Letters of Franz Liszt
Chapter 125 : 267. To Frau Amalie von Fabry in Budapest Dear Madame, I do not know whether I talk to

267. To Frau Amalie von Fabry in Budapest

Dear Madame,

I do not know whether I talk too much; but I certainly write too little to those who remain constantly in possession of my sincere grat.i.tude. I crave your kindly indulgence therefore for my involuntary shortcomings.

Through your nephew Imre [Baron Augusz, son of Anton Augusz. He died at an early age.] I hear that his mother, Baroness von Augusz, has been so good as to look at my new dwelling in the Academy of Music, and that the arrangement of it, as yet unknown to me, meets her approval. The solicitude you have shown, Madame, in this matter--as well as in other similar ones in the Palatinga.s.se and Fischmarkt during the last 8 years--I beg to acknowledge with warmest thanks. It never enters my head to make exaggerated pretensions with regard to my residential requirements. Decency without display continues to be the right thing for me. I only have one wish at all times: never to be a trouble to my friends anywhere.

It will be agreeable to me if f.a.n.n.y feels disposed to undertake my modest household service again this winter. She adapts herself well to it with her pretty smiling face.

Pray accept, dear Frau von Fabry, the renewed expression of my old devoted affection.

F. Liszt.

Villa d'Este, Tivoli, November 1st, 1880

On the 15th January I shall again arrive at Budapest.

268. To Frau Anna Benfey-Schuppe

[Autograph belonging to Herr Fritz Donebauer at Prague.--The addressee is an auth.o.r.ess residing at Weimar.]

Dear Madam,

A thousand apologies. I ought long ere this to have written you and my esteemed friend, Dr. Benfey, a letter of thanks, and to have sent your sheetful of questions back answered. [The answers follow in the letter.] Pray excuse this delay.--

I frankly confess that the t.i.tle of the pamphlet, "Beethoven and Liszt," [Alludes to a pamphlet contemplated by the late husband of the lady addressed.] at first frightened me. It called to my mind a reminiscence of my childhood. Nearly fifty years ago, at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, I used often to notice a harmless poodle keeping company in the same cage with a majestic lion, who seemed to be kindly disposed towards the little chamberlain. I have exactly the same feeling towards Beethoven as the poodle towards that forest-king.

With sincere thanks and regards,

Yours, F. Liszt

November 11th, 1880 (Villa d'Este, Tivoli)

At the end of September, Breitkopf and Hartel sent my own duet arrangements of my twelve "Poemes Symphoniques" at my request to Gottschalg (Weimar). This copy is intended for Dr. Benfey.

Gottschalg will likewise willingly place the scores of the "Dante" and "Faust" Symphonies, as well as the arrangement for two pianos of both these works, at your disposal.

The names of the greatest performers figure in the Court concerts, such as, Joachim, Ernst, Vieuxtemps, Bulow, Rubinstein, Bronsart, Tausig, Madame Viardot-Garcia, etc., etc. A few of these concerts were conducted by Berlioz, and their programmes in every case contained nova et vetera (as prescribed in the gospel).

During my direction of the Opera at Weimar, from '49 to '58, the following works were performed there, together with the standing repertoire of Mozart's, Weber's, Rossini's, Meyerbeer's Operas, etc.

February '49 "Tannhauser;" August 28th, '50, "Lohengrin" (first performance); later on "The Flying Dulchman," and Wagner's splendid edition of Gluck's "Iphigenia in Aulis."--Berlioz's "Benvenuto Cellini;" Schumann's "Manfred" (first performance), Raff's "King Alfred," two of La.s.sen's Operas, Spohr's "Faust"

(with the recitatives), Sobolewski's "Comala," Dorn's "Nibelungen" (first performance), etc., etc.--Finally, Peter Cornelius' "Barber of Bagdad"--the last operatic performance which I directed there.

This short list will suffice for your purpose of the pamphlet; to it we may add that several Oratorios and Symphonic works were performed under my direction, such as Marx' "Moses," Rubinstein's "Paradise Lost," Schumann's "Paradise and the Peri" and his concluding scenes in "Faust," etc.; as for Symphonies, the Great Pyramid--Beethoven's "Ninth" (for Goethe's Jubilee in '49), nearly all Berlioz's Symphonies and Overtures, besides other Symphonies and Overtures by Schumann, Raff, Hiller, Bronsart, Joachim, Bulow, etc., most of which were at that time scarcely known or entirely new.

You might obtain better and more detailed information concerning musical life at Weimar (from '49 to '58) from some who took part in it either as performers or friends, especially Gille, La.s.sen, Gottschalg, Grosse (trombone-player and contrapuntist), Wahlbrull, Milde and his wife, and Fran Dr. Emilie Merian, than from the theater archives.

I have no doubt, moreover, that the present Intendant, Baron von Loen, will readily permit you to inspect the archives of the theater and see any programmes of the Court concerts of that time which may still be forthcoming. You may likewise count upon the obliging readiness of La.s.sen and Muller-Hartung in making your pamphlet known.

During my summer stay in Weimar in latter years, some pianists have taken to coming there regularly who play my Symphonic Poems well and willingly. I am not able to name any of those who come during the winter. Ask La.s.sen and Muller-Hartung about this.

Enclosed you will find an introduction from me to Madame Merian.

She sings my songs with fervent intelligence, from heart to heart.

F. Liszt

November 11th, 1880 (Villa d'Este)

269. To the Committee of the Antwerp Musical Society

Very Honored Gentlemen,

The expression of my sincere grat.i.tude for your very kind letter has been delayed owing to a circ.u.mstance which was independent of my will.

I am acquainted with the high character which the Antwerp Musical Society bears; many of those who were present at your Festivals in 1876, '77, and have spoken to me in the liveliest terms of praise of those great musical performances, of the far-famed merits of your director, Peter Benoit, of his Rubens Cantata and of his Oratorio [La Guerre, De Oorlog.] recently sung at Brussels on the occasion of the national commemoration by 900 members of your Society. Greatly flattered by your invitation, I hope, Gentlemen, that my answer to it may not appear discourteous to you. Allow me to decline the honor of directing the Festival you have in view for 1881 and to be present at it as a simple listener. Should any work of mine have been admitted to your programme, I would fain request M. Peter Benoit [One of the chief representatives of Belgian national music (born 1884), Director of the Antwerp Conservatoire] to conduct it, since for the last fifteen years I have declared myself unfit for this work in all countries.

My engagements keep me at Budapest till Easter. After that time I shall be charmed to have the opportunity of a.s.suring you again personally at Antwerp of the sentiments of high consideration and distinguished esteem with which I remain,

Yours faithfully,

F. Liszt

November 16th, 1880 (Villa d'Este,) Tivoli

[The Lisztt-Festival given by the Societe de Musique d'Anvers took place on the 26th May, 1881, under Benoit's direction, in Antwerp. The programme comprised the Gran Ma.s.s; the E flat Concerto, played by Fran Falk-Mehlig; the Dance of Death, played by Zarembski; Mignon and other songs, sung by the ladies Kufferath and Schauenburg; and the Preludes.

In a second Festival-Concert on 29th May, arranged by Liszt's former pupil F. von Servais and Jules de Zarembski, Ta.s.so and the Faust Symphony, the Concerto Pathetique (played by M. and Mme.

Zarembski), and "Loreley" with orchestra (Mdlle. Kufferath) were performed. Gevaert, the celebrated musical savant, apostrophised Liszt in the opening speech as "the incomparable Virtuoso whose prestige has never been surpa.s.sed, nor even equalled; the prolific and inspired composer, who in the numerous domains of Art which he has touched has opened new roads, explored new sh.o.r.es, and left everywhere the luminous imprint of his bold and innovating genius; the eminent head of a School, who may without exaggeration be described as the initiator, par excellence, of the musical movement of our epoch; one of those rare favorites of the G.o.ds for whom posterity begins even during their life-time,"

etc.]

270. To Sophie Menter

Dear, Highly Valued Friend,

If I rightly understand your letter and telegram you are soon going to Paris and London, and also soon coming to Rome. When?-- tell me this clearly. A Roman Sophie Menter Concert is easily arranged and will be a great pleasure for me.

Although introductions from me are quite superfluous for you, I beg you to consider them always at your disposal. The best person to safeguard your interests with the German Amba.s.sadors in France and England will be Frau Grafin Schleinitz. Alter, shorten and improve anything you like in the Fantaisie on the Huguenots.

Pieces of this sort ought only to be brought forward by super- eminent virtuosi--Sophie Menter, for instance. The transcriber then hardly serves as "Klecks." [Klecks is the name of Mme.

Menter's favorite cat.]

Yours cordially,