Correspondence of Wagner and Liszt Volume II Part 20

Your Symphonic Poems are now quite familiar to me; they are the only music which occupies me at present, for during my cure I must not think of doing any work. I read one or other of the scores every day, just as I might read a poem, fluently and without stopping. I feel every time as if I had dived into a deep crystal flood, to be there quite by myself, leaving all the world behind me, and living for an hour my real life. Refreshed and strengthened, I rise again to long for your presence. Yes, friend, you can do it, YOU CAN DO IT!

Well, not much can be said about it; the n.o.blest expressions might easily seem a little trivial in such a connection. Enough, you will soon be here, and bring me my Dante. This is a beautiful, glorious lookout; I thank you.

I sent you yesterday a parcel containing the original scores of "Rhinegold" and the "Valkyrie." Their fate will probably be a peculiar one. Let me explain briefly:--

I shall perish, and shall be quite incapable of further work, unless I find a habitation such as I require, viz., a small house to myself and a garden, both removed from all noise, and especially from the d.a.m.nable pianoforte noise, which I am doomed not to escape wherever I turn, not even here, and which has made me so nervous that even the very thought of it prevents me from thinking of work. Four years I tried in vain to realise this wish, which I can accomplish only by buying a piece of ground and building a house on it. Over this possibility I brooded like a madman, when it occurred to me not long ago to offer my "Nibelungen" to the Hartels, and to get the necessary money from them. They have expressed to me their willingness of doing something out of the way in order to gain possession of my work, and I have in consequence made the following demand: They are to purchase the two pieces which have already been finished, and are to expect "Siegfried" in the course of next year, and "Siegfried's Death" at the end of 1858, paying in each instance the honorarium on the delivery of the ma.n.u.script. They also bind themselves to publish the whole in 1859, the year of the performance. I have been led to this by sheer despair; the Hartels are to supply me with means for the purchase of a piece of ground according to my fancy. If we agree, which must be decided soon, I shall have to send them, in the first instance, my two scores, so as to place them in possession of the material for their future publication. But they will only keep them long enough to take a copy, and then return the originals to you. In any case, if I want the money, I must enable them to take actual possession. They must of course lend me the scores, in case they have not yet been copied, during your visit to me; that is understood. As you do not yet know the last act of the "Valkyrie," I send you the score before taking further steps, so that you, and no one else, may be the first to whom I communicate it. If you have time, read the act quickly, and then keep the whole in readiness for sending it to the Hartels as soon as I ask you. About this whole matter, however, we must come to a better understanding when we meet.

During my cure here I have become terribly indifferent towards my work. Lord knows, if I am not much encouraged to finish it, I shall leave it alone. Why should a poor devil like me worry and plague himself with these terrible burdens if my contemporaries will not even grant me a place for doing my work? I have told the Hartels as much; if they will not help me to a house, detached and situated on an eminence, such as I want it, I shall leave the whole rubbish alone.

Well, if you only will come, I shall not trouble Saxony and the rest of Germany for some time. Bring the Princess with you, do you hear? And the Child, too, must come. If you put me in a good temper I shall perhaps lay my "Victors" before you, although this will be very difficult. For although I have carried the idea about with me for a long time, the material for its embodiment has only just been shown to me as in a flash of lightning. To me it is most clear and definite, but not as yet fit for communication. Moreover, you must first have digested my "Tristan," especially the third act, with the black flag and the white. After that you will understand the "Victors" better.

But I am saying vague things.

Come and bring me the divine comedy, and we shall see then how we can come to an understanding about the divine tragedy.

Thine for ever and aye,

R. W.

I pray you most ardently to let me know AT ONCE by a line the receipt, or possibly the non-receipt, of my scores.

I always feel nervous when I know they are on the road. They left Geneva yesterday.

My address is:-

a Mornex, Poste restante, No. III, a Geneve.

220.

I say, Franz, a divine idea strikes me.

YOU MUST GET ME AN ERARD GRAND!

Write to the widow and tell her that you visit me THREE TIMES every year, and that you must absolutely have a better grand piano than the old and lame one in my possession. Tell her a hundred thousand fibs, and make her believe that it is for her a point of honour that an Erard should stand in my house.

In brief, do not think, but act with the impudence of genius. I MUST HAVE AN ERARD. If they will not give me one let them lend me one on a yard-long lease.

Adieu.

221.

I am leaving Mornex.

I shall be better than ever on September 20th.

Write to Madame Erard that she must send me a grand piano at once. I will pay her in instalments of five hundred francs a year without a doubt.

It must be here when you come.

Happiness and joy to you.

222.

I thank you, dearest, most unique of men, for having sent me your scores of "Rhinegold" and the "Valkyrie." The work has for me the fabulous attractive power of the magnet mountain, which fetters irresistibly the s.h.i.+p and the sailor. H. has been with me for a few days, and I was unable to withhold from him the joy of viewing Valhall. So he tinkles and hammers the orchestra on the piano, while I howl, and groan, and roar the vocal parts; this by way of prelude to OUR great performance at your Zurich palace, to which I am looking forward with longing.

In a week's time I start for Hungary, and my Ma.s.s will be performed on August 31st, on the occasion of the Gran ceremony, for which it has been written. For several minor reasons I must, after that, stay at Pesth and Vienna for a few weeks, and shall therefore not be at Zurich till about September 20th. Probably the Princess will come, too, together with her daughter.

Franz Muller will pay you a visit at Mornex about the middle of this month, and will show you his work on the "Nibelungen."

The two scores I shall leave here in the keeping of the Princess until you write to HER that they are to be sent to the Hartels.

Your idea of becoming a houseowner at Zurich is quite peculiar, and I congratulate you cordially on the building delights which await you.

Dawison told me recently that his starring engagement had enabled him to buy a villa near Dresden. At the same rate, you ought to be able to purchase with your scores at least the whole of Zurich, together with the Sieben Churfursten and the lake.

Whether Madame Erard will be inclined to dispose of a grand piano on the advantageous terms you mention is a questionable question, which I shall put to her when I have the chance. Try, first of all, to get quite well; the other ARRANGEMENTS will come in due course.

May G.o.d protect you.

F. L.

August 1st, 1856.

We are just going together with H. (who wishes to be remembered to you), to have another try at the last act of the "Valkyrie."

223.

DEAREST FRIEND,

In order to give you a little more diversion I herewith introduce to you Herr Zeugherr, an architect, and an acquaintance of Ernst's; he is in search of a little villa for me to compose in, but has as yet found nothing. Perhaps you will inspire him.

Farewell, and receive best greetings from your

R. WAGNER.

ZURICH.

224.