Letters of Franz Liszt
Chapter 133 : Dear Madame and Friend, How I reproach myself for the delay in my written thanks! Thos

Dear Madame and Friend,

How I reproach myself for the delay in my written thanks! Those preceding my letter have not been wanting, and your friendly kindness touches me deeply. La.s.sen a.s.sures me of your indulgence.

He has lately heard at Brussels "l'hymne a la beaute," [By Benoit. Performed at the Brussels Musical Festival in August 1882] and (between ourselves) did not think it particularly beautiful. In this kind of music even the greatest masters have seldom succeeded in freeing themselves from lukewarm conventionality. This [conventionality] affords matter for academical prizes such as have been carried off several times by Madame Louise Collet of inglorious memory.

Our friend Benoit shall follow his vocation of musical "Rubens".

And Gounod's "Redemption"! Ought one to speak of success or non- success in a work of that kind? Gounod has always kept the Catholic religious incentive with a turn towards the sublime. His "Polyeucte" is a witness for him.

May that abominable quibbler and bloodthirsty "doctrinaire,"

Henry VIII., be the means of a brilliant and lasting success to St. Saens, who richly deserves it; but in the matter of serious opera the public has reached that blase point which is explained in the words of Ronge, a naive German reformer:--

"What we have we don't want any more; and what we would have we don't quite know." Wagner has known how to want and to act-- gloriously, although and because. [Wagner a su vouloir et perpetrer--glorieus.e.m.e.nt, quoique et parce que.] His work is already becoming immortal.

Let us speak of some modest things, concerning your humble servant. The three Psalms have been admirably translated into French by Mr. Lagye; I will write my thanks to him fully, as soon as I have entirely finished the work of adapting the text to the music. For this it is necessary to modify and rewrite about fifteen pages, a dozen of which are ready. I shall send the whole to Kahnt, the publisher, on Sunday next, and shall inform Lagye, in whose debt I am, of the remainder of the arrangements.

His translations appear to me really excellent, very carefully made, and prosodically well suited to the music. I only regret to have to give him so much trouble, but I hope that in the end he will be satisfied with me. He shall have the second copy of my "Lieder;" if he succeeds as well in putting them into French as he has done with the three Psalms, they may with advantage make their way in Belgium and still farther.

All my articles of musical criticism, lately published by L.

Ramann under the t.i.tle of "Essays" (Breitkopf and Hartel, Leipzig), were written in French. Three or four appeared long ago in the Debats and the Const.i.tutionnel. The most extensive of these, on Berlioz's "Harold Symphony," was to have been put into a celebrated review in Paris, but in the fifties it was considered too eulogistic, and I refused any curtailments for Berlioz...Consequently this article has only appeared in a German translation (Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, Leipzig). What has become of the original French ma.n.u.scripts of my complete articles I don't in the least know. The introduction to Hartel's for which Mr. Kufferath [Moritz Kufferath, a writer on music, reviewer of the "Guide musical" (Schott), and translator of many of Wagner's writings, wanted to translate Liszt's Essays into French.] asks will not serve his end at all. The only person who could give him some particulars would be Mademoiselle L. Ramann, my biographer, who has been for many years past on the look-out for everything relative to my prose and music. She is the directress of a Pianoforte School in the Durerplatz at Nuremberg (Bavaria).

Please thank Kufferath for his kind interest, and a.s.sure him that, if I abstain from writing to the firm of Hartel, it is from no want of willingness on my part. A thousand friendly regards to your husband, and ever cordial and devoted expressions to yourself.

F. Liszt

I stay here till the beginning of October.

306. To Otto Lessmann

My Very Dear Friend,

It is only through your kindness that I learn of h.e.l.lmesberger's intention to perform shortly in Vienna a new Ma.s.s of my composition. h.e.l.lmesberger has indeed always been very well disposed towards me, and has frequently conducted the Hungarian Coronation-Ma.s.s in the Hofkapelle, and several of my longer works at concerts; but it would be rather difficult for him to conduct a new Ma.s.s, because I have not composed one. I should think it must be the "Missa choralis" (with Organ accompaniment only)...

Here is the list of my Ma.s.ses, and the order in which they were composed:--

1. For men's voices (with Organ), Anno 48--Editio nova at Hartel's.

2. The Gran Ma.s.s.

3. Missa choralis (with Organ) at Kahnt's.

4. Hungarian Coronation-Ma.s.s (performed at the coronation in Buda).

5. Requiem for men's voices (with Organ). Rome, latter half of the sixties. Published by Kahnt.

Perhaps I shall yet write a Requiem at special command. [A requiem, composed on the death of the Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, still exists in ma.n.u.script.] I beg you to give my thanks to the friendly publisher of the Symphonic Poem "From the cradle to the grave," for sending me the pianoforte version of this composition. Before the end of October I will send Bock the completed score.

A short piece from Parsifal, "Solemn March to the Holy Grail,"

will reach Schott today at Mainz.

Three weeks longer remains here Yours ever faithfully,

F. Liszt

Weimar, September 16th, 1882,

Ever heartily welcome in Weimar; that is to say, if the visit suits you as Allegro commodo. It would be dreadful to me to incommode my friends.

307. To Otto Lessmann

Dear Friend,

If one wants to be just, he must see that he speaks only with high respect of Hans von Bulow. His knowledge, ability, experience are astounding, and border on the fabulous. Especially has he, by long years of study, so thoroughly steeped himself in the understanding of Beethoven, that it seems scarcely possible for any one else to approach near him in that respect. One must read his commentary on the pianoforte works of Beethoven (Cotta's edition), and hear his interpretations of them--(what other virtuoso could have ventured to play the 5 last Sonatas of Beethoven before the public in one evening?), and follow Bulow's conducting in the orchestral works of Beethoven. To set one's back up against such remarkable deeds as these, I call feeble or malicious nonsense.

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

F. Liszt

Weimar, September 20th, 1882.

308. To Frau Charlotte Blume-Arends

Weimar, September 27th, 1882.

My dear friend,

I thank you again for a beautiful, kind gift--"The Oberammergau Pa.s.sion Play," described by Franz Schoberl, a clergyman in Laibstadt. The little book has been composed with reverence, and gives an exact description of the Oberammergau production, which seems to me especially deserving of notice on account of the agreement between the Old Testament representations--beginning from Adam and Eve to the Brazen Serpent and further--and their fulfilment in the facts of the gospel. This agreement is no simple peasant's invention, but indeed a significant, most touching parallel, thought out by cultured priests, familiar with the Christian tradition. The grouping, and the mute performance of the life-like Old Testament representations and of the Crucifixion of Christ in Oberammergau, deserve full praise, in contrast to the music, which is beneath criticism, and very much spoiled the whole performance for me. And even such esteemed and highly honored Catholic musicians and divines as F. Witt, Haberl, etc., protest against such inane musical stuff and rubbish.

Thank you once more, and with heartfelt greetings to you and yours,

Yours most truly,

F. Liszt

309. To Otto Lessmann

Dear Friend,

At the Musical Festival which I had the honor of conducting some twenty-five years ago at Aix-la-Chapelle, Hiller, the friend of my young days in Paris, took up quite a critical att.i.tude against the conductor and his compositions.

I took no particular notice of his behavior, but I heard that it displeased many people, who made no secret of it to him. I was also told that at one of the rehearsals Hiller did not exactly leave of his own accord. As I was engaged at the conductor's desk I did not observe the occasion of his leaving, and contented myself with reading, some days later, his witty report of the Aix-la-Chapelle Musical Festival in the Cologne paper. My excellent friend, Freiherr Hans von Bronsart, replied to Hiller's article with no less wit and with a different opinion. Unhappily the musical chronicle is overflowing with unresolved discords.