Letters of Franz Liszt
Chapter 138 : according to an old mode, for the opening of the New Hungarian Theater in Radialstra.s

according to an old mode, for the opening of the New Hungarian Theater in Radialstra.s.se.

Herewith is the ma.n.u.script for pianoforte, two hands, and the score with text by Kornel Abranyi [German translation by Ladislaus Neugebauer] will follow in Easter week.

The publis.h.i.+ng of my "Konigslied" ought not to take place till the first performance in the new theater in '84,

Until then we will keep quiet about it.--

Yours in all friends.h.i.+p,

F. Liszt

Budapest, March 11th, 1883

329. To Baroness M. E. Schwartz

[Autograph in the Liszt Museum at Weimar]

Budapest, March 22nd, 1883

Dear and most excellent One,

[Chere excellentissime]

It is really extraordinary that after so many years of constant practice in works of mercy you are not ruined. Your life seems to me one vast symphony of generosity, munificence, charities, gifts and attentions as delicate as they are costly. To begin with, there are Garibaldi and his people, and to continue indefinitely there are those poor German fellows, ill at Rome, and buried there at your expense; and then the fighting Cretans, the infirm people in your hospital at Jena, the societies for the protection of animals, etc., etc.

I admire you and bow before your perpetual kindnesses and goodness,--all the more because you exercise them un.o.btrusively, as it were in the shade, without any flourish of trumpets and drums.

Do not scold me for having divided the gift you confided to me for the sufferers from the inundations at Raab. 300 florins were amply sufficient for them, and the other 300 florins of your 50 pounds sterling were well employed for the children's gardens (an admirable inst.i.tution of Frobel's), of which Madame Tisza, the wife of the President of Council of the Ministers of Hungary, is the president in this country.

I send you herewith Madame Tisza's thanks (in Hungarian, with a German translation), and the receipt of Count Thun,--supreme Count (an ancient t.i.tle still preserved,--"Obergespan" in German) of the Committee of Raab.

I preferred to send your gift in the name of Madame E. de Schwartz, and not to mix up your nom de plume of Elpis Melena with it. Pardon me this innocent bit of arbitrariness.

Shall I see you again, my very dear friend, this summer at Weimar? I hope so, and I remain sempper ubique

Your grateful and attached

F. Liszt

From the middle of April until August I shall stay at Weimar, with the exception of some excursions of a few days' duration.

Please let me know a couple of weeks beforehand when your friendly visit will take place.

330. To Baroness Wrangel in St. Petersburg

[This lady had begged Liszt for a contribution to an alb.u.m which it was intended to present to Henselt on the occasion of a festival in honor of his having been 25 years General Music Inspector of the Imperial Schools in St. Petersburg, Moscow, etc.

This is Liszt's answer.]

Madame la Baronne,

For thirty years past I have entirely abstained from adding to collections of autographs and of writing my name in any alb.u.ms whatever. Nevertheless I willingly make an exception today, while thanking you for your kind words, and begging you to transmit to my honored friend A. Henselt the short copy enclosed herewith.

A renowned diplomatist once said to me, "To princes one should offer only flowers gathered from their own gardens."

Henselt belongs to the princes, and will accept the souvenir of one of the most beautiful flowers of his own n.o.ble gardening.

Very humble respects.

F. Liszt

Weimar, May 20th, 1883

[Liszt adds a postscript to this letter where he writes a musical score excerpt of the Larghetto form Henselt's Concerto:]

"Alb.u.mblatt" for Henselt.

Motive of the wonderful Larghetto in A. Henselt's Concerto.

Larghetto.

[Here, Liszt ill.u.s.trates with a musical score excerpt of the main theme of the Larghetto.]

For 40 years the composer's admiring and truly attached

Weimar, May, 1883

F. Liszt

331. To Mason and Hamlin in Boston

[Printed in Gottschalg's "Urania"]

My dear Sirs,

For what a magnificent Organ I have to thank your kindness! It is worthy of all praise and admiration! Even average players could attain much success on it.--I should gladly have kept this splendid instrument in my own house, but, alas! there is not sufficient room for it. It is now looking grand in the large room of the Orchestral School here, an inst.i.tution of importance, the excellent director of which is Herr Professor and Hofcapellmeister K. Mueller-Hartung--he has published some beautiful Organ Sonatas and plays them no less beautifully.--On the evening of its opening two renowned organists played upon it, the Court organist A. W. Gottschalg (the publisher of the considerable Organ repertoire, etc., etc.), and the town organist B. Sulze, who has attained a great name through many valuable compositions and transcriptions.--I shall probably have a visit this summer from Prof. Dr. Naumann from Jena, Walter Bache from London, and Saint-Saens from Paris, who, according to my opinion, continues to be the most eminent and extraordinary king of organists. I shall not fail to beg the three above-mentioned virtuosi to make a closer acquaintance with your organ. For the rest it shall not be misused and shall remain closed to ordinary players.

Accept, etc.,

F. Liszt

Weimar, June 12th, 1883

332. To Madame Malwine Tardieu