Letters of Franz Liszt
Chapter 120 : Truly devoted, F. Liszt Budapest, February 19th, 1879 I have just received Zellner

Truly devoted,

F. Liszt

Budapest, February 19th, 1879

I have just received Zellner's letter. Give him my hearty thanks for it.

Sophie Menter went to Warsaw the day before yesterday, and gives a concert there tomorrow with her husband Popper,--and afterwards in St. Petersburg,

242. To Adolf von Henselt

Very dear Friend,

Hast thou still pleasure in beautiful, distinguished virtuoso piano-playing? If so then go and hear the eminent pianiste Frau Menter. She brings thee the hearty greeting of thy old friend

F. Liszt

Budapest, February, 1879

243. To Marie Lipsius

My dear Friend,

Hearty thanks for your dear lines of sympathy. The loss of my cousin and most intimate friend Eduard von Liszt is a deep grief to me. You wish for the dates of the Budapest and Vienna concerts; for this I was obliged to ask the help of my excellent friend Kornel Abranyi. He knows these and other things far better than I. For ten years he edited the Hungarian musical paper, and now officiates as General Secretary and Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in Budapest, the Director being Franz Erkel, and my humble self the President.

Here is the result of Abranyi's researches, by which it is evident that I have neither been idle nor used anything for my own benefit.

At the same time let it be mentioned to the praiseworthy and amiable auth.o.r.ess of "Musikalische Studienkopfe," La Mara, that since the end of '47 I have not earned a farthing by pianoforte playing, teaching or conducting. All this rather cost me time and money.

Since the year '47 I only played in public twice in Rome--'63 and '64--at the gracious command of Pope Pius IX.; often in Budapest later on, twice in Vienna, once in Pressburg and Oedenburg (my native town) as a child of the country. Nowhere else. May my poor pianoforte performing at last come to an end! It has long been a torment to me. Therefore--Amen!--

On the occasion of the celebration of their Majesties' silver wedding I shall have the honor, in accordance with the invitation of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde [Society of friends of music,] of conducting the "Gran Ma.s.s" in Vienna on the 8th April (the Tuesday before Good Friday). Performances of this Ma.s.s (after the first at Gran in '56) took place in Pest, Prague, Vienna, later in Leipzig and Amsterdam, in '66 in Paris, and again in Amsterdam, as also in '77 in Weimar and Dusseldorf, the latter under the conductors.h.i.+p of Ratzenberger. This Ma.s.s has also been heard in America.

In conclusion also the following memoranda for La Mara: Without a written engagement, yet indeed morally bound, since '71 I spend several months of every winter in Budapest, from April to July in Weimar, then the autumn months, and more, chiefly in the Villa d'Este near Rome, where His Eminence Cardinal Hohenlohe affords me the kindest reception. There I wrote the "Christmas-tree," the "Via Crucis," the "Responses to the Seven Sacraments," etc. These three works are quite ready, and indeed beautifully copied, as well as the "Cantico del Sole" of the marvellous St. Francis of a.s.sisi. Their publication troubles me little, for they are not suitable to the usual musical customs and trade...

So why bargain with them?

I have only fragmentarily sketched the Oratorio "Stanislaus," but wish to finish it, which will take at least a year.

My "Technical Piano-Exercises"--improperly advertised in the papers as "Pianoforte-School"--still require a few months for revision and arrangement with fingering, etc., but could come out next year if I have no hindrances.

Accept, my dear friend, my sincere and grateful attachment.

F. Liszt

Budapest, March 2nd, 1879

The middle of April I shall be in Weimar again

244. To Otto Lessmann

My dear Friend,

The enclosed programme proves to you that in spite of all fatigue my invalided piano-playing still contributes in a small degree to the relief of the sufferers of Szegedin.

[According to the programme, Liszt played Schubert's "Funeral March"; "To the memory of Petofi," and "Cantique d'Amour" of his own composition, as well as, with Mihalovich, Schubert's Fantaisie (C major) for two pianofortes.]

To a.s.sist in other concerts than in this country would not become me, and I have already declined many invitations of that sort with excuses and thanks.

For the celebrations preceding the silver wedding of their Majesties I shall have the honor of conducting the "Gran Ma.s.s" in Vienna on the 8th April ("Society of the friends of music").

To our speedy meeting in Weimar, and ever yours in all friends.h.i.+p,

F. Liszt

Budapest, March 23rd, 1879

245. To Von Trefort, the Hungarian Minister of Instruction

[From a copy in the possession of K. v. Abranyi.]

Monsieur le Ministre,

I learn through M. Abranyi that Your Excellency continues to show your solicitude for the Royal Academy of Music at Budapest. The work of this inst.i.tution is to serve Art in Hungary, and thus to help, in this connection, in making your patriotic, grand intentions fruitful. My colleagues at the Academy of Music are of one mind and devoted in their activity.

I permit myself to recommend once more particularly to your kindness M. Abranyi. He perseveres in his meritorious career as writer, theorist, composer, translator, professor, and Magyar character of the n.o.blest stamp. The evidence of his merits will a.s.suredly be recognised in many languages by a heap of laudatory phrases...after his death. A brilliant obituary is a.s.sured to Abranyi, but I hope that Your Excellency will accord him the modest satisfaction that he claims while he is alive.

I have the honor to be, Monsieur le Ministre, your very humble and very devoted servant,

F. Liszt

Weimar, May 12, 1879

246. To Walter Bache

Very honored, dear Friend,

Hearty thanks for your letter and for letting me see Manns's Commentary on the "Hunnenschlacht." Please give to Manns the accompanying short explanation of the idea of my "Symphonic Poem." In spite of my spending several hours in letter-writing almost every day, it is impossible for me to be regarded as a punctual correspondent. Intelligent and kindly-disposed persons will excuse me, and the many others I can scarcely entertain any longer, because I don't require any such entertainment! [Play upon the words "wirthschaften" (to manage) and "Wirthschaft"