Letters of Franz Liszt
Chapter 88 : F. Liszt Rome, July 4th, 1869 90. To Madame Jessie Laussot Dear Maestra, I do not know

F. Liszt

Rome, July 4th, 1869

90. To Madame Jessie Laussot

Dear Maestra,

I do not know why the name of Boccherini always recalls to me the valley of Tempe. There could be nothing more flattering and more salutary for me than to be admitted into so fortunate an abode, and you have certainly made the stroke of a Maestra in introducing me there (a little bit in a contraband way!).--I hope Mr. Delatre will be kind enough to send me under cover the first number of the paper containing La Mara's article [The Liszt- sketch from the first vol. of the "Musakalischen Studienkopfe,"

which the auth.o.r.ess had translated into Italian.]; directly afterwards I will subscribe to the Boccherini, so that I may get the whole of the biography regularly.

A thousand thanks for your intelligent solicitude; I entirely approve of the word tedes...o...b..ing left out on the t.i.tle-page; "tradotto dall' Autore" is evidently the better indication, and I guarantee you that the auth.o.r.ess will be perfectly satisfied and will add her thanks to mine, without thinking of making the slightest observation or difficulty about anything whatever. When you are pa.s.sing through Leipzig I will make you acquainted with my very amiable panegyrist.

I am certainly intending to be present at the first performance of "Rheingold," announced for the 25th August; but I doubt whether they will be in a position to give this work so soon. Mr.

de Bulow absolutely must take some rest after the Conservatoire examinations; the Servais are pressing him much to settle down with them for the months of August and September at Hal (in Belgium); I want him to accept their invitation, and he will, I hope, decide to do so. Now without him "Rheingold" at Munich seems to me at least problematical. I will let you have positive tidings, which I myself shall receive shortly. Please tell me where to address you.

I have set to work again, and with the exception of the fortnight at Munich, in honor of "Rheingold," I shall remain here, or else in the neighborhood, until next spring.

Sgambati kisses your hands. Pinelli is at the baths of Lucca, where Buonamici [Giuseppe Buonamici, pupil of Liszt and Bulow, now one of the most celebrated pianists of Italy. Lives at Florence] will probably join him.

Very cordially yours,

F. L.

I will write two words of thanks to Delatre and beg you to give me his address.

In your walks at St. Gall make my salutations to the concert room in which were heard, some 10 or 12 years ago, the "Symphonie Heroique" conducted by Wagner, and two Symphonie Poems, conducted by your very humble servant. Szadrowski was at that time conductor at St. Gall; since then he is settled in the Grisons (at Graubunden); if you should go that way do not fail to see him; I recommend him to you as one of our friends.

Rome, July 16th, 1869

91. To Camille Saint-Saens in Paris.

[The celebrated French composer, pianist and organist (born in Paris 1835) was, as is well known, in sympathy with the New German School, and fosters, amongst others, the genre of "Symphonic Poems" made known by Liszt.]

Very honored Friend,

Your kind letter promised me several of your compositions; I have been expecting them, and, while waiting, I want to thank you again for your second Concerto, which I greatly applaud. The form of it is new and very happy; the interest of the three portions goes on increasing, and you take into just account the effect of the pianist without sacrificing anything of the ideas of the composer, which is an essential rule in this cla.s.s of work.

At the very outset the prelude on the pedal G is striking and imposing: after a very happy inspiration you do wisely to reproduce it at the end of the first movement and to accompany it this time with some chords. Among the things which particularly please me I note: the chromatic progression (last line of the prelude) and that which alternates between the piano and orchestra (from the last bar of page 5--repeated then by the piano alone, page 15); the arrangement of thirds and sixths in demisemiquavers, charmingly sonorous, pages 8 and 9, which opens superbly on the entry of the subject fortissimo; the piquant rhythm

[Figure: Musical score excerpt of the rhythm in 6/8]

of the second subject of the Allegro scherzando, page 25.

Possibly this would have gained somewhat by more combination and development, either of the princ.i.p.al subject or of some secondary subject; for instance, a little anodyne counterpoint, it seems to me, would not be out of place on pages 26, 27. etc., etc., and so on. Item for pages 50 to 54, in which the simple breadth of the period with the holding on of the accompaniment chords leaves rather a void; I should like there to be some incidence and polyphonic entanglement, as the Germanic Polyphemuses say. Pardon me this detailed remark, dear Monsieur Saint-Saens, which I only venture to make while a.s.suring you in all sincerity that the total of your work pleases me singularly. I played it again the day before yesterday to Sgambati, of whom Plante [Francis Plante (born 1839), the exquisitely refined Pianist] will speak to you, as of an artist above the common run and even more than ordinarily distingue. He will let the public hear your Concerto next winter, which ought to meet with success in every country.

When is the performance of the "Timbre" ["Le timbre d'argent"

(the silver bell), an Opera] to be? I wish it to give you abundantly all the satisfaction that you deserve, and shall only regret that I cannot be present at the performance of it. At my age the role of young composer is no longer suitable--and there would not be any other for me at Paris, as I cannot continue indefinitely that of an old disabled pianist. Thus I have judiciously made up my mind not to trouble myself about my compositions any further than the writing of them, without in the least thinking of spreading them. Supposing that they have any value it will always be found out soon enough either during my life or afterwards. The sympathy of my friends (a very well chosen sympathy, I flatter myself) amply suffices me; the rest of the world may talk in its own way. As to the "Elizabeth" I do not think it is adapted to the Parisian taste. I am moreover very tired of that score through the performances at the Wartburg, Pest and Vienna; and the difficult task of a suitable French translation, plus the rehearsals with a set of artists little disposed to take trouble, frightens me. I much prefer to employ my time in a manner less ungrateful and more agreeable; consequently I shall not put out anybody in Paris, which I shall not visit; and invite you to come and see me in Rome. Here, dear Monsieur St. Saens, we can talk and musiquer [make music] at our ease. Try and procure me this great pleasure soon, and believe fully in my sentiments of high esteem and devoted affection.

F. Liszt

Rome, July 19th, 1869

92. To Camille Saint-Saens

Very honored Friend,

At last your compositions have come, and I spent all yesterday in their amiable society.

Let us speak first of the Ma.s.s: this is a capital, grand, beautiful, admirable work--so good that, among contemporary works of the same kind, I know perhaps of none so striking by the elevation of the sentiment, the religious character, the sustained, adequate, vigorous style and consummate mastery. It is like a magnificent Gothic Cathedral in which Bach would conduct his orchestra!

After having read your score three times I am so thoroughly imbued with it that I venture to risk a few remarks.

In the Gloria one should, I think, preserve the literal text entire: "Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam."-- Consequently add four or five bars.

At the beginning of the Sanctus it would be better to continue the voices, and to complete by them the sense of the orchestra; similarly it would be advantageous to interlace, by means of an alto solo, the text of the Benedictus (which you have omitted) to the Organ melody, pages 77 and 78 after the Hosanna, as well as to add the chorus to the final phrase of the "Dona n.o.bis pacem,"

pages 88 and 89.

You will find all these small matters carefully noted down on your score, which I will venture to return to you, begging you to let me have it back again soon, for I must possess this extraordinary work, which has its place between Bach and Beethoven.

Bear with one more liturgical question, and, in addition, a proposition boldly practical in the Kyrie, the spire of your Cathedral. The inspiration and structure of it are certainly admirable..."omnia excelsa tua et fluctus tui super me transierunt." Nevertheless, during these 300 bars, about, of a slow and almost continuous movement, do you not lose sight of the celebrant, who is obliged to remain standing motionless at the altar? Do you not expose him to commit the sin of impatience directly after he has said the confiteor?...Will not the composer be reproached with having given way to his genius rather than to the requirements of the wors.h.i.+p?

In order to obviate these unpleasant conjunctures it would be necessary for you to resign yourself to an enormous sacrifice as an artist, namely, to cut out 18 pages! (for church performance only, for these 18 pages should be preserved in the edition to your greater honor as a musician, and it would suffice to indicate the "cut" ad libitum, as I have done in several places in the score of the Gran Ma.s.s).

Sacrifice, then, 18 pages as I said, and put the "Christe eleison" on page 6, instead of the "Kyrie eleison,"

[Here, Liszt ill.u.s.trates with a 3-bar musical excerpt at the point where the words "Chri-------------ste e-le------" are sung.]

concluding pp on page l0. From the musical point of view exclusively, I should blush to make such a proposition; but it is necessary to keep peace, especially in the Church, where one must learn to subordinate one's self in mind and deed. Art, there, should be only a correlative matter, and should tend to the most perfect concomitance possible with the rite.

Be a.s.sured, dear Monsieur Saint-Saens, of the sentiments of high esteem and great sympathy which I entertain towards you.

Your very devoted

F. Liszt

Rome, August 4th, 1869

93. To Madame Jessie Laussot

I have had to write a great many notes this last week. Pardon me for being so late in thanking you for your friendly lines, and kindly tell Mademoiselle Alexandrine Ritter how sincerely I feel for her in her affliction. Her mother expressed in a rare degree and in her whole personality the high and sweet dignity of the human soul. Respect attached itself to her naturally,--and she inspired the n.o.ble serenity of it.