Letters of Franz Liszt
Chapter 36 : Accept, Your Wors.h.i.+p, the a.s.surance of the high esteem with which I have the hono

Accept, Your Wors.h.i.+p, the a.s.surance of the high esteem with which I have the honor to remain,

Dear Mr. Mayor, yours very truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, December 26th, 1855.

148. To Eduard Liszt

My very dear Eduard,

Scarcely had I returned to Weymar [From the Mozart Festival at Vienna.] when I again put on my travelling coat to help in Berlioz' concert at Gotha, which took place the day before yesterday--and the whole day yesterday was spent in rehearsals of "Cellini;" followed by a Court concert in the evening (in honor of H.R.H. the Prince Regent of Baden); so that this morning is the first leisure moment I have had to take up my pen again and my position...at my writing-table. I profit by it first of all to tell you how happy I am in this earnest intimacy, as sincerely felt as it is conscientiously considered--this real intimacy of ideas and feelings at the same time--which has been cemented between us in these latter years, and which my stay in Vienna has fully confirmed. All n.o.ble sentiments require the full air of generous conviction, which maintains us in a region superior to the trials, accidents, and troubles of this life. Thanks to Heaven, we two breathe this air together, and thus we shall remain inseparably united until our last day!

I am sending you after this the doc.u.ment which serves as a basis to the Bach-Gesellschaft [Bach Society], from which it will be easy to make out an a.n.a.logous one for the publication of Mozart's complete works. I earnestly invite and beg you to carry out this project to its realization.

According to my ideas, the "Friends of Music in Austria" should const.i.tute and set the matter going, and the Royal State Press should be employed for it, especially as one can foresee that special favors might be obtained from the Ministry. Probably the whole Festival Committee of the Mozart Celebration will also consent to this undertaking, in the sense that, by an edition of Mozart's works, critically explained, equally beautifully printed, and revised by a committee appointed for it, a universally useful, lasting, and living monument to the glorious Master will be formed, which will bring honor and even material gain to all Austrian lovers of music and to the city of Vienna itself. Without doubt, if the matter is rightly conducted, it will also pay well and be pretty easy to carry through. In about twelve years the whole edition can be completed. In the composition of the Committee of Revision I stipulate to call your attention to a few names. Spohr, Meyerbeer, Fetis, Otto Jahn, Oulib.i.+.c.heff, Dr. Hartel--among foreigners these ought especially to have a share in the matter; and a special rubric must be given to the cost of revision. The work of proof-correcting, as well as the special explanations, commentaries, comparisons of the different editions, ought not to be expected gratis; therefore a fixed sum should be applied to it. Haslinger, Spina, and Gloggl, being Vienna publishers, ought specially to be considered, and would be the best to direct the propagation and regular sending out of the volume, which is to appear on the 27th of January every year.

At Spina's you would find several volumes of the Bach- Gesellschaft, to which is always added a list of the subscribers and a statement of accounts for the past year.

I advise you to keep on good terms with Zellner, who was the first to air the subject in his paper (after I had invited him to do so), and to get him into the proposed Committee, if the matter be taken up in earnest. In the Committee of Revision Schmidt (the librarian) and Holz must not be forgotten. With regard to my humble self, I don't want to be put forward, but simply to take my place in alphabetical order; but please explain beforehand that I am ready to undertake any work which they may think fit to apportion to me. I likewise undertake to invite the Grand Duke of Weimar, the Duke of Gotha, etc., to become subscribers.

The whole affair must bear the impress of an Art enterprise--and in this sense the invitation to a Mozart-Verein [Mozart Union]

must be couched. (I leave you to decide whether you prefer the word Mozart-Gesellschaft [Mozart Society] or Mozart-herein for the Publication of the Complete Works of Mozart, or any other t.i.tle.) Together with this I repeat that certainly there is no need to fear any loss in this matter, but that probably there will be a not insignificant gain. This gain, according to my ideas, should be formed into a capital, until the edition is completed, to be then employed, or perhaps not till later, by the Society of Austrian Lovers of Music for some artistic purpose to be decided upon.

.--. Be so good as to give Herr Krall the sum (24 florins) for the four seats kindly placed at my disposal for the two concerts of the Mozart Festival. Although I have only paid in cash six gulden of the amount, because the other gentlemen insisted on sending me several gulden, yet I expressly wish that the receipts should not be any smaller through me--any more than that the performance should suffer by my conducting!--Therefore please don't forget the twenty-four gulden.

Berlioz arrived here yesterday evening, and I shall be over head and ears in work with Cellini, the great Court concert on the 17th, and the performance of Berlioz' Faust in the course of next week, the preparations for which I have undertaken.

Cellini I shall conduct--with the two others I only direct the rehearsals.

In faithful friends.h.i.+p thy Sat.u.r.day, February 9th, 1856.

F. Liszt

149. To Dr. von Seiler, Mayor of Vienna. [Autograph in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet, of Valentigney.]

Dear Sir,

As it was not permitted me to see Your Wors.h.i.+p again at home before my departure, I venture to express once more in these few lines my warmest thanks for the very great kindness shown to me during my stay in Vienna, the remembrance of which will not fade from my grateful thoughts.

The worthy example which you, dear Mr. Mayor, and the Town Council of Vienna have given on the occasion of the Mozart Festival, guaranteed and attained the desired prosperity and success of the affair. This example will doubtless bring forth fruit in other places, so that the whole artist society will owe you the most grateful acknowledgments for it. As regards myself and my modest services on that occasion, I am very happy to think from the kind letter signed by yourself and Herr Councillor Riedel von Riedenau, that what I did so gladly was well done--and I only cherish the wish that coming years may offer me an opportunity of devoting my poor, but seriously well-intentioned services in the cause of music to the city of Vienna, whose musical traditions s.h.i.+ne forth so gloriously. Accept, dear sir, the a.s.surance of high esteem with which I have the honor to remain

Your most obliged

F. Liszt

Weymar, February 10th, 1856

150. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

Before everything else I must give you my warmest thanks for the manifold proofs of your friends.h.i.+p and attachment which you have given me lately; especially has the article in the last number but one of the paper, taken from the concluding chapter of your musical history, truly rejoiced me, and I should have written you at once a couple of lines in grateful acknowledgment had I not been so very much engaged, on my return here, that I have had no leisure hour until now. In Leipzig I could only stay from the time of one train to the other, and could not go to see any one except Hartel, whom it was necessary for me to see. Scarcely had I arrived here than I had to go to Gotha (where I was present at Berlioz' concert), and the previous week we had enough to do with the preparations and rehearsals of "Cellini" and the Court concert. The performance this time was really capital. Caspari had studied his part admirably, and made a good thing of it; the opera, thanks to him, made quite a different impression from what it did formerly, when poor Beck (now the proprietor of a cafe in Prague, where I saw him lately) had to fit himself as best he could into the Cellini jacket!--Probably Pohl will send you a full account, and also mention the concert which took place the day before yesterday at the Castle. Berlioz conducted it, and Fraulein Bianchi very much pleased the n.o.bility as well as the rest of the audience--so that she is again engaged for a small concert next Thursday.

In contrast to many other artists of both s.e.xes, Fraulein Bianchi is well-bred, without being stupidly stuck up, and, in addition, a pleasant and well-trained singer whom one can safely recommend.

The few lines which she brought me from you were her best introduction to me--only I will beg you, another time, not to be in doubt as to "whether I still think of you with the old friends.h.i.+p." Once for all, you may be perfectly certain on this point, that I shall not develop any talent for Variations towards you, but be always ready to give a proof, on every opportunity, of how highly I prize your services in matters musical, and how sincerely friendly I am to you personally.

F. Liszt

February 19th, 1856

Next Sunday "Lohengrin" will be given (with Fraulein Marx from Darmstadt as Ortrude)--and on Thursday, the 28th February, the entire "Faust" of Berlioz.

151. To Dionys Pruckner in Vienna

[Liszt's pupil; has been a professor at the Stuttgart Conservatorium since 1858.]

Dearest Dionysius,

The joyful tidings of your success ever find the most joyful echo in Weymar, and I thank you much for the pleasant tidings in your letter. Haslinger, on his side, was so kind as to write me a full account of your first concert, as well as the Court soiree at H.R.H. the Archd.u.c.h.ess Sophie's--and yesterday evening v.

Dingelstedt gave me also full details of your concert ravages in Munich. All this plainly shows da.s.s man Bock-Bier trinken kann, ohne deswegen Bocke zu schiessen! [A play on words: that one may drink "Bock" beer, without thereby making blunders.]

I entirely approve of your intention of spending some months in Vienna and its charming environs--also of your closer intercourse with the Master Czerny, whose many-sided musical experiences may be of the greatest use to you practically and theoretically. Of all living composers who have occupied themselves especially with pianoforte playing and composing, I know none whose views and opinions offer so just an experience. In the twenties, when a great portion of Beethoven's creations was a kind of Sphinx, Czerny was playing Beethoven exclusively, with an understanding as excellent as his technique was efficient and effective; and, later on, he did not set himself up against some progress that had been made in technique, but contributed materially to it by his own teaching and works. It is only a pity that, by a too super-abundant productiveness, he has necessarily weakened himself, and has not gone on further on the road of his first Sonata (Op. 6, A-flat major) and of other works of that period, which I rate very highly, as compositions of importance, beautifully formed and having the n.o.blest tendency. But unfortunately at that time Vienna influences, both social and publis.h.i.+ng, were of an injurious kind, and Czerny did not possess the necessary dose of sternness to keep out of them and to preserve his better ego. This is generally a difficult task, the solving of which brings with it much trouble even for the most capable and those who have the highest aims.

When you see Czerny remember me to him as his grateful pupil and devoted, deeply respectful friend. When I pa.s.s through Vienna this summer, I shall rejoice to have a couple of hours with him again. I shall probably find you still there. According to what has been written to me, the consecration of the Gran Cathedral will take place at the beginning of September, in which case I shall start from here at the beginning of August.

Excuse me for not having been willing to send you the orchestral parts to the "Turkish Capriccio." It seemed to me, on the one hand, unsuitable to ask Hans for it--apart from the fact that the sending of the parts backwards and forwards from Berlin to Vienna is very roundabout--and, on the other hand, I could not but suppose that you would find first-rate copyists in Vienna, who would do the copying for you far better in a fortnight.

Principles of economy are UTTERLY WORTHLESS in copying, and, if you will believe my experience, always choose therefore the best, and consequently most expensive, copyists for transcribing the parts that you want. Recommend them, into the bargain, to do them with great care, and to add the cues (which are a great help towards a good performance).

Bronsart wrote to you at my direction, to let you know in good time that you should get the parts copied out in Vienna yourself, and should look them over carefully with the copyist before the rehearsal--a work which I have often done in earlier years, and in which I generally make a rule of not sparing myself.

Please find out for me at Spina's, on a convenient opportunity, how far the engraving of the Schubert Fantasia [Fantasia in C major, on the Wanderer.] (instrumented by me) has progressed, and whether he can soon send me the proofs. Bronsart played the Fantasia with orchestral accompaniment lately at Jena.

Fare you well, dearest Dionysius, and send soon some good tidings of yourself to

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

F. Liszt

Weymar, March 17th, 1856.