I require my whole time for my further works, which must go on incessantly--consequently I have resolved to keep at a distance all the delights of conductorship, and to give the baton a rest equally with the piano.--

On the 9th November the festival play by Halm, "A Hundred Years Ago," will be given here with the music I have composed to it-- and on the 11th the "Kuenstler-Chor" is to introduce the Festival-oration by Kuno Fischer at Jena. Damrosch writes to me also from Berlin that he intends to include the "Kuenstler-Chor"

in the programme of the Schiller Festival there. The Zwickau Concert is fixed for the 15th November--and I am delighted to think of meeting the Ritters there. By the way, I am of opinion that Sasch [Sasch, i.e., Alexander, Ritter's Christian name] will undertake two numbers of the programme, and will fulfill Klitzsch's wish with the "Chaconne" as well as mine with the original Concerto, on the same evening. Zwickau chances to belong to the few towns where the "Chaconne" (so Klitzsch writes me word) has never been heard in public. Sasch can take this fact into consideration, and without doing anything derogatory can grant the public the enjoyment of the "Chaconne." The a.s.sured success which he will have with it may also act beneficially on the receptiveness of the audience in connection with his Concerto. Tell our dear friend this, with the proviso that, if he only undertakes one number on the programme, I advise him in any case to choose his Concerto. The piece has much that is interesting and effective in itself, and it will be useful to Sasch to test the relation of the orchestra to the solo part by a public production. If necessary, therefore, force him to do it, by my order.

With regard to the causes and excuses for your pretended "obstinacy, dogmatism," and imaginary "arrogance," I beg you, dearest friend, to rest a.s.sured that you will never find any such suspicion in me. What you think, feel, compose, is n.o.ble and great--therefore I take a sympathetic interest in it.--The next time we are together I will merely endeavour to make "amputation"

more bearable to you by chloroform!--

With highest esteem I remain,

Yours in all friendship,

F. Liszt

[Weimar,] October 20th, 1859

222. To Heinrich Porges in Prague.

Dear Friend,

Your letter for the 22nd October gave me heartfelt pleasure, and you need not be in doubt as to the correctness of the affectionate and deep perception of my endeavour, which "has proceeded both from man's need of freedom as well as of love,"

and which, by and with the grace of G.o.d, has been impelled to raise itself toward the "Divine."--I cannot say much on this subject; but may my works only remain no dumb witnesses, and may your intimate understanding of them give you some satisfaction.

I send you herewith Dingelstedt's Festal Song for the Schiller Celebration, which I have purposely composed in a very simple, national manner. Perhaps there might be an opportunity of bringing the thing to a hearing during the Schiller Festival in Prague. Will you ask Apt whether he would be disposed to do it?

The studying of it would not give the least trouble. It requires only a baritone or ba.s.s for the solo part, and an ordinary chorus of men's voices without any accompaniment.--

Leaving it entirely in your hands to act about it as you may think best, and either to promote the performance or to let it alone, I remain, with best thanks and high esteem,

Yours very truly,

F. Liszt

October 30th, 1859

My composition to Halm's festival play has been sent through H.

von Dingelstedt to Herr Thome, and will probably be performed on the 9th or 10th November. [The festival play was given in Prague under the theater conductor Thome. The music to it was never published. The Weimar archives probably possess the score.] Write and tell me how the matter is settled.

223. To Ingeborg Stark

[A pupil of Liszt's, who afterwards married Liszt's pupil Hans von Bronsart, now General Manager of the Weimar Court theater: she was also known as a composer.]

It is very charming and graceful of you, dear Mademoiselle Inga, to remember the 22nd October so kindly, and I should have thanked you sooner for your letter, which gave me sincere pleasure, had I not been kept to my bed for nearly a week in consequence of much emotion and fatigue.

Through our friend Bronsart I have had some preliminary good tidings of you; you have fulfilled your role of charmer in the best possible manner, and Bronsart is full of raptures about you.

But all this is ancient history for you, something like a chapter of Rollin on the history of the Medes,--after whom come the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans...

For the present it is the turn of Russia, which you are in the way of conquering, and I see from here the enchantment of your admirers of St. Petersburg, who are all ears and all eyes around the piano where you are enthroned.

Will you remember me affectionately to Prince Odoyewski, and give a friendly shake hand [Written in English by Liszt] from me to Mr. Martynoff. As for our dear Tartar, [The composer Alexander Seroff] tell him how much I am attached to him; he will be all the more agreeably persuaded of this if you tell him. Ask him also to write to me after your first concert, for I would not risk offending your modesty so far as to beg you to send me an exact account of your undoubted successes. But I don't intend on that account to let you stand still as regards letter-writing, and you will give me great pleasure if, for example, you will continue your history of the musical prowess of Rubinstein (that you have begun so well).

You know that I am truly interested in what he is doing, considering that he has all that is wanting to compose good and beautiful things, provided that he does not persist in writing straight off too hurriedly, and guards a little against excess in the very exercise of these grand qualities.

The "Ocean" of which Rubinstein has sung might serve as his model in this; he knows how to restrain his waves in their liberty and power--and I hope Rubinstein would not be offended by the comparison!--Let me know then about his artistic actions and att.i.tudes, of which, I presume, he will have every occasion to be satisfied and proud. Our little Weymar has remained, as usual, pretty tame since you left; but in a week's time we shall be celebrating here the centenary of Schiller's birth with all the enthusiasm of which we are susceptible (which is not saying much).

On the 9th November the music that I have composed for Halm's Festival-play, "A Hundred Years Ago," will be given at the theater, and Jena has put on its festival programme my chorus "An die Kuenstler," which will terminate the ceremony of the 11th (Friday next).

In addition you will find in the Schiller number of the Leipzig Ill.u.s.trirte Zeitung, which will appear on the 12th November, a Festival song "im Volkston" [In the style of a folk-song] of my composition. Do not be shocked at the extreme simplicity of this song; it was not the occasion to make a display of musical knowledge--but simply to write forty bars or so which could be quite easily sung and remembered by tutti quanti. In order to do this I had to dress my Muse in a blouse, or, if you prefer a more German comparison, "ich habe der Dame eine bayrische Joppe angezogen!" ["I have dressed the lady in a Bavarian jacket."]

How are you getting on with your truly Samsonic Variations--and with your Fugue "Martha"? Don't make too great a martyr of yourself over it, and reserve for yourself also the better part...that of Mary. [She had written a fugue on the musical letters of the names Martha and Maria [Mary]--the names of her friends, the sisters Von Sabinin.]

As I have mentioned this name I will tell you that Princess Marie Hohenlohe will spend her winter in Vienna.

I, for my part, shall not stir from the Altenburg, where I am reckoning on finishing my Elizabeth, and on living more and more as a recluse--indeed, even a little like a bear--but not in the style of those estimable citizens of the woods, whom the impresarii of small pleasures degrade by making them dance in the market-places to the sound of their flutes and drums! I shall rather choose a model ideal of a bear--be sure of that--and the flutes and drums which might lead me into the slightest future temptation of cutting capers have still to be invented.

Will you be so good, dear Mademoiselle Inga, as to present my very affectionate respects to Madame, your mother, as well as my best remembrances and compliments to la Sagesse Olivia--[Liszt's name for the sister of Ingeborg Stark] and believe me invariably