Letters of Franz Liszt Volume I Part 6

But I will not tire you any longer with myself and my sentiments.

I forgot to tell you that for nearly a week I have been confined to my bed with a very severe fever, which might easily have become more serious still. My second concert was obliged to be put off on account of it. Today my doctor has given me permission to play on Wednesday. I don't really know whether I shall be able to do it, for my hand trembles fearfully. Excuse this horrible writing, but I did want to send you a few words. It is a sort of antic.i.p.ation of Pest, which is sweet to me.

A revoir then very soon, dear Count; meanwhile believe me, as ever, yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

November 24th, 1839, in bed

23. To Clara Wieck

[The great pianist, afterwards Schumann's wife.]

Pest, December 25th, 1839

How grateful I am, Mademoiselle, for the kind remembrance you keep of me! And how much I am already rejoicing at the thought of seeing you and hearing you again soon in Leipzig! I was so vexed not to be in Paris last winter when I knew you were going to spend some time there. Perhaps I should have been able to be of some little use to you there. You know that, at all times and in every country, I shall always be at your service. I should become too lengthy if I allowed myself to reply in detail to your kind questions about my new compositions. I worked immensely hard in Italy. Without exaggeration I think I have written four to five hundred pages of pianoforte music. If you have patience to hear half a quarter of them I shall be delighted to play them to you, so so.

The "Studies after Paganini," which are dedicated to you, will only appear in two months' time; but I will bring you the proofs, which have long been corrected, to Leipzig.

Once more many thanks, and many tender and respectful wishes for everything that can contribute to your happiness. And above all a bientot.

Yours in admiration and sympathy,

F. Liszt

24. To Robert Schumann in Leipzig

[Autograph in the Royal Library in Berlin.]

Dresden, March 27th, 1840

My dear Schumann,

It is all splendid. Only I should prefer to play the "Hexameron"

last, so as to finish with orchestra. Please, therefore, have the "Etudes" and the "Carnaval" put after the Mendelssohn Concerto!

[Refers to Liszt's third concert in Leipzig, on March 30th, 1840, for the benefit of the Orchestral Pension Fund.]

Best remembrances to Mendelssohn and Hiller; and believe me yours ever,

F. Liszt

I shall certainly return Monday morning, for on Sunday I am giving a concert for the poor here. But if it should de possible for me to come on Sunday...but I doubt it. [Together with this letter a friend, Carl K[ragen?], writes to Schumann: "He [Liszt]

has played me the glorious Mendelssohn Concerto. It was divine!

Tomorrow Tieck is to read Faust for Liszt at my mother's house, and Liszt is to play at our house with Lipinski!, Do come for it!

Ah, if you could only induce Mendelssohn and his wife to come too!"]

25. To Franz von Schober in Vienna

[The autographs of all the letters in this collection to Schober are in the possession of Fran Babette Wolf at Dresden.-Addressed to the poet and writer, an intimate and worthy friend of Franz Schubert. He became Councillor of Legation to Weimar, and died at Dresden in 1882.]

Metz, April 3rd, 1840

I did not get any news from you at Leipzig, dear Schober, as I expected. I am afraid I was very indiscreet in asking you to be so good as to undertake this work, which I should have valued so much, coming from you. [In answer to the distorted reports in various newspapers of Liszt's visit to Hungary (January, 1840), Schober, who had been an eyewitness, thought it right to clear up the misrepresentations, which he did in the form of "Letters about Liszt's Sojourn in Hungary"; these he published, but much later (Berlin, Schlesinger, 1843)] But I will not speak of it any more. If by any chance you have already done it I should be grateful to you to send it me--otherwise we will not speak of it any more.

Do you know that I have been pursued by one constant regret during my journey, the regret not to have induced you to accompany me? Your society has always been beneficial and strengthening to me: I do not know why, but I imagine that we should live smoothly together. Your qualities, your faults (if you have any), your character and temper, all please me and attach me to you. You know that I flatter myself I can understand and appreciate you...Should you see any great difficulty in joining me somewhere next autumn-at Venice, for example--and in making a European tour with me? Answer me frankly on this matter.

And once more, the question of money need not be considered. As long as we are together (and I should like you to have at least three free years before you) my purse will be yours, on the sole condition that you consent to undertake the management of our expenses,--and that you are thoroughly convinced beforehand of the grat.i.tude I shall feel towards you.

Excuse me, my dear good friend, for entering so plainly into matters, but we have talked together too openly, it seems to me, for it to be possible that your delicate feeling on certain points should be wounded by this.

I have sent back Kiss, of Dresden. He is a good fellow, but a little awkward, and wanting in a certain point of honor, without which a man is not a man as I understand the word. So I am alone now, and am not going to have any one tacked on to me. A former pupil of mine, Monsieur Hermann, has undertaken to arrange my concerts, which is a great relief to me. A propos of concerts, I gave six (in nine days!) at Prague, three at Dresden, and the same number at Leipzig (in twelve days)--so I am perfectly tired out, and feel great need of rest. That was good, wasn't it?

Adieu, my dear good friend-let me hear from you soon (address 19, Rue Pigalle, Paris), and depend entirely upon me--nunc et semper.

Yours ever sincerely,

F. Liszt

Will you be so good as to go to Diabelli's [Music publisher in Vienna] when you pa.s.s by, and advise him again not to publish the third part of the Hungarian Melodies (which I sent him by Hartel) without first sending me a proof to Paris to correct. Adieu.

Best remembrances to Kriehuber [A well-known Vienna painter and lithographer, from whom a number of Liszt portraits have come.]

and Lowy. Why does not the latter write to me?

26. To Maurice Schlesinger, Editor of the Gazette Musicale in Paris

[Given by L. Ramann, "Franz Liszt," vol. ii., i.]

Sir,

Allow me to protest against an inexact a.s.sertion in your last number but one:--

"Messieurs Liszt and Cramer have asked for the Legion of Honor,"

etc.

I do not know if M. Cramer (who has just been nominated) has obtained the cross.

In any case I think that you, like every one else, will approve of a nomination so perfectly legitimate.

As to myself, if it be true that my name has figured in the list of candidates, this can only have occurred entirely without my knowledge. It has always seemed to me that distinctions of this sort could only be accepted, but never "asked for."

I am, sir, etc.,

F. Liszt