Letters of Franz Liszt Volume II Part 16

60. To Eduard von Liszt

Dearest Eduard,

The enclosed letter from Chordirector k.u.menecker [The Director of the Altlerchenfelder Kirchenmusik-Verein, in Vienna, had requested Liszt to grant him permission to give a performance of the "Coronation Ma.s.s."] I received only on my return to Rome (November 6th). Be so good as to pay the writer of it a visit in my name, and ask him kindly to excuse my not complying with his request. Also tell him that I have not got either the chorus or the orchestral parts of the "Coronation Ma.s.s." The only existing copies are those belonging to the Court orchestra of Vienna; hence these parts would have either to be obtained or to be copied if a performance of the work is to be given elsewhere, and this I should not care either to advise or disadvise.

The Ma.s.s fulfilled its object in Pest on the Coronation Day. If it should be given on any future occasion, I would recommend the conductor to take the tempi solemnly always, but never dragging, and to beat the time throughout alla Breve. And the "Gloria,"

more especially towards the middle and before the commencement of the "Agnus Dei" up to the Prestissimo, must be worked up brilliantly and majestically. Whether and when the "Coronation Ma.s.s" is to appear in print I do not know. Dunkl (Roszavoglyi) in Pest had intended to publish it, but the honorarium of 100 ducats seems to make him hesitate, and I will not accept any smaller sum. Two movements from it (the "Offertorium" and "Benedictus") I have transcribed for the piano, and these may be bought separately, which will be an advantage to the publisher. And the pianoforte arrangements for one or two performers are to appear simultaneously with the score.--It is of no importance to me to have the work published immediately. If you should meet Carl Haslinger and have an opportunity, ask him whether he would risk 100 ducats upon it. As he has already published a number of Ma.s.ses, this one might suit him as well. If not, it is all the same to me. Only I cannot make any alteration about the honorarium I have now fixed upon. [The "Coronation Ma.s.s," like the "Gran Ma.s.s," was published by Schuberth, Leipzig.]

Yours,

F. Liszt

Rome, November 6th, 1867

61. To E. Repos

Dear Sir,

Pray excuse me for replying so late to your kind and cordial letter. Various matters detained me in Germany longer than I expected, and I have only been back three days at my house at "Santa Francesca Romana," where I shall spend the winter. Your publications will be excellent company to me here. I accept with grat.i.tude the Gradual and Vesperal [Gradual--a portion of the Ma.s.s. Vesperal--book of evening prayer] (in--12) that you are kind enough to offer me, and beg you to let me have them shortly.

What can I on my side send you that will be agreeable to you?

Something will be found, I hope, for I sincerely desire to satisfy you.

It seems to me that it would not be of any use for you to undertake to publish now one or two large works of my composition. In order to be somewhat accredited, they must first of all be performed and heard, not en pa.s.sant, but seriously and several times. For this I have no support in France, and should even expose myself to unpleasant dispositions and interpretations if I in the least endeavored to bring myself forward there. It is only in Germany, Hungary, and Holland that, in spite of frequent and lively opposition, my name as a composer has acquired a certain weight. In those countries they continue performing my music by inclination, curiosity, and interest, without my asking anybody to do so. You have probably heard of the favorable reception that the "Legend of St. Elizabeth" met with at the Festival of the Wartburg at the end of August. For two years past this work has been performed several times at Pest, Prague, Munich, and I have recently been asked for it from Vienna, Dresden, Leipzig, Aix-la-Chapelle, etc., but as the score has to be sent to be engraved I have not been able to lend it further. I shall give myself the pleasure of sending you a copy towards Easter.-It is also in Germany (probably at Munich) that my Oratorio "Le Christ" will be first given: now, as it is important to me that the first complete performance (for the one in Rome on the occasion of the centenary of St. Peter was only a tentative and partial one) should be as satisfactory as possible, I must be present at it. Consequently it will not take place till the winter of '69--if I am still in this world then,--it being my intention not to leave Rome for a year.

Pardon me these details, dear sir. As the cordiality of your letter a.s.sures me that we shall have long business relations with one another, it is better to put you at once in possession of the facts of my musical situation. It prescribes to me duties attached to many restrictions which my ecclesiastical capacity increases still more. "Providemus enim bona non solum coram Deo sed etiam coram hominibus."--

To return to your publications. Palestrina, La.s.sus, the masters of the 16th and 17th centuries, are your models par excellence.

You have plenty of work for years to come to edit their admirable works, and to put yourself on a par with the collection published (cheap) at Ratisbon under the t.i.tle of "Musica divina." Moreover there is nothing to prevent you from adding many a composition more or less modern. Dispose of my few, as you are pleased to admit them. You might begin with the "Credo" (from the "Coronation Ma.s.s"), and the "Te Deum" in plain song [cantus pla.n.u.s] of which you speak. Later on a tolerably simple Ma.s.s, with organ accompaniment only, might perhaps find a place. Then, two excerpts from the Oratorio "Christ,"--"the Beat.i.tudes" and the "Pater noster"--which have already appeared at Leipzig, might reappear in Paris, especially if there were any favorable opportunity of getting them heard. As to the Oratorio entire, it will be better still to wait awhile longer.

"Expectans expectavi"...and let my biographical notice which you have in view also wait. In order to make it exact and comprehensive, it would be necessary for me to give some data to the writer who would undertake the task of representing me today to the public. Many things have been printed about me in a transient way. Amongst the most remarkable articles that of Mr.

Fetis, in his "Biographie universelle des Musiciens" (second edition), of which you tell me, takes the foremost place.

Nevertheless, however much disposed I am to acknowledge the conscientious and kind intentions towards myself of the ill.u.s.trious and learned man, and even whilst really thanking him for raising the importance of my works which he connects with "one of the transformations of Art," I shall not have the false humility of accepting some of his valuations as definitive judgments. Of all the theorists whom I know, Mr. Fetis is the one who has best ascertained and defined the progress of harmony and rhythm in music; on such chief points as these I flatter myself that I am in perfect accord with him. For the rest he must excuse me for escaping in different ways from the critical school whose ways he extols. According to his theory Art ought to progress, develop, be enriched, and clothed in new forms; but in practice he hesitates, and kicks against the p.r.i.c.ks,--and, for all that, would insist that the "transformation" should take place without in the least disturbing existing customs, and so as to charm everybody with the greatest ease. Would to Heaven that it might be so! Between this and them, pray accept, dear sir, my best thanks, together with the expressions of my very distinguished and devoted sentiments.

F. Liszt

Rome, November 8th, 1867--Santa Francesca Romana

P.S.--My sincere congratulations for the cross of St. Sylvestre.

People outside are quite mistaken in thinking that they are lavish with decorations here.

I have informed the Princess W. of your kind arrangements relative to the edition of the work that Monseigneur de Montault mentioned to you.

62. To Madame Jessie Laussot

Dear Maestra,

No one knows better than you how to relieve the virtue of obligingness by the most cordial kindness. You make a point of persuading your friends that you are in their debt for the services you render them. In so far as they give you the opportunity of exercising your fine qualities you are perfectly right, but further than that you are not; and for my part I beg you to be as fully a.s.sured of my sincere grat.i.tude as of my entire devotion.

I am not going to set about pitying you much for the difficulties and contradictions that your artistic zeal encounters. The world is so formed that the practice of the Good and the search for the Better is not made agreeable to any one; not in the things of Art, which appear the most inoffensive, any more than in other things. In order to deserve well one must learn to endure well.

The best specific for the prejudice, malice, imbroglios and injustice of others is not to trouble oneself about them. It seems that such and such people find their pleasure where we should not in the least look for it: so be it, reserving to ourselves to find ours in n.o.bler sources. Besides, how could we dare to lament over difficulties that run counter to our good pleasure? Have not the worthiest and most ill.u.s.trious servants of Art had to suffer far more than we?...This consolation has its melancholy side, I know; nevertheless it confirms the active conscience in the right road.

This a propos of the prelude extra muros of your last concerts.

Let us pa.s.s on to the programmes of them, dear and victorious Maestra.

The "Panis Angelicus," [By Palestrina.] the Schumann Quintet and the sublime Prelude to "Lohengrin" are works which a well- brought-up public ought to know by heart. You will do well therefore to reproduce them often. There is no criticism admissible on this subject; and, if you absolutely exact it that I should make one at all, it would only be on the adjective "celebrated," appended to the Schumann Quintet, which would do without it without disadvantage. Pardon me this hairsplitting.-

As to the "Beat.i.tudes" I entirely approve of your not having exhibited them a second time. You know, moreover, that I usually dissuade my friends from enc.u.mbering concert programmes with my compositions. For the little they have to lose they will not lose it by waiting. Let us then administer them in h.o.m.oeopathic doses- -and rarely.

I am delighted with what you tell me of Wilhelmj. Please a.s.sure 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 Cha.s.sepot 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 s.p.a.cious, 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, La.s.sen 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.