Letters of Franz Liszt Volume I Part 19

79. To Louis Kohler in Konigsberg

[An important piano teacher and writer on music, and composer of valuable instructive works (1820-86).]

Dear Sir,

The friendly kindness with which you have spoken of a couple of my latest compositions lays me under an obligation of warm thanks, which I must no longer delay having the pleasure of expressing to you. I should be very glad if you find anything that suits you in my next impending piano publication (the new, entirely revised edition of my Studies, the "Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses," and the two years of "Annees de Pelerinage, Suite de Compositions," etc.). In any case I shall venture to send this work, with the request that you will accept it as a token of my grat.i.tude for the favorable opinion which you entertain of my artistic efforts.

At this moment I have to compliment you also very much on your arrangement of the Hungarian "Volkslieder" [Folk Songs]. For several years past I have been occupied with a similar work, and next winter I think of publis.h.i.+ng the result of my national studies in a pretty big volume of "Hungarian Rhapsodies." Your transcriptions have interested me much through the correct perception of the melodies, and their elegant though simple style.

Senff [The well-known Leipzig music publisher.] showed me also in ma.n.u.script a book of Russian melodies, that seemed to me most successful. When will it come out?

If by any chance you have a spare copy of your new work, the exact t.i.tle of which I do not remember, but it is somewhat as follows, "Opern am Clavier" [Operas at the Piano] or "Opern fur Clavierspieler" [Operas for Pianoforte Players] (or, in French, "Repertoire d'Opera pour les Pianistes"), I should be much obliged if you would let me have one.

Accept, dear sir, my best respects, and believe me

Yours truly,

F. Liszt

Weymar, April 16th, 1852

80. To Carl Reinecke

My dear Mr. Reinecke,

A very good friend of mine, Professor Weyden of Cologne, who has just been spending a few days with me here, kindly promises to give you these few lines and to tell you what pleasure your present of the "Variations on a Theme of Bach" has given me. It is a very eminent work, and perfectly successful in its actual form. While complimenting you sincerely upon it, I must also add my thanks that you have joined my name to it.

I should have liked to be able to send you some of my new works for piano, of which I spoke to you before; but, as I have been altering them and touching them up, the publication of them has been delayed; nevertheless, I expect that in the course of this summer the twelve "Grandes Etudes" (definitive edition) and the "Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses" will successively appear, and in December or January next the "Annees de Pelerinage, Suite de Compositions pour le Piano," and the complete collection of my "Hungarian Rhapsodies." Meanwhile, let me offer you the "Concert Solo" and the two Polonaises which were written at Eilsen shortly after your visit to me there.

Joachim starts tomorrow for London, and I have commissioned him to persuade you to come and see me at Weymar on his return. I have been much attached to him this winter, and I hold his talent as well as himself in high esteem and true sympathy.--

Try not to delay too long the pleasure I should have in hearing your trio; I shall be delighted to make the acquaintance of Madame Reinecke, and would not wish to be among the last to congratulate you on your happiness.

In cordial friends.h.i.+p, yours ever,

F. Liszt

Weymar, April 16th, 1852

81. To Carl Czerny

[Autograph in the archives of the Musik-Verein in Vienna.]

My dearest and most honored Master and Friend,

A melancholy event which has thrown our Court into deep mourning- -the sudden death of the d.u.c.h.ess Bernard of Saxe-Weimar--has not allowed of my presenting your letter to Her Imperial Highness the Grand d.u.c.h.ess until a day or two ago. She has been pleased to receive your letter and your intentions with marked kindness, the expression of which you will find in the accompanying letter which she charged Baron de Vitzthum to write you in her name.

May I beg you then to advise Mr. Schott to send me immediately on the publication of your "Gradus ad Parna.s.sum" a dedication copy, which I will get suitably bound in velvet here, and which I will immediately remit to H.I.H.--As regards the form of dedication, I advise you to choose the most simple:--

Gradus ad Parna.s.sum, etc.,

Compose et tres respectueus.e.m.e.nt dedie a Son Altesse Imperiale et Royale Madame la Grande d.u.c.h.esse de Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Marie Paulowna, par Ch. Czerny.

[Composed and most respectfully dedicated to Her Royal and Imperial Highness Marie Paulowna, Grand d.u.c.h.ess of Saxe-Weimar- Eisenach by Ch. Czerny.]

Or if the t.i.tle be in German:--

Componirt und I. kais. kon. Hoheit der Frau Grossherzogin zu Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach Marie Paulowna, in tiefster Ehrfurcht gewidmet, von C. Cz.

What you tell me of the prodigious activity of your Muse obliges me to make a somewhat shameful acknowledgment of my relative slowness and idleness. The pupil is far from the master in this as in other points. Nevertheless I think I have made a better use of the last three years than of the preceding ones; for one thing I have gone through a rather severe work of revision, and have remodeled entirely several of my old works (amongst others the Studies which are dedicated to you, and of which I will send you a copy of the definitive edition in a few weeks, and the "Alb.u.m d'un Voyageur," which will reappear very considerably corrected, increased, and transformed under the t.i.tle of "Annees de Pelerinage, Suite de Compositions pour le Piano-Suisse et Italie"): for another thing I have been continuing writing in proportion as ideas came to me, and I fancy I have arrived at last at that point where the style is adequate to the thought.

Unfortunately my outside occupations absorb much of my time. The orchestra and opera of Weymar were greatly in need of reform and of stirring up. The remarkable and extraordinary works to which our theater owes its new renown--"Tannhauser," "Lohengrin,"

"Benvenuto Cellini"--required numerous rehearsals, which I could not give into the hands of anybody else. The day before yesterday a very pretty work, in an elegant and simple melodic style, was given for the first time--"Der l.u.s.tige Rath," [The Merry Councillor (or counsel)] by Mr. de Vesque, which met with complete success. Carl Haslinger, who had arrived for the first performance of "Cellini," was also present at this, and can tell you about it. In the interval between these two works, on Sunday last, he had his Cantata-Symphony "Napoleon" performed, and conducted it himself (as a rather severe indisposition has obliged me to keep my room for several days).

In the course of the month of June my mother, who proposes to pay a visit to her sister at Gratz, will have the privilege of going to see you, dear master, and of renewing to you, in my name and her own, our expressions of sincere grat.i.tude to you for the numerous kindnesses you have shown me. Believe me that the remembrance of them is as lively as it is constant in my heart.

I owe you still further thanks for the trouble you have taken to make Mr. de Hardegg study Schubert's Fantasia, scored by me, and I beg you to give him my best compliments. It is perhaps to be regretted that this work, which contains many fine details, should have been played for the first time in the Salle de Redoute, so "redoutable" and ungrateful a room for the piano in general; in a less vast s.p.a.ce, such as the salle of the Musik- Verein, the virtuoso and the work would a.s.suredly have been heard more to advantage, and if I did not fear to appear indiscreet I should ask Mr. de Hardegg to play it a second time, in a concert room of moderate size.

I have inquired several times as to the talent and the career of Mr. de Hardegg, in whom I naturally feel an interest from the fact of the interest you take in him. If by chance he should be thinking of making a journey to this part of Germany, beg him from me not to forget me at Weymar. I shall be delighted to make his acquaintance, and he may be a.s.sured of a very affectionate reception from me.

Accept, my dear and honored friend, every a.s.surance of my high esteem, and believe that I shall ever remain

Your very faithful and grateful

F. Liszt

Weymar, April 19th, 1852

82. To Gustav Schmidt, Capellmeister at Frankfort-on-the-Maine

[Autograph (without address) in the possession of M. Alfred Bovet at Valentigney.--The addressee was, in any case, the above- mentioned (1816-82), finally Court-Capellmeister (conductor) at Darmstadt, the composer of the operas "Prinz Eugen," "Die Weiber von Weinsberg," and others.]

Dear Friend,

.--. The idea of a Congress of Capellmeisters is indeed a very judicious one, and from a satisfactory realization of it only good and better things could result for the present divided state of music. There is no question that in the insulation and paralyzing of those who are authorities in Art lies a very powerful hindrance, which, if it continues, must essentially injure and endanger Art. Upon certain principles an union is necessary, so that the results of it may be actively applied, and it especially behooves Capellmeisters worthily to maintain the interests of music and musicians. A meeting such as you propose would be a timely one; only you will approve of my reasons when I renounce the honor of proposing this meeting for Weimar, and indicate Spohr to you as the proper head. The master Spohr is our senior; he has always furthered the cause of music as far as circ.u.mstances at Ca.s.sel permitted--the "Fliegender Hollander" was given at Ca.s.sel under his direction earlier than "Tannhauser" was given at Weymar. Talk it over with him, which from the near vicinity of Frankfort you can easily do, and if, as I do not doubt, he enters into your project, fix the date and let me know.

I shall gladly take part in the matter, and will make it my business to do my share towards bringing about the desired results.

"Tannhauser" is announced for the 31st of this month (on occasion of the presence of Her Majesty the Empress of Russia). Beck takes the t.i.tle-role at this performance. We shall give Schumann's "Manfred" a few days later. For next season the "Fliegender Hollander" and Spohr's "Faust," with the new Recitatives which he wrote for London, are fixed.

Farewell, and happiness attend you, dear friend; remember me kindly to your wife, and believe me ever