Letters of Franz Liszt
Chapter 64 : 256A. To Peter Cornelius [Autograph in the possession of Constance Bache. This letter w

256A. To Peter Cornelius

[Autograph in the possession of Constance Bache. This letter was left out by La Mara, but is inserted by the translator.]

Dearest Cornelius,

I have just been told that the score of the "Barber of Baghdad"

is not in the theater library here, as I thought, but that you have kept it.

I can therefore no longer keep it a secret from you that I am intending to give the Terzet [Canon] from the beginning of the second act at the third concert (7th August) of the Tonkunstler- Versammlung, and I have not the smallest doubt as to the capital effect that this exquisite piece of music will produce.

But do send me by return of post the score of your "Barber."

The Terzet is a necessary integral part of our programme, which will consist of the "performance of ma.n.u.script works of the present day."--

With heartfelt greetings, your

F. Liszt

July 14th, 1861

257. To Alfred Dorffel

My dear Sir,

Whilst giving you my warmest thanks for the great pains you have taken with the "Faust" score [as corrector of the score] I have, in conclusion, one more request to make.

I wish to modify the prosody of the pa.s.sage in the tenor solo,

[Here, Liszt writes a 4-measure music score excerpt of the treble portion of the piece at the point where the words, "das Ewig Weibliche" are sung.]

each time, just as I have written it on the accompanying note- sheet. If I mistake not, it would in this way be more singable and weiblicher [more womanly]. [Referring to Goethe's words "Das ewig Weibliche" ("The eternal womanly")]

Accept, my dear sir, the a.s.surance of my highest esteem and most friendly grat.i.tude.

F. Liszt

Weyar, July 18th, 1861

P.S.--The "Faust" Symphony is to be given here on the 6th August.

Perhaps it would be possible to you to be present at that concert, and to give me the pleasure of a visit from you.

258. To Hofconcertmeister Edmund Singer in Stuttgart

Dear Friend,

The article in the Allgemeine Zeitung on the Tonkunstler- Versammlung (12th August) is an event, and I thank you sincerely for the part you have taken in it. [It was written by Singer.]

Although, as you know, I must on principle keep myself unconcerned as regards criticism, as I cannot allow it the first word in matters of Art, yet it has long been my wish to see the "systematic opposition" to the present incontrovertible tendency (or, better, "development") of music not exclusively represented in the Allgemeine Zeitung. Just because this paper is not a merely local, but an European and intellectually historical one, did the local aversions and the diatribes of the island "Borneo"

appear to me far more inadmissible than in other papers. The reporter of the Tonkunstler-Versammlung has taken an important step towards agreement; may he continue to work with us yet further!

The Altenburg has been closed and locked up since last Sunday-- and in a few hours I am leaving Weymar for a long time. In the first place I shall spend some weeks with my patron, Prince Hohenzollern (who is musically very well disposed!), at Lowenberg. I intend to take up again there and quietly to carry on my work which has been too long interrupted. My promised contributions to Herr Stark's Pianoforte School must also soon be taken in hand. Meanwhile remember me most kindly to Herr Lebert, [Professors at the Stuttgart Conservatorium. For the great Pianoforte School edited by Lebert and Stark, Liszt wrote the concert-studies "Waldesrauschen" and "Gnomenreigen."] and a.s.sure him that I am most anxious to discharge the task allotted to me in a satisfactory manner.

Pohl has promised me that he will soon send you the "Prometheus"

and "Faust" notices that you want. For the rest you don't require any further explanation to enable you satisfactorily to instruct the public in these things. As I am pressed for time I must only give you for today once more my best thanks, and remain

Yours in all friends.h.i.+p,

F. Liszt

August 17th, 1861

My best greetings to your wife.

259. To the music publisher, C.F. Kahnt

Don't be alarmed, dear sir! Once more a ma.n.u.script of mine is coming to you. "Ich glaube, die Wellen verschlingen, Am Ende Schiffer und...Kahnt!" [A quotation from Heine's poem "Die Loreley," set to music by Liszt:

"I fear me the waters engulfing Are drawing the boatman beneath,-- 'Tis Loreley, with voice enchanting, Who lures him on to death!

Liszt makes a play on the words Kahn (a boat) and Kahnt (the publisher).]

The pianoforte transcription of the "Loreley" has cost me more trouble than I expected. But I hope therefore that it has not succeeded badly. Let a clean and correct copy be made of it by a reliable musician (Corno perhaps?) [August Horn in Leipzig, whom Liszt held up as being "very exact and reliable."] before you give the little piece into the engraver's hands. N.B.--The words are to be engraved with it, as in the Vienna edition of my transcription of the Schubert Songs.

As regards the publis.h.i.+ng of the scores of my three songs-- "Loreley," "Mignon," and the "Zigeuner"--I leave them entirely to your pleasure or the reverse, as also the size of the edition (whether larger or smaller--but in any case, not quite full size)..--.

I shall be staying at Lowenberg up to the 8th September.

I beg that you will send the final proof of "Loreley" to Herr von Bulow--and also the second edition of "Mignon" in time, which is to be engraved from the score left behind by Brendel--for voice and pianoforte accompaniment (without instrumentation) in the first place--as you were kind enough to promise me.

With best greetings, your obliged

F. Liszt

Lowenberg, August 27th, 1861

260. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

A musical scribble that I had promised, and which I wished to finish here, and various little excursions in the neighborhood, have prevented me from answering your letter sooner.