Letters of Franz Liszt
Chapter 101 : In spite of the grievous news of your continued sufferings I do not give up the hope o

In spite of the grievous news of your continued sufferings I do not give up the hope of seeing you here again soon, and of taking all friendly care of you; and you shall not in the least degree be troubled or wearied; merely recruit from your over-exertions by living simply and comfortably amid quiet and congenial surroundings.

Hence I take the liberty again of inviting your Reverence to spend the next months with me here in the Villa d'Este, where you will find rest, quiet and cosiness, mild air, glorious scenery, pleasant walks, good eating, good wine, books, music, pianos to make use of ad libitum, and a temperature mentally agreeable.

Cardinal Hohenlohe requests me to say that you will be heartily welcome, and this message is communicated with unmixed pleasure by your very respectful and sincerely grateful

F. Liszt

153. To Edmund von Mihalovich

Very Dear Friend,

Your Prologue to the Nibelungen in course of performance at the Walhalla-Roszavolgyi has royally amused me. [A joke of Mihalovich, who had nicknamed several mutually known people with the names and characters out of the Nibelungen] I wish that Wagner may find in Messrs. Betz, Scaria, Niemann, etc., interpreters as well suited to their roles as Richter-Wotan, Dunkl-Loge, Abranyi-Thor and Gobbi-Mime.

At Bayreuth "fervet opus" The preparatory piano rehearsals are going on; celebrated artists are growing thick on the ground, like the suitors at Penelope's court. Joseph Rubinstein suspends his commercial occupations, and returns from Cracow to drive the four-in-hand accompaniment of Rheingold. The architects, painters, decorators, machinists, costumiers and their people are continuing their work; therefore, in spite of difficulties and obstacles, the great work of Art of this century--Wagner's Tetralogy of the Nabelungen--will come to pa.s.s, and I hope to be present at the first performance with my very dear friends Mi and Do. [Mihalovich was called Mi by Liszt, and Count Apponyi Do.]-- Meanwhile let us go on patiently at our own modest work, and endeavor to make it as suitable as possible. Next winter we will make an exchange of our latest sheets of music. I will bring a pretty thick packet to Sir Hagbar. [An Opera by Mihalovich (Hagbar and Sigurd)]

Schuberth promises me the "Geisterschiff" in the autumn; we will then launch it at once with Sgambati, who has just composed several Lieder, exquisite in sentiment. I have recently written, as an Impromptu, without any forethought, an Elegie in memory of Mme. de Moukhanoff, ent.i.tled "Schlummerlied im Grabe" [Slumber Song in the Grave.]

Your kind wishes for my repose are being realised here. I pa.s.s my days very peaceably, and my evenings alone, in reading, writing or playing. Since the departure of Bulow, who gave me his most eminent company for two days (in the middle of June), I have, so to say, seen n.o.body. He is now making his villeggiatura at Salzungen near Meiningen, returns to England in the month of November, and will not go to America till the autumn of '75.

Pay me a visit sometimes in thought, dear Mi, and believe me ever your very cordially devoted friend,

F. Liszt

Villa d'Este (Tivoli), July 30th, 1874.

Let me hear something about Do and Horpacs. [An estate of Count Emmerich Szechenyi, the former Austro-Hungarian amba.s.sador in Berlin, whom Liszt frequently visited.] I will write to them later.

154. To Peter Cornelius

[The letter is addressed to Neuenahr, where Cornelius had gone for a water-cure, shortly before his death. The translation of the Cacilia-legend he did not accomplish.]

Dear and valued Friend,

You have again presented me with a marvellous gift. Your German translation of Lamartine's "Hymne de l'enfant a son reveil" is exquisitely successful, and retains all the fragrance and aroma of the original poem.

"Kein Wurmlein vergissest Du...Das Zicklein an Staude und Beere...Am Milchkrug Mucklein saugt den Saft...Und die Lerche das Kornlein picket."...

["No worm dost Thou e'er forget...The kid amid the shrubs and berries...The fly that sips the sweetest juice...And the lark that pecks the blade of corn."...]

All and everything fits in so exactly with the music, syllable by syllable, that it seems as if the poem and music had sprung up together. Verily, dear friend, you are an extremely kind and most perfect magician. Now do not be vexed with me if my grateful appreciation of your skill should prove somewhat covetous, and I again ask you to do me a favor. A little French poem of 48 short lines, "Sainte Cecile, Legende," by Madame Emile Girardin (Delphine Gay) is awaiting your poetic courtesy. Allow me to send you my finished composition of this Cacilia, the musical foundation of which is furnished by the Gregorian antiphone: "Cantantibus organis, Caecilia Domino decantabat." It is to be hoped that I have not spoilt it, and I trust to your friendly kindliness to send me a German translation of it before the next Cacilia Festival (22nd November), soon after which it shall be printed, and a performance of it given in Pest.

The delay with the edition of your two Operas I sincerely regret.

They deserve much greater appreciation and a much wider circulation than hundreds of others that are printed, and the publication of the pianoforte scores is sure to effect this for them. Meanwhile I am glad that you have made use of my suggestion to base the Overture of the "Barber" on the pleasantly characteristic motive--

[Here, Liszt ill.u.s.trates with a 4-bar musical score excerpt.]

Next summer we shall meet in Munich.--With hearty thanks, your sincerely attached

F. Liszt

Villa d'Este (Tivoli), August 23rd, 1874

If you should see Frau Schott in Mainz, give her my kindest remembrances. For some time past various ma.n.u.scripts have been lying ready which I should have liked to hand over to Schott's house of business; but fear that they might arrive at an inopportune moment. The very t.i.tle, "Drei symphonische Trauer- Oden" ["Three Symphonic Funeral Odes"] might prove alarming; and besides, the scores--all about 20 pages in length--would have to be published simultaneously with the pianoforte transcriptions (for one or two performers). Well, "we can wait."...

I am working pretty industriously at the "Sanct Stanislaus." Of this you will tomorrow receive a full report--and an urgent request for speedy, energetaeally accentuated pains over the essential but not lengthy alterations of the text.

155. To Ludwig Bosendorfer in Vienna

[Head of the celebrated pianoforte manufactory, now Commerzienrath (Councillor of Commerce)]

Dear friend,

With my sincere thanks for your interesting reports of the Vienna musical world I would gladly have given you something of the same kind in return. But there is here nothing whatever in the way of novelties or specialities in the way of concerts; be content, therefore, if my letter today mentions only one, but to me a very important artistic item--namely, the frequent use of your piano, which, among other virtues, possesses a wondrous power of not getting out of tune [Unverstimmtheit]. Since its despatch from Vienna not a tuner has touched it, and yet it keeps in beautiful tune, and steadily resists all variations and effects of temperature.

Till the end of January I shall remain quietly at work here; then go direct to Pest--and by the middle of April on to Weimar. My thoughts and efforts require now only peace and seclusion. These are things that suit me best in my old age, and uphold me in spiritual intercourse with my dear and true friends. As such I greet you and your wife heartily and sincerely.

F. Liszt

Villa d'Este, August 28th, 1874

156. To Adelheid von Schorn in Weimar

Dear and Most excellent One,

For our grand coup you come in completely in your role of providence, which you fill with such complete good grace, and with an admirable mastery! I cannot tell you what immense comfort your letter brings me, with its a.s.surance of your speedy arrival in Rome. Try not to delay it beyond the 25th-30th November, and if possible come sooner. Princess Wittgenstein is still very suffering, and has kept her bed entirely for six weeks; your company and the inspirations of your solicitude will do her more good than all the Allo-and h.o.m.oeopaths put together.

I beg that you will write to her speedily to announce your coming, for she is ignorant and must be kept in complete ignorance of the plot we have hatched with Princess Marie [The daughter of Princess Wittgenstein.], the happy success of which you will crown. (questions of detail will be easily settled to your satisfaction, in such a manner that the stay in Rome will be thoroughly pleasant to you.

It is understood that you will not mention the question of where you will live to Princess W., who has already only too much worry about her own rooms. In my opinion it would be best for you to go to the Hotel d'Amerique, Via Babuino (close by the house of the Princess and of the one where I live), and to spend some days there, until you see where you can settle yourself comfortably, whether at the Pension (also very near the Babuino) where your cousin Octavie stayed, or elsewhere.

When you reach Bologna, please let me know by telegram on what day you will arrive; I will meet you at the station, and it will be a real joy to me to escort you to your first abode in Rome.

Thank you with all my heart, and yours ever,

F. Liszt

Rome October 12th, 1874 (Vicolo de Greci, 43.)

The Princess is living at Via Babuino 59.