Letters of Franz Liszt Volume II Part 6

Rome, August 28th, 1863

My Dear Sir,

The work that you were good enough to entrust to me is almost finished, and by the same post you will receive the Piano score of 8 Symphonies of Beethoven, whilst awaiting the 9th, which I propose to send you with the proofs of the preceding ones. Nos.

1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 are bound in one volume; there is only the "Funeral March" from the "Eroica Symphony" wanting, which is published in the Beethoven-Alb.u.m by Mechetti, Vienna. I shall require to see this arrangement again (which you will oblige me by sending with the next proofs), for probably I shall make numerous corrections and modifications in it, as I have done in the Symphonies in C minor, in A, and the "Pastoral," which were edited some twenty years ago. The copies of these are returned to you today with a great many alterations, errata and addenda, inasmuch as--in order to satisfy my own criticism--I have been obliged to apply to them the torture of red pencil and gum, and to submit them to a very considerable alteration.

Whilst initiating myself further in the genius of Beethoven, I trust I have also made some little progress in the manner of adapting his inspirations to the piano, as far as this instrument admits of it; and I have tried not to neglect to take into account the relative facility of execution while maintaining an exact fidelity to the original. Such as this arrangement of Beethoven's Symphonies actually is, the pupils of the first cla.s.s in the Conservatoires will be able to play them off fairly well on reading them at sight, save and except that they will succeed better in them by working at them, which is always advisable.

What study is deserving of more care and a.s.siduity than that of these chefs d'oeuvre? The more one gives oneself to them the more one will profit by them, firstly in relation to the sense and aesthetic intelligence, and then also in relation to the technical skill and the attaining of perfection in virtuosity--of which one should only despise the bad use that is sometimes made.

By the t.i.tle of Pianoforte score (which must be kept, and translated into German by Clavier-Part.i.tur or Pianoforte- Part.i.tur?) I wish to indicate my intention of a.s.sociating the spirit of the performer with the orchestral effects, and to render apparent, in the narrow limits of the piano, sonorous sounds and different nuances. With this in view I have frequently noted down the names of the instruments: oboe, clarinet, kettle- drums, etc., as well as the contrasts of strings and wind instruments. It would certainly be highly ridiculous to pretend that these designations suffice to transplant the magic of the orchestra to the piano; nevertheless I don't consider them superfluous. Apart from some little use they have as instruction, pianists of some intelligence may make them a help in accentuating and grouping the subjects, bringing out the chief ones, keeping the secondary ones in the background, and--in a word--regulating themselves by the standard of the orchestra.

In order to be perfectly satisfied with regard to my work allow me, my dear sir, to beg you to let Mr. Ferdinand David and Monsieur Moscheles see it before it is printed. The minute familiarity they have acquired with the Symphonies of Beethoven will show them in a moment any errors, oversights, faults and misdeeds of which I, very unwittingly, may have been guilty. Will you please a.s.sure them that any information from them in these respects will be most valuable to me, and that I shall not fail to profit by it for the honor of your edition. In particular I should like to know from Mr. David whether the N.B. placed on page 78 of the ma.n.u.script (Finale of the 8th Symphony--"the execution of the princ.i.p.al figure, etc.") is authorised,--and I should be very grateful to him for any other particulars he is kind enough to give me. As to Mr. Moscheles, I hope he will not disapprove of my having followed his example in putting a profuse fingering for the greater ease of the ma.s.s of performers; but perhaps he would be so kind as to suggest a better fingering himself, and to let me know his observations upon such and such an artifice of "piano arrangement" of which he is a consummate master. There is only one point on which I would venture even to an act of rebellion--it is that of the pedals, a ba.s.s [base]

pa.s.sion of which I cannot correct myself, no matter how annoying the reproaches it may draw upon me!--["Even if one may presuppose," he writes on another occasion (27th August, 1861) to Breitkopf and Hartel, "a correct use of the pedal on the part of piano-players, I am nevertheless, through manifold unpleasant experiences to my ears, brought back to giving the most minute indications of it."]

If, as I venture to flatter myself, my arrangement of the Symphonies satisfies you, I should be tempted to propose to you, for next year, a similar work on the Quartets, those magnificent jewels in Beethoven's crown which the piano-playing public has not yet appropriated in a measure suitable to its musical culture.

But I really fear to exhaust your patience by giving you proofs of mine...consider therefore this project of the Quartets as not having been proposed if it seems to you inopportune, and pray accept, my dear sir, the expression of my very sincere and devoted sentiments.

F. Liszt

(Monte Mario, Madonna del Rosario)

P.S.--As it has been impossible for me to hunt out here a copyist who will fulfil the conditions that may reasonably be exacted (the one whom I employed pretty much last year divides his time between the prison and the public-house!), I am compelled to send you the ma.n.u.script such as it is, with many apologies for its badly written appearance. To make a fair copy of it someone with plenty of experience is needed; and I can safely recommend you such an one in Mr. Carl Gotze ("Member or Vice-director of the theater chorus") at Weimar. He is accustomed of old to my writing, and would make the copy of the Symphonies with intelligence and care.

N.B.--A copy of the Orchestral Score of the Symphonies will be a great help to the work of the copyist of my ma.n.u.script, for exactness in nuances, division of parts and indication of the instruments.

In any case it will be necessary for me to revise the final proofs. .--.

Let me add, in conclusion, that I shall be glad to receive, with the proofs or even sooner, a copy of my "Etudes d'execution transcendante," and also those "d'apres Paganini" (Breitkopf and Hartel edition), which I have promised to give to an excellent pianist here, Mr. Sgambati, who is most capable of playing them well in public;--and, besides these, a copy of my "Ave Maria"

(for chorus with Organ accompaniment) which is shortly to be performed here.

20. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

This morning I sent off ma.n.u.scripts and corrections to Hartel and Schuberth--and thus had to write the word Leipzig several times.

It struck me as a reproach as regards yourself, and I mean forthwith to get rid of it. You shall not hear of me through others without having the trouble of reading my own bad handwriting yourself. I have not, however, anything very special to relate. The summer has pa.s.sed quietly and I have not wandered abroad much; have, in fact, been pretty constantly sitting at my work. My abode continues to suit me more and more, so I intend to spend the winter here. You no doubt received with my last letter the photograph of the "Madonna del Rosario." Unfortunately I cannot send you a picture of the grand, truly sublime view that can be enjoyed from every window. So you must imagine it to embrace all Rome, the wondrous Canmpagna, and all the past and present glories of the district.

For some time past I have had no other news of you than your excellent articles on "artistic individuality," etc., in which, among many other right and fine observations, I was specially pleased with the axiom: "The artistic temperament, when genuine, corrects itself in consequence of the change of contrasts." May it prove so in my case;--this much is certain,--that in the tiresome business of self-correction few have to labor as I have, as the process of my mental development, if not checked, is at all events rendered peculiarly difficult by a variety of coincidences and contingencies. A clever man, some twenty years ago, made the not inapplicable remark to me: "You have in reality three individuals to deal with in yourself, and they all run one against the other; the sociable salon-individual, the virtuoso and the thoughtfully-creative composer. If you manage one of them properly, you may congratulate yourself."--Vedremo! [We shall see!]

Weitzmann's "Carnival in Rome towards the Middle of the Seventeenth Century," I read with great pleasure in the "Neue Zeitschrift." It is a pleasant, lively sketch, spiced with learning but without pedantic lead. Did a very remarkable "History of the Pianoforte," etc., by the same author, appear in your paper? Frau von Bulow wrote to me lately that Hans is busy with some essays for the N. Z. Probably he is writing a review of Weitzmann's "History of the Pianoforte," which would be most appropriate; if this is not the case I would advise you to get one of your staff to undertake the work and to give several quotations from it. The confounded pianoforte has its unmistakable significance, were it only because of the general abuse to which it is put!--In honor of Hartel's edition of Beethoven I have been occupying myself again with studies and experiments in pianoforte pieces. The arrangements of the 8 Beethoven Symphonies which I am about to send to Leipzig are, I trust, successful. They cost me more trouble, in attempts of various sorts, in corrections, eliminations and additions, than I had antic.i.p.ated. As we grow old we deliberate more and are less readily satisfied...

To Schuberth I have sent the corrections of the 2-pianoforte arrangement of the "Faust Symphony," together with a pretty, tuneful arrangement of the "Preludes" by Herr Klauser (of New York), and was thus induced to play the hackneyed piece through again, to touch up the closing movement and give it new figuration. In the hands of a skilful player it will prove brilliantly effective.

But enough of all this pianoforte stuff! I feel forced to set to work again in blackening score-sheets--and first of all the "Christus Oratorio" shall be proceeded with.--Write and tell me whether Kahnt is publishing the two Psalms which Pastor Landmesser took him, and advise him to request Herr von Bulow to revise the last proofs. There is nothing more vexatious to me than careless editions, full of errors, such as Schuberth would like to have if one gave free reins to his good nature! From the Committee of the a.s.sociation for the Completion of Cologne Cathedral I have received an invitation to the Festival arranged for the 14th and 15th October. The letter reminds me, in the most courteous terms, that in the year '42 I had the honor of being a member of the Council. I had not forgotten this peculiar distinction; but the worthy gentlemen seem absolutely not to have considered how my activity could now appropriately be of service, and they wisely guard against mentioning any of my ecclesiastical compositions, although it might have occurred to them that I could manage something in that species of music. However, the worthy Committee find the old story of the "period of my brilliancy," and the "bewitching strains I drew from the keys,"

etc., more voluble and convenient. Besides which some small sum would have to be forthcoming were I to agree in considering myself what the good folks would like to consider me. Fortunately the determination of my work does not lie in their hands, and on account of this very evident conviction I answered their communication most courteously, modestly referring to my present occupation in Rome, and enclosing an extract from one of the Hymns of St. Ambrosius, from the Liturgy of the "Three Holy Kings," an incident intimately connected with Cologne Cathedral.

At the same time I feel satisfied that I have not shown any intention to give annoyance, and declared myself as perfectly content to fulfil my duties as an honorary member of the Council, in quietude, by composing a work specially for the Cathedral (which I shall not fail to do), but without laying the slightest claim to the sympathy--much less to the patronage--of the worthy gentlemen of Cologne.--I flatter myself that I am not in the bad graces of the Three Holy Kings, consequently do not need to trouble myself about the rest of the Cologne folk!

Now my Leipzig parcels can be despatched with an easy mind.

With heartiest greetings,

Yours devotedly,

F. Liszt

September 7th, 1863

Monte Mario (Madonna del Rosario)

P.S.--Sgambati, an excellent Roman pianist, wishes to study my A major Concerto. Schott has as yet omitted to send me the complimentary-copy of this piece, to which I am ent.i.tled, so I beg you to enclose in Kahnt's next sending a duplicate copy (arranged for 2 pianofortes, as there can be no thought of an orchestral performance of it here). From Hartel I have also ordered for Sgambati and Bach [This is no doubt meant for Bache.]

my Etudes, the Paganini ones, and my "Ave Maria" (chorus-score and voice parts, for a performance at the Cla.s.sical Concerts conducted by Mililotti). It would be advisable, owing to the expense of forwarding music, to send the things all in one parcel; please be kind enough to suggest this to Hartel, and to get the 3 opus from him, and I do not wish to have to wait beyond the end of October for them. Gottschalg will soon have some copy to send me which might come at the same time.

21. To Justizrath Dr. Gille of Jena

Dear friend,

I trust you will forgive my long silence. I could not excuse myself in any other way than by a worse lamentation about the variety of circ.u.mstances, moods and occupations that have more and more encouraged my habitual dislike to letter-writing. Unless some definite object demands it of me, I do not write to any one in Germany, with the exception of Bulow, my cousin Eduard in Vienna, and Brendel, to whom I am very grateful for the kindness with which he looks after the more important details connected with my musical affairs. As regards my Weimar friends, my inclination to communicate with them is spoilt by my imagining that they would as gladly see me among them as I should feel at home among them. And as I cannot write to them and say: "I am coming to remain with you," I get more and more silent.

My stay in Rome is not an accidental one; it denotes, as it were, the third part--(probably the close) of my life, which is often troubled, but ever industrious and striving upwards. Hence I require ample time to bring various long works and myself to a good ending. This requisite I find in my retirement here, which will probably become even more emphatic; and my present monastic abode provides me not only with the most glorious view over all Rome, the Campagna and the mountains, but also what I had longed for; quiet from without and peacefulness.--Enclosed is a photograph of the "Madonna del Rosario," as an ill.u.s.tration to the notices that have lately appeared in the newspapers in connection with the Holy Father's visit here.

Your friendly lines came strangely in conjunction with the "Dettingen Te Deum" to which you refer, and which I was playing through at the very moment your letter was handed to me. A very amiable English lady delighted me a little while ago by presenting me with the praiseworthy London edition-"Novello's Centenary Edition"--of the Oratorios of Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, etc. (and all sold at from 1 to 3 shillings each); these works are always welcome society to me. The number containing the "Dettingen Te Deum" also contains the "Coronation Anthem" (composed in 1741). "Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, anointed Solomon King." [This sentence is written in English by Liszt.]

The commencement is wonderfully grand and powerful, like the Bible itself.--

However notwithstanding all my admiration for Handel, my preference for Bach still holds good, and when I have edified myself sufficiently with Handel's common chords, I long for the precious dissonances of the Pa.s.sion, the B minor Ma.s.s, and other of Bach's polyphonic wares.

Remember me kindly to your wife, and with heartiest greetings to M. Gille, junior, I am Your sincerely attached

F. Liszt

Rome, September 10th [1863]

(Monte Mario, Madonna Del Rosario.)

Do not omit in your next letter to tell me something about your musical Jubilee in Jena.

22. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

I am deep in my work. The more we sow a field the more it spreads. One would need to live to the age of a Methuselah to accomplish anything plentiful!