Letters of Franz Liszt
Chapter 107 : 179. To Eduard von Liszt My Honored Friend, What you felt at the performance of the Gr

179. To Eduard von Liszt

My Honored Friend,

What you felt at the performance of the Gran Ma.s.s has extremely rejoiced me. "He who loves understands."

Give Herbeck my warmest thanks for the carefulness of the rehearsals and performance of this work, about which I allowed myself to make the remark (in Paris 1866), to a personage of the very highest rank, that "it had been more criticised than heard."

On no account would I press Herbeck to give a performance of the "Prometheus-choruses"; according to my thinking, it would be better to wait and see how these choruses are done next spring in Dusseldorf and at the Tonkunstler-Versammlung in Altenburg before bringing them back to Vienna. I should also like to be present at the Vienna performance, which will not be possible tha's winter.

I shall probably only be able to stay one day with you (at the beginning of April). I almost doubt whether the "Hunnenschlacht"

could be performed amongst the "Philharmoniker" [lovers of harmony] without defeat to me. Nevertheless, "vincit qui pat.i.tur."

Heartiest greetings to our Franz, who will prove himself worthy of you.

Most faithfully thy

F. Liszt

(Villa d'Este, Tivoli) November 26th, 1875

.--. As I already told you, I shall remain here till the middle of February, and then return direct to Budapest. From next April I am threatened with much travelling about. My threefold domicile, Pest, Weimar and Villa d'Este, and all that is connected with it, makes my life very onerous. Even the well- known consolation, "Tu l'as voulu, Georges Dandin" [it is your own doing], fails me...Still there is hope in the proclamation "Et in terra pax, hominibus bonae voluntatis."

Once more thanks for your kind intercession in my friend Vincenz Kirchmayer's [Liszt's former travelling companion in Spain and Portugal during the forties, and especially recommended by Liszt to his cousin Eduard.] affairs. When the decision has been given let me know it.

180. To Hans Schmitt, Professor at the Conservatorium of Music in Vienna

[Well known as an excellent teacher of the pianoforte, also as a writer on music]

[End of 1875]

My Dear Sir,

It is well known how much mischief is done to the piano both with hands and feet. May your instructive pamphlet on the right use of the pedal duly benefit pianoforte players. [Footnote: "The Pedal of the Piano." Vienna, Doblinger (3rd ed. 1892).] With best thanks for sending me the pamphlet, I remain

Yours respectfully,

F. Liszt

181. To Kornel von Abranyi

Dear Honored Friend,

In the affairs of the Academy of Music I had till now simply to wait. [The opening of the Academy of Music had taken place meanwhile in the middle of November, 1875.] Now comes the time when a different, an active line of conduct presents itself to me. I shall always endeavor to come up to the expectations of my friends. First of all in the middle of February we begin our peaceful academical conferences, and, as I have already written to you, I willingly undertake, from the 1st March, to conduct a pianoforte cla.s.s (for virtuosi and teachers)--provided that Erkel and you, dear friend, agree to this harmless proposal. My further activity in the Royal Hungarian Academy of Music had better be favored, measured and decided by the circ.u.mstances. I can only lay claim to be the well-intentioned zealous servant of Art and of Hungary.

Please to give Erkel my heartiest thanks for the Liszt-paragraph in the "Inaugural Address." The kindly confidence which Erkel has reposed in me for more than 30 years shall never be abused.

The notice "Count Geza Zichy, President, and Bartay, Director of the Pest Conservatorium," affects me very pleasantly. Engesser's constancy in conducting the Liszt-Verein [Engesser founded the Liszt-Verein in Pest (for mixed voices)] particularly rejoices me. Is Gobbi's Cantata come out? Friendly greetings to the composer and recently "well-known composer of alb.u.m-leaf waltzes," from your old, truly attached

F. Liszt

Villa d'Este, January 20th, 1876

(Before my arrival--16th February--I will telegraph to you from Venice, where I shall visit Count Imre Szechenyi.) In case there were anything to write to me, address, till February 5th, Rome, Vicolo dei Greci, 43.

182. To Eduard von Liszt

(Villa d'Este,) January 23rd, 1876

My Dear Beloved Friend,

Your letter has deeply affected me. I preserve it in the secret cell of the heart, where the last words of my dear mother remain- -and give me consolation. I cannot thank you in words. My thanks rise in prayer to G.o.d. May His blessing ever be with your generosity and constancy in all that is good.

At the "Decisions of the Court of Ca.s.sation" (the 2nd October and 16th November) you spoke so forcibly and beautifully clearly about blasphemy, and of the symbol of redemption, the crucifix-- and thus truly fulfilled the teaching of our Savior: "Thesaurizate autem vobis thesauros in Coelo." Let us continue to the end, dearest Eduard, in the love of Christ!

I absolutely wrote the "Hunnenschlacht" for the sake of the hymn "Crux fidelis." Kulke in a very generous manner determined on the production of this work in Vienna. For very many years Kulke has always been well-affected towards me. I enclose a few lines of thanks which I beg you to hand to him. His "Moses before Pharaoh"

I have, alas, not the power to compose. To compose philosophy and politics in music appears to me an all-too-difficult task. I almost doubt whether it could be accomplished.

Heartiest greetings to your family, and most truly yours,

F. Liszt

I shall arrive in Pest again in the middle of February.

183. To Dr. Eduard Kulke in Vienna

My Dear Sir,

During long years you have constantly shown me so much kindness that I cannot sufficiently thank you for it. I am also ashamed not to compose better works, so as to make the kindly interpretation of them more easy and pleasanter to you.

Nevertheless all the more valuable is your insight and indulgence.

The "feathered thief" [A comedy by the addressee, a well-known and meritorious author, and sent by him shortly before to Liszt.]

reconciles me with the "newspaper geese." It will, without plagiarism, win its laurels on the stage. The dialogue and action are full of humor and wit...and the final catastrophe of the thras.h.i.+ng must make an impression on the public.--

Excuse me, my dear Sir, if I do not feel myself equal to the task of an Old-Testament Oratorio. [Kulke had sent a poem, "Moses before Pharaoh," to Liszt in Rome, with the question whether he would be inclined to make it the subject of an Oratorio.] Michael Angelo represented his Moses mighty and horned (perhaps as a most excellent ideal forerunner of Pope Julius II.?); Rossini sang exquisitely the "preghiera di Mose," with which Europe is still enraptured; and Marx's Oratorio Moses, less well-known, contains many excellent parts.

"Non omnia possumus omnes." My humble self can do but little, and remains most humbly grateful to the "Caritas Christi."

With especial regards and thanks, yours most truly,

F. Liszt

Villa d'Este, January 23rd, 1876