Letters of Franz Liszt Volume I Part 61

(2) That the States should take part (according to your idea) in the princ.i.p.al musical interests to be supported.

(3) The introduction and proposal of the projected music school.

[Liszt was endeavoring at that time to found a music school in Weimar.]

247. To C.F. Kahnt, Music Publisher in Leipzig

[Kahnt was the publisher of the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik for more than thirty years (ever since 1855); also the publisher of several of Liszt's compositions, co-founder and for many years cas.h.i.+er of the Allgemeine deutsche Musikvereins, and, after 1873, Councillor of Commission in Weimar.]

Dear Sir,

I send you herewith the proof-sheets of the seventh book of my songs, and of the "Vereins-Lied" for the chorus of men's voices.

I quite concur in the new t.i.tle-page, which can also be employed for each single song. It is better than the former one, only I shall be glad if there are no other advertis.e.m.e.nts on the back side, and it is left bare.

On the 17th of this month the Neu-Weymar-Verein intends to give a little Beethoven-Festival, and the "Vereins-Lied" is included in the programme. I beg, therefore, that you will send me some proof-copies by the 12th December--if it is not possible to get the edition ready so soon.--.

The three Chansons and arrangement of the three Quartets for men's voices (published in Basle) are all completed in my head; you shall have them as a new ma.n.u.script at the end of the week.

There is no hurry about the publis.h.i.+ng of the Chansons and Quartets (probably I shall ent.i.tle them "Aus dem Zelt," or "Aus dem Lager," three songs, etc.). ["From the Tent," or "From the Camp." They were eventually ent.i.tled "Geharnischte Lieder"

("Songs in Armour").] But as you are kind enough to place some reliance on my songs, I should like to commit to you next a little wish of mine--namely, that my Schiller Song (which appeared in the Ill.u.s.trated in November last) may soon be published, and also a somewhat repaying (rather sweet!) Quartet for men's voices, with a tenor solo--"Huttelein, still and klein." It has been already sung with success by the Vienna Manner-Gesangverein, and by some Liedertafeln. I add the two ma.n.u.scripts to the parcel of proofs--perhaps you will take an opportunity of trying both the little things in a small circle.

If Herr Professor Gotze would have the kindness to undertake the solo-part in the "Huttelein" I should be very much obliged to him. Herr Wallenreiter might make a good thing of the baritone solo-part in the "Schiller Song."

In case you should be disposed to acquiesce in my wish, and to undertake the publis.h.i.+ng of the two or three men's choruses, I would propose to you to bring them out as the opening numbers of a short succession of "Compositions for Male Voices," and also, as with the Songs, to give them a t.i.tle page (with a statement of the different numbers--to which the Basle Quartets might also be added; thus six numbers up to now). Do not fear, dear sir, an over-productiveness in this genre on my part! But if by chance one or other number of these Quartets should have some spread, I should not dislike to write a couple more, either secular or sacred. Among the latter I hope that the Psalm "The Heavens declare," which will be performed next summer at a great Festival of Song, will produce a good effect.

Pray pardon my verbosity--it is not usually my way to indulge in unnecessary words; and accept, dear Sir, the a.s.surance of the well-known sentiments with which I remain,

Yours most truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, December 2nd, 1860

The first performance of "Rienzi" is announced for the second day of the Christmas holidays. I have engaged to conduct the rehearsals, but at the same time have positively refused to conduct the performances. Herr Musik-director Stor undertakes that. [After the opposition of a coterie that was inimical to Liszt, to which, as is well known, Cornelius's "Barber of Baghdad" fell a sacrifice, Liszt had finally resigned his post as conductor of the theater.]

248. To the Music Publisher C.F. Kahnt

.--. With regard to the publis.h.i.+ng of my Songs for men's voices I do not wish in the least to hurry you, dear sir--yet I should be glad if you could advertise the things soon--and possibly on the back of the t.i.tle-page of my songs (?), if that does not seem impracticable to you. The two collections (the songs and the men's songs) have a certain connection, and that is why I make this suggestion, about which you must decide. A couple of months ago Louis Kohler wrote to me in his witty, friendly manner, "You really owed us some Quartets for men's voices, which Bierbruder ["Beer-drinkers," "brothers of the gla.s.s"] metamorphosed into demi-G.o.ds!" and when the songs were published, I was already intending to let the men's songs follow shortly after. As most of these latter are tolerably short, I think that the score of the twelve will not require more than forty, or at the most fifty, plates (small size). Economy might be employed in publis.h.i.+ng the parts by having them well copied. Of course engraving is always the best, but I do not want to precipitate you into a too ruinous outlay--and if the copying is done by an experienced copyist it looks very well, and is quite easy to read.

I am writing to Schuberth by the next post to tell him (what he might know without that) how unwillingly and how seldom I meddle with dedications--especially dedications to people and societies that I don't at all know, as he would like me to do! In the somewhat numerous works of mine that have appeared of late years you will find very few dedications. The twelve Symphonic Poems have none. The Gran Ma.s.s is also without one--and in the Songs I have left out the earlier dedications. Therefore, before I try in America a method which I have almost given up in Europe, some time may yet elapse. Schuberth means thoroughly well by me, for which I am obliged to him--but he means well in his own way, which cannot always be mine.

May I beg another little favor of you? At the Court concert on the 1st January I should like to let the Reiter-Marsch of F.

Schubert (not Julius!), which I instrumented, be performed, and I have no longer either the score or the parts. You would lay me under an obligation if you could quickly send them to me. I have never heard the piece; and as it has already been given with success in Vienna and Leipzig I may almost venture to expect that the company here may be bold enough to go half-way in the same direction!--

Possibly I shall also attempt the Mephisto Waltz the same evening, as well as a couple of my orchestrated songs. (I may mention, by the way, that I have orchestrated six songs of Schubert's--"the Erlkonig, Gretchen, the junge Nonne, the Doppelganger, Mignon, and Abschied"--and three of my own-- "Loreley, Mignon, and the three Zigeuner." Later on, if a weak moment should come over you, I should be glad to impose these three latter upon you in score--but you shall hear them first.)

A thousand apologies for all this random talk about compositions, and best greetings from yours in all friendliness,

F. Liszt

Weymar, December 19th, 1860

249. To Dr. Franz Brendel

Dear Friend,

Your article "For the New Year" is most capital and worthy of you. In three places I would merely venture to propose some slight alterations for your consideration. You will find them marked + and with the letters A, B, C.

At + A it would suit things better to say as follows: "Concert- rooms and theaters, the scene of the most palpable speculation, personal pa.s.sion, and severing struggles." Or, if you think the word "most palpable" too strong, let us put another, such as "the commonest" or "the most mercantile speculation," etc.

+ B, instead of opinion, "the most affected a.s.sumption" Here there is more question of a.s.sumption than of opinion. If angenommen [affected] sounds too much like Anma.s.sung [a.s.sumption], let us put "the widespread a.s.sumption."

+ C, instead of "outward forces," I would rather have another word, such as "powers," "factors," "levers," or any one that is better. I do not know why the "Machle" [forces] do not seem to me quite right here.

Finally, + D, I think it would be advisable ruthlessly to strike out the following short sentence: "Indeed it would not be saying too much if it were to be a.s.serted that in many circles it takes the place of religion,"--apart from the consideration of whether it is accurate or not, because for the most part the men of the State are sure to take offence at it. "How," they will say, "you wish us to support a movement that aims at nothing less than the doing away with religion?"--and, behold, there is a new bugbear ready, and the most healthy and just endeavors are checked for many a year!--

I am in perfect agreement with all the rest, with the exception of the parenthesis marked *--"without thereby, as has often been the case hitherto, falling into the unpractical mistake of conceding to the public things which they do not want, and diminis.h.i.+ng the revenues." For, by the way, let me also say parenthetically that, if I had not done this with most resolute intention for many years, Wagner could not truly have said in his letter to Villot (page 40 of the French edition of his translation of the four Operas): "Tout a coup mes relations avec le public prirent un autre tour, sur lequel je n'avais pas compte le moins du monde: mes operas se repandaient." ["All at once my relations with the public took a fresh turn, on which I had not calculated the least bit in the world: my operas were becoming known."

Both on this account and for other reasons I think this parenthesis dangerous, and can in no wise subscribe to it!

With friendliest greetings, your sincere

F. Liszt

December 19th, 1860

I have written a long letter to Kahnt today. In case he cannot read my writing, will you be so good as to help him with it?

250. To Felix Draseke

You have again encouraged and rejoiced me, my excellent friend, by your affectionate comprehension of my meaning and endeavors in the "Dante" Symphony.

Once more my heartfelt thanks for it. Later on, when "Hamlet" and the "Hunnenschlacht" are published, please do not refuse me the special satisfaction of publis.h.i.+ng the whole of your articles on the Symphonic Poems in the form of a pamphlet. We will speak further of this by word of mouth, and possibly a few musical examples could be added to the earlier ones.

How far have you got with the "Loreley"?--Only take hold of the witch with tender force.--Geibel has lately brought out his opera-text to the "Loreley," and several composers are already setting to work on it (or under it). In the present state of things there is not much to be expected from effusions and feeble attempts of that kind. On the other hand I am expecting something great, beautiful, and magical from the Symphonic form into which you will shape this story--a story which just as easily becomes dry and tedious as, on the other hand, it can be melting. Take care that we bring your work to a hearing at the next Tonkunstler-Versammlung (in July-August) here.

O. Singer's "Entschwandenes Ideal" ["Vanished Ideal"] is full of music; n.o.ble in conception and powerfully worked out. I shall write to him shortly about it, and send him my seventh book of songs, as you told me that he rather liked the earlier ones.--

An excellent little work by our friend Weitzmann lies before us again: "The New Science of Harmony at Variance with the Old." The "Alb.u.m Leaves for the Emanc.i.p.ation of Fifths" as a supplement are stirring; and the "Anthology of Cla.s.sical Following Fifths," with quotations from Hiller and Hauptmann,. is especially instructive.

In Harmony, as in other things, it is no longer a question of reforming what has been laid aside, but rather of the fulfilling of the law.------

On any day, my dear friend, you will be heartily welcome to