Letters of Franz Liszt Volume II Part 74

Chere Bienveillante,

Thank you for the very agreeable news of the resumption and continuation of the performances of "Henry VIII." No one wishes Saint-Saens, more than I do, all the success that he grandly deserves, both in the theater and in concerts.

In the matter of concerts, those of the Meiningen orchestra, under Bulow's conductors.h.i.+p, are astonis.h.i.+ng, and very instructive for the due comprehension of the works and the rendering of them. I send you a copy of some lines written to a friend; these will give you my impression,--one which you would share if you heard these concerts of the highest artistic lineage.--The parallel between the "Sigurd" of Reyer [Performed for the first time on 7th January, 1884, at the Theater de la Monnaie, Brussels.] and the "Siegfried" of Wagner is ingeniously traced by your husband, and renders good preparatory service to the success of the performances of "Sigurd." As to the "Nibelungen" tetralogy of Wagner--it s.h.i.+nes with an immortal glory. In the course of the winter season the Weimar theater will give Gevaert's "Quentin Durward." La.s.sen will take the utmost pains in directing the study and performance of it. To my regret I shall not be able to be present at the premiere here, as I am obliged to be at Budapest before the middle of January.

Please give Tardieu the cordial love of

Your much attached

F. Liszt

Weimar, December 14th, 1883

Yet another young pianist, but one of the best kind,--M. Siloti, a Russian by birth, and of good education. He was said to be the best pupil of Nicholas Rubinstein before he came to work with me.

He obtained a marked success at Leipzig lately, which he will continue next week at Antwerp. In spite of my aversion to letters of introduction, I am giving him a couple of words for the Lynens, and I recommend him to your kind attention.

333. To Casar Cui

Very Honored Friend,

It is well known in various countries in what high esteem I hold your works. As I am convinced that the "Suite" of which you speak will prove itself worthy of your preceding compositions, I feel that I am honored by the dedication, and thank you for it with grat.i.tude. Your musical style is raised far above ordinary phraseology; you do not cultivate the convenient and barren field of the commonplace...Doubtless form in Art is necessary to the expression of ideas and sentiments; it must be adequate, supple, free, now energetic, now graceful, delicate; sometimes even subtle and complex, but always to the exclusion of the ancient remains of decrepit formalism.

At Meiningen, where Bulow's admirable conducting is working wonders of rhythm and nuances with the orchestra, I lately had the honor of a conversation with the Grand Duke Constantine Constantinowitch, on the actual development of music in Russia and of the well-known capacity of its courageous promoters. His Imperial Highness justly appreciates their serious worth, their n.o.ble character and intense originality; consequently, dear Monsieur Cui, the Grand Duke accords full praise to your talents and deserts. I take pleasure in repeating this to you, at the same time renewing to you the a.s.surance of my very sincere regard.

F. Liszt

Weimar, December 30th, 1883

A young Russian pianist, M. Siloti, who has been brought to a high state of virtuosity by the lessons and example of Nicholas Rubinstein, is now gaining a real success in Germany. When he comes to Petersburg I recommend him to your kindness.

334. To Otto Lessmann

Weimar, January l0th, 1884

Dear Friend,

The remarkable concerts of the Meiningen Court orchestra led me to the attempt to write a "Bulow March." I send you herewith a Preface to this, and also an article (in French), in the form of a letter, on my impressions in Meiningen. Will you insert both these in your paper? Also kindly translate the French letter.

[It follows here after the Preface in the original. A German translation of it appeared in Lessmann's Allgemeine Musikzeitung on the 18th January, 1884, under the t.i.tle of "Letter to a friend."]

Faithfully yours,

F. Liszt

I shall stay ten days to a fortnight longer in Weimar on account of the severe illness of Achilles [Liszt's servant].

Preface to the Bulow March:

For thirty years Hans von Bulow has been expressing and actively furthering everything that is n.o.ble, right, high-minded and free- minded in the regions of creative Art. As virtuoso, teacher, conductor, commentator, propagandist--indeed even sometimes as a humorous journalist--Bulow remains the Chief of musical progress, with the initiative born in and belonging to him by the grace of G.o.d, with an impa.s.sioned perseverance, incessantly striving heroically after the Ideal, and attaining the utmost possible.

His conducting of the Meiningen Court orchestra is a fresh proof of this. To that same orchestra this "Bulow March" is dedicated in high esteem for their model symphonic performances, by

F. Liszt

Weimar, January, 1884

Meiningen, December, 1883

At seven o'clock people were at the rehearsal of the Beethoven concert. Under Bulow's conducting the Meiningen orchestra accomplishes wonders. Nowhere is there to be found such intelligence in different works; precision in the performance with the most correct and subtle rhythmic and dynamic nuances.

The fact of the opera having been abolished at Meiningen by the Duke some twenty years ago is most favorable to the concerts. In this way the orchestra has time to have a fair number of partial and full rehearsals without too much fatigue, as the opera work has been done away with. Bulow is almost as lavish of rehearsals as Berlioz would have been if he had had the means to be...The result is admirable and in certain respects matchless, not excepting the Paris Conservatoire and other celebrated concert- inst.i.tutions. The little Meiningen phalanx, thanks to its present General, is in advance of the largest battalions. It is said that Rubinstein and some others have expressed themselves disapprovingly about some of the unusual tempi and nuances of Bulow, but to my thinking their criticism is devoid of foundation...

Besides the programme of the Beethoven concert, in the morning there was an extra seance of the orchestra for the performance of the Overtures to "King Lear" (Berlioz) and to the "Meistersinger," my march "Vom Fels zum Meer," the "Ideales," and Brahms' Variations on a theme of Haydn. Always the same and complete understanding in the ensemble and the details of the scores,--the same vigor, energy, refinement, accuracy, relief, vitality and superior characteristics in the interpretation.

An extraordinary thing! the most difficult Quartet of Beethoven, one which on account of its complications never figures on any programme, the grand fugue, Op. 133, is played by the Meiningen orchestra with a perfect ensemble. On a previous occasion I also heard at Meiningen Bach's celebrated Chaconne played in unison with a real virtuosity by some ten violins.

F. Liszt

335. To Felix Mottl, Hofcapellmeister at Carlsruhe

[The addressee, born in 1856, has been since 1880 at Carlsruhe, where he was recently appointed to the post of Court opera conductor, and since 1886 one of the conductors of the Bayreuth Festivals. He is one of the most important conductors of the present day, and has also come forward as a composer.]

My Very Dear Friend,

You have done a n.o.ble artistic deed in reinstating Cornelius's charming Opera "The Barber of Bagdad." I hardly know of any other comic opera of so much refined humor and spirit. This champagne has the real sparkle and great worth.

The one-act arrangement seems to me the most propitious. As in Carlsruhe so elsewhere it will make its way. Write about this to Hans Richter. "The Barber of Bagdad" might perhaps, in one act, become a stock-opera in Vienna, and then return once more to Weimar, where, at the first performance long ago, they behaved so ill about it.

Friendly thanks, and yours ever,

F. Liszt

Budapest, February 8th, 1884

336. To Frau Hofrathin Henriette von Liszt

My Very Dear Cousin,

This time I was not able to have a thorough rest in Vienna. Such an extra [luxury] is hardly my lot anywhere. My life is one continued fatigue. Some one once asked the celebrated Catholic champion Arnauld (the Jansenist) why he did not allow himself some rest. "We have eternity for that," answered he.

I hear for the first time through you of a cousin or niece, Mary Liszt, a concert giver. Concert givers have frequently misused our name by playing under it in provincial towns. A pianist in Constantinople, Herr Listmann, apologised to me for having knocked off the second syllable of his name. On this account he received a valuable present from the then Sultan Abdul Medgid. .- -.