Letters of Franz Liszt Volume II Part 34

The Vienna concert in the "Palais Auersperg" is announced for Easter Monday, April 6th. The following Sunday, or at latest on Sunday the 19th April, the concert of the "Kirchenmusik-Verein"

is to be given in Pressburg, at which I take a part in piano- playing--it is to be hoped for the last time this year!--

I think of remaining here from April 2lst to the beginning of May, and then of wandering straightway to Rome, and to the Villa d'Este.

I wish you in all friendliness a happy Easter, with satisfactory business at the Easter's fair, and remain your sincerely attached

F. Liszt

Pest, March 29th, 1874

Have you sent Countess Oriolla the omitted copy of the "Wartburg Songs"?

143. To Dr. Franz Witt

[1874?]

I look forward with eager interest to the realisation of your scheme to found a Catholic School of Music. The numerous and important services you have rendered as composer, conductor, teacher, promoter and president of the Cacilien-Verein proclaim and mark you as pre-eminently fitted to organize and direct this highly important kind of School. I should wish that Hungary, my fatherland, might set a good example, and might offer you, my very dear friend, an honorable and influential post in the Musik- Akademie that was voted for last year in the Chamber. This wish of mine was seconded with cordiality by His Eminence the Cardinal Primate, His Excellency the Archbishop of Kalocsa, Haynald, and H. E. Trefort, the Minister of Public Instruction. Various political circ.u.mstances interfered with the plan of starting a Musik-Akademie in Pest; but the idea has by no means been given up, and I have still the hope that you may yet at some future day be called upon to give your powerful a.s.sistance in connection with the teaching and practice of Church music in Hungary.

144. To Professsor Carl Riedel

Dear Friend,

As at all preceding Tonkunstler-Versammlungen, you have again this year in Brunswick done the best that was possible. [The Meeting took place in Halle, instead of in Brunswick.] Five concerts sound almost alarming, but the programmes are drawn up and arranged with so much forethought and care that your master- hand and that indescribable "with avec" (as dear Frau Dr. Pohl called it) are at once to be recognised. It certainly was advisable to check the "democratic movements" of the orchestra without interfering with the well-meant "command." That the Sondershausen set continue to prove themselves reliable and friendly I am delighted to hear. I wish all possible success to Erdmannsdorfer's "Schneewittchen." The youthful and captivating Frau Kapellmeisterin Erdmannsdorfer is especially capable of doing justice to Raff's Trio (or Concerto) and other pianoforte pieces. [Pauline Fichtner, who married Erdmannsdorfer, was a pupil of Liszt's, and became court-pianist at Weimar and Hesse.]

Will Bulow be able to be present? We have not written to each other for some time past. Do you know where to address him just now?

In case my Faust Symphony is given at the 5th concert (as your programme announces), I beg you to ask Bulow to be conductor.

This work has become his property since he conducted it so magnificently at the Weimar Tonkunstler-Versammlung ('61), when the whole orchestra was amazed and astounded at his fabulous memory. You will remember that not only did he not use a score, but at the rehearsal referred to the numberless letters and double letters with unerring accuracy.

With regard to two other matters I wish: A, that Steinway may have the kindness to lend one of his excellent harmoniums for the Hunnenschlacht, and that the instrument may be so placed as to be invisible to the public and yet distinctly heard. B, that the performance of the Sanctus from the Ma.s.s for men's voices be taken from the editio nova (published a few years ago by Hartel), and not from the earlier edition. Here, too, Steinway's harmonium would render excellent service, visible and placed close to the chorus. Perhaps our friend Stade would have the kindness to play the harmonium part of the Hunnenschlacht and of the Sanctus.--

I truly regret that I shall not be able to hear that sublime, grand and overpowering Requiem by Berlioz, nor to attend the Musical Festival in Brunswick. I am physically and mentally very exhausted, and need several months' rest; besides my remaining away from Weimar forbids me from meanwhile visiting any other German towns.--Before the middle of May I shall go direct to Rome, and remain there till the end of the year in my former residence at the Villa d'Este (3-1/2 hours from Rome).

With friendly greetings to your wife, I remain, Yours ever in esteem and sincere attachment,

F. Liszt.

Pest, April 17th, 1874

Accept my best thanks for cancelling my promise to Metzdorff (in regard to the performance of his Symphony).

I agree perfectly, of course, with your desideria fog the Musik- Verein, and hope next year to be able to contribute something towards their realisation.

"In patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras."

To Kahnt I wrote at once on my return from Pressburg on Monday.

145. To Dom-Capellmeister [Cathedral Conductor] Dr. Franz Haberl in Ratisbon

[This letter, like the subsequent one to Haberl, is a copy of the draft of a letter of Liszt's by Dr. Mirus in Weimar.--Haberl is a distinguished musical scholar (born in 1840).]

[1874?]

Pardon me if I again come with claims upon your kindness. You may know that I am working at an Oratorio on St. Stanislaus, and perhaps might be able to give me some a.s.sistance with it by communicating to me the liturgic hymns referring to the feast of St. Stanislaus. The Enchyrydion and Directorium Chori designate the Ma.s.s, Protexisti, etc., on May 7th. To receive fuller information from you on this point would greatly oblige me.

[Haberl also gave Liszt aural communications regarding the Stanislaus legend. "On one occasion," says Haberl, "Liszt was specially and greatly delighted to hear of the man whom Stanislaus summoned out of the grave as a witness that the field had been paid for, and gave me a sketch of his proposed motives and tone pictures."]

Pray accept, reverend Sir and friend, the expression of my marked esteem, and believe me yours gratefully and sincerely,

F. Liszt

146. To Professsor Carl Riedel

Dear Friend,

Herzogenberg's [Formerly Director of the Leipzig Bach-Verein, then Kiel's successor at the Berlin Hochschule, which post he lately resigned.] "Deutsches Liederspiel pleases me very much.

The very first chorus with its mixed species of tempi 6/4-3/2 and 6/4-3/2 is fresh and pithy, and the whole work seems to me.

excellent, pleasant and effective. Hence I should much like to recommend its being performed.

Where does Herzogenberg live? Has he any appointment anywhere?

Let me know, when you can, something of his former and present work.

(N.B.--It would be worth while, later, carefully to arrange the "Deutsches Liederspiel" for orchestra.)

I observe with special pleasure that Grutzmacher has chosen a Suite of St. Saens'. St. Saens will not, however, be able to come,--the less so as a few years ago his appearance in quite a harmless concert in Baden-Baden brought down upon him hideous rebukes and reproaches from the Parisian Press. And the tone in France is not yet more temperate; still it is right that German artists should prove themselves fair and just towards foreigners, and, as long as Auber's and Gounod's Operas are given in all German theaters, I see no good reason against considering and performing other works by French composers. Among modern composers I regard St. Saens as the ablest and most gifted.

I am much satisfied with the choice you have made of my things, dear friend, and thank you cordially for it--at the same time I must express my sincere regret that I am unable to attend the Tonkunstler-Versammlung, and remain, with much esteem, yours most sincerely,

F. Liszt

Pest, May 5th, 1874

147. To Princess Julie Waldburg at Castle Wurzach

Madame La Princesse,

I feel that I am quite inexcusable. You have been so kind as to send me some charming Lieder, and to accompany them with the most gracious lines in the world. How could I fail to thank you for them immediately? What rusticity!--Deign to think of this no longer, Princess; and permit me not to "judge" your songs,-- magisterial competency would fail me utterly,--but to tell you that I have read them with much pleasure. The one of which the style and impa.s.sioned accent please me particularly is dedicated to Mme. Ehnn--"Liebeshoffnung"; but I do not mean to depreciate the others.

The oriental interval of the augmented fourth, which I scent in the "Mondlied," would be written, I think, more simply thus:--