Letters of Franz Liszt Volume I Part 13

Read it again, and compare it as you are thinking of it. You are worthy of those n.o.ble emotions of Art, by the fervent zeal with which you wors.h.i.+p its creed. Your piano score of the Overture to Coriola.n.u.s does all honor to your artist conscience, and shows a rare and patient intelligence which is indispensable to bringing this task to a satisfactory end. If I should publish my version of the same Overture (it must be among my papers in Germany) I shall beg your permission to send you, through Prince Dolgorouki [Prince Argontinski-Dolgorouki, a devoted lover of music. A friend of Liszt's: had rich property in the Crimea.] (I can't tell you half the good I think of him), an annotated copy, which I will beg you to add to the insignificant autograph which you really estimate too highly in attaching so affectionate a price to it! Accept once more, my dear sir, my most affectionate regards.

F. Liszt

Elisabethgrad, September 14th. 1847

52. To Carl Haslinger in Vienna

[The original (without address) in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.--There is no doubt that it was written to the above music publisher (son of the well-known Tobias H.), who was a pupil of Czerny, and at the same time a pianist and composer (1816-68), and friend of Liszt]

Woronino, December 19th, 1847

My dear Karolus,

I am delighted to hear from you of the arrival of my box from Galatz. Will you be so good as to send it off speedily and safely to Weymar, so that I may find it when I arrive there (at the end of this month)? and, as I am away, address it to M. le Baron de Ziegesar, Chamberlain to H.R.H. the Hereditary Grand d.u.c.h.ess. Beg Lowy to take the same opportunity of sending me the other boxes belonging to me, which remained behind, whether with him or elsewhere, to my Weymar address, unless he prefers to bring them with him when he comes to see me.

In my last letter to my uncle I gave him a commission for you-- namely, to beg you to send me the Melodies and Rhapsodies Hongroises complete; also the Schwanengesang and the Winterreise (transcriptions), large size edition, made into a book. As you have had some proofs made of my new Rhapsodies, make up a parcel of it all, which will be an agreeable surprise to me on my arrival.

I have worked pretty well these last two months, between two cigars in the morning, at several things which do not displease me; but I want to go back to Germany for some weeks in order to put myself in tune with the general tone, and to recreate myself by the sight and hearing of the wonderful things produced there by...Upon my word I don't know by whom in particular, if not the whole world in general.

If you want me to...[editor's note: impossible to decipher this word in Liszt's original letter] anything for you, tell me, and give me your ideas as to cut and taste.

Send me also the Schumann Opus (Kreisleriana, etc.) published by yourself and Mechetti, together with Bach's six Pedal Fugues, in which I wish to steep myself more fully. If the three Sonnets (both voice and pianoforte editions) are already re-corrected, kindly send me also an author's copy.

Adieu, dear Karolus. I commend my box to you, and commend myself to you also

As your sincere friend,

F. Liszt

I need not say that of course you shall be repaid immediately for sending the box--only hurry on the sending.

Best regards to your wife.

Lowy will tell you what I wish in regard to the credit for my uncle Eduard.

53. To The Hochwohlgeboren Herr Baron von Dornis, Jena.

[Autograph in the possession of Herr C. Geibel, bookseller in Leipzig.--The addressee was a sculptor.]

The confidence which you place in me, most esteemed Herr Baron, is naturally very flattering; but in order to meet it according to your wishes, I ought to have quite other means at my disposal than those I have.

It would of course be very gratifying to me to possess one of your valued works; yet I cannot help taking this opportunity of remarking that, in view of the far too many busts, medallions, statuettes, caricatures, medals, and portraits of all kinds existing of my humble self, I long ago resolved not to give occasion to any further multiplication of them.

Accept, esteemed Herr Baron, my expressions of great regret that I cannot meet your kind proposal as you wish, and with the a.s.surance of my highest esteem,

Believe me yours very truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, March 6th, 1848

54. To Franz von Schober, Councillor of Legation at Weimar.

Castle Gratz, April 22nd, 1848.

My Dear and Honored Friend,

Your dear letter has brought me still nearer to you in the crisis of the estro poetico, which the "Hungaria" [One of Liszt's symphonic poems.] brought forth in me; and, thanks to this good influence, I hope you will not be dissatisfied with the composition.

Since my Beethoven Cantata I have written nothing so striking and so spontaneous. One of these next days the instrumentation will be completed, and when we have an opportunity we can have it performed in Weimar in your honor and that of "Weimar's dead."

[Refers to a poem ent.i.tled "Weimar's Todten."]

Regardless of the blocking of the Russian frontier the Princess Wittgenstein has safely pa.s.sed through Radziwillow and Brody with a special official outrider, and established herself at Castle Gratz four days ago with her very charming and interesting daughter. As it is still somewhat early for the German bath season, I should like to persuade her to spend a couple of weeks in Weimar before her Carlsbad "cure" (which, alas! is very necessary for her). If my wishes should be successful I shall arrive at Weimar between the 10th and 15th of May, in order to prepare a suitable house or suite of apartments for the Princess.

I should be so pleased if you had an opportunity of getting to know the P. W. She is without doubt an uncommonly and thoroughly brilliant example of soul and mind and understanding (with immense esprit as well).

It won't take you long to understand that henceforth I can dream of very little personal ambition and future wrapped up in myself.

In political relations serfdom may have an end, but the dominion of one soul over another in the region of spirit, is not that indestructible?...You, my dear, honored friend, will a.s.suredly not answer this question with a negative.

In three weeks I hope we shall see each other again. Be so good as to present my respects to our young Duke. What you tell me of him pleases me. As soon as possible you shall hear more, and more fully, from me, but do not write to me till then, as my address meanwhile will be very uncertain. But continue to love me, as I love and honor you.

F. Liszt

55. To Bernhard Cossmann in Baden-Baden

[The addressee became in 1850 solo-violoncellist and chamber virtuoso in Weimar, and, later, in Moscow, and has been, since 1878, a Professor at the Hoch Conservatorium at Frankfort-on- Maine.]

Circ.u.mstances! Conditions! My dear sir, these are now the very ceremonious expressions and excuses of theatrical and directorial beings. Unfortunately that is the case here too, although our dear Weymar continuing free, not only from the real cholera, but also from the slighter, but somewhat disagreeable, periodical political cholerina, may peacefully dream by its elm, yet...yet...I am sorry to say I am obliged not to answer your kind letter affirmatively. Should circ.u.mstances and conditions, however, turn out as I wish, then the Weymar band would consider it an honor and a pleasure to possess you, my dear sir, as soon as possible as one of its members.

Meanwhile accept the a.s.surance of high regard of yours very sincerely,

F. Liszt

Weymar, September 18th, 1848

56. To Carl Reinecke

[The present conductor of the Gewandhaus Concerts in Leipzig (born 1824), and celebrated composer, pianist, and conductor]