mention of the impending Mozart Festival, becomes to me, by your
kind letter of the 19th of December (which I only received
yesterday, owing to the delay from its having gone to Berlin), a
duty, which it is equally my honor and pleasure to fulfill. With
the utmost confidence and conviction that the resolution of the
Town Council will meet with the fullest assent and most
gratifying recognition among all circles of society--the
resolution is as follows: "That all undertakings in connection
with the Mozart Secular Festival shall be conducted and carried
out in the name of the city of Vienna,"--and in agreement with
the honorable motives of the Town Council "to lend to the
festivities the worthy and higher expression of universal
homage," I, for my part, undertake with the most grateful
acknowledgments the commission to conduct the Festival Concert on
the 27th January, 1856, and its repetition on the 28th according
to your desire; and I hope to fulfill quite satisfactorily every
just claim which is made on the musical director of such a
celebration.
Although the excellent orchestra, chorus, and staff of singers in
Vienna--long intimate with Mozart's works--afford the complete
certainty of a most admirable performance, yet I think it is
desirable that I should come a couple of weeks before the concert
is to take place, in order to have time for the necessary
rehearsals; and immediately on my arrival. I shall have the honor
of paying my respects to you, dear Mr. Mayor, and of placing
myself at the service of the Festival Committee.
In the programme which has been sent to me, the music of which
will take about three hours in performance, I am pleased with the
prospect before us, that the glories which Mozart unfolds in the
different domains of Art--Symphony, Opera, Church, and Concert
music-are taken into account, and that thus the manifold rays of
his genius are laid hold of, as far as is possible in the limits
of a concert programme. Whilst thoroughly agreeing with the
performance of the different items as a whole, I have
nevertheless one request to make--namely, that you would be good
enough to excuse me from the performance of the Mozart Pianoforte
Concerto which has been so kindly designed for me, and that this
number may be given to some other pianist of note. Apart from the
fact that for more than eight years I have not appeared anywhere
in public as a pianist, and that many considerations lead me to
adhere firmly to my negative resolve in this respect, the fact
that the direction of the Festival will require my entire
attention may prove, in this case, my sufficient excuse.
Accept, Your Worship, the assurance of the high esteem with which
I have the honor to remain,
Dear Mr. Mayor, yours very truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, December 26th, 1855.
148. To Eduard Liszt
My very dear Eduard,
Scarcely had I returned to Weymar [From the Mozart Festival at
Vienna.] when I again put on my travelling coat to help in
Berlioz' concert at Gotha, which took place the day before
yesterday--and the whole day yesterday was spent in rehearsals of
"Cellini;" followed by a Court concert in the evening (in honor
of H.R.H. the Prince Regent of Baden); so that this morning is
the first leisure moment I have had to take up my pen again and
my position...at my writing-table. I profit by it first of all to
tell you how happy I am in this earnest intimacy, as sincerely
felt as it is conscientiously considered--this real intimacy of
ideas and feelings at the same time--which has been cemented
between us in these latter years, and which my stay in Vienna has
fully confirmed. All noble sentiments require the full air of
generous conviction, which maintains us in a region superior to
the trials, accidents, and troubles of this life. Thanks to
Heaven, we two breathe this air together, and thus we shall
remain inseparably united until our last day!
I am sending you after this the document which serves as a basis
to the Bach-Gesellschaft [Bach Society], from which it will be
easy to make out an analogous one for the publication of Mozart's
complete works. I earnestly invite and beg you to carry out this
project to its realization.
According to my ideas, the "Friends of Music in Austria" should
constitute and set the matter going, and the Royal State Press
should be employed for it, especially as one can foresee that
special favors might be obtained from the Ministry. Probably the
whole Festival Committee of the Mozart Celebration will also
consent to this undertaking, in the sense that, by an edition of
Mozart's works, critically explained, equally beautifully
printed, and revised by a committee appointed for it, a
universally useful, lasting, and living monument to the glorious
Master will be formed, which will bring honor and even material
gain to all Austrian lovers of music and to the city of Vienna
itself. Without doubt, if the matter is rightly conducted, it
will also pay well and be pretty easy to carry through. In about
twelve years the whole edition can be completed. In the
composition of the Committee of Revision I stipulate to call your
attention to a few names. Spohr, Meyerbeer, Fetis, Otto Jahn,
Oulibicheff, Dr. Hartel--among foreigners these ought especially
to have a share in the matter; and a special rubric must be given
to the cost of revision. The work of proof-correcting, as well as
the special explanations, commentaries, comparisons of the
different editions, ought not to be expected gratis; therefore a
fixed sum should be applied to it. Haslinger, Spina, and Gloggl,
being Vienna publishers, ought specially to be considered, and
would be the best to direct the propagation and regular sending
out of the volume, which is to appear on the 27th of January
every year.
At Spina's you would find several volumes of the Bach-
Gesellschaft, to which is always added a list of the subscribers
and a statement of accounts for the past year.
I advise you to keep on good terms with Zellner, who was the
first to air the subject in his paper (after I had invited him to
do so), and to get him into the proposed Committee, if the matter
be taken up in earnest. In the Committee of Revision Schmidt (the
librarian) and Holz must not be forgotten. With regard to my
humble self, I don't want to be put forward, but simply to take
my place in alphabetical order; but please explain beforehand
that I am ready to undertake any work which they may think fit to
apportion to me. I likewise undertake to invite the Grand Duke of
Weimar, the Duke of Gotha, etc., to become subscribers.
The whole affair must bear the impress of an Art enterprise--and
in this sense the invitation to a Mozart-Verein [Mozart Union]
must be couched. (I leave you to decide whether you prefer the
word Mozart-Gesellschaft [Mozart Society] or Mozart-herein for
the Publication of the Complete Works of Mozart, or any other
title.) Together with this I repeat that certainly there is no
need to fear any loss in this matter, but that probably there
will be a not insignificant gain. This gain, according to my
ideas, should be formed into a capital, until the edition is
completed, to be then employed, or perhaps not till later, by the
Society of Austrian Lovers of Music for some artistic purpose to
be decided upon.
.--. Be so good as to give Herr Krall the sum (24 florins) for
the four seats kindly placed at my disposal for the two concerts
of the Mozart Festival. Although I have only paid in cash six
gulden of the amount, because the other gentlemen insisted on
sending me several gulden, yet I expressly wish that the receipts
should not be any smaller through me--any more than that the
performance should suffer by my conducting!--Therefore please
don't forget the twenty-four gulden.
Berlioz arrived here yesterday evening, and I shall be over head
and ears in work with Cellini, the great Court concert on the
17th, and the performance of Berlioz' Faust in the course of next
week, the preparations for which I have undertaken.
Cellini I shall conduct--with the two others I only direct the
rehearsals.
In faithful friendship thy Saturday, February 9th, 1856.
F. Liszt
149. To Dr. von Seiler, Mayor of Vienna. [Autograph in the
possession of M. Alfred Bovet, of Valentigney.]
Dear Sir,
As it was not permitted me to see Your Worship again at home
before my departure, I venture to express once more in these few
lines my warmest thanks for the very great kindness shown to me
during my stay in Vienna, the remembrance of which will not fade
from my grateful thoughts.
The worthy example which you, dear Mr. Mayor, and the Town
Council of Vienna have given on the occasion of the Mozart
Festival, guaranteed and attained the desired prosperity and
success of the affair. This example will doubtless bring forth
fruit in other places, so that the whole artist society will owe
you the most grateful acknowledgments for it. As regards myself
and my modest services on that occasion, I am very happy to think
from the kind letter signed by yourself and Herr Councillor
Riedel von Riedenau, that what I did so gladly was well done--and
I only cherish the wish that coming years may offer me an
opportunity of devoting my poor, but seriously well-intentioned
services in the cause of music to the city of Vienna, whose
musical traditions shine forth so gloriously. Accept, dear sir,
the assurance of high esteem with which I have the honor to
remain
Your most obliged
F. Liszt
Weymar, February 10th, 1856
150. To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
Before everything else I must give you my warmest thanks for the
manifold proofs of your friendship and attachment which you have
given me lately; especially has the article in the last number
but one of the paper, taken from the concluding chapter of your
musical history, truly rejoiced me, and I should have written you
at once a couple of lines in grateful acknowledgment had I not
been so very much engaged, on my return here, that I have had no
leisure hour until now. In Leipzig I could only stay from the
time of one train to the other, and could not go to see any one
except Hartel, whom it was necessary for me to see. Scarcely had
I arrived here than I had to go to Gotha (where I was present at
Berlioz' concert), and the previous week we had enough to do with
the preparations and rehearsals of "Cellini" and the Court
concert. The performance this time was really capital. Caspari
had studied his part admirably, and made a good thing of it; the
opera, thanks to him, made quite a different impression from what
it did formerly, when poor Beck (now the proprietor of a cafe in
Prague, where I saw him lately) had to fit himself as best he
could into the Cellini jacket!--Probably Pohl will send you a
full account, and also mention the concert which took place the
day before yesterday at the Castle. Berlioz conducted it, and
Fraulein Bianchi very much pleased the nobility as well as the
rest of the audience--so that she is again engaged for a small
concert next Thursday.
In contrast to many other artists of both sexes, Fraulein Bianchi
is well-bred, without being stupidly stuck up, and, in addition,
a pleasant and well-trained singer whom one can safely recommend.
The few lines which she brought me from you were her best
introduction to me--only I will beg you, another time, not to be
in doubt as to "whether I still think of you with the old
friendship." Once for all, you may be perfectly certain on this
point, that I shall not develop any talent for Variations towards
you, but be always ready to give a proof, on every opportunity,
of how highly I prize your services in matters musical, and how
sincerely friendly I am to you personally.
F. Liszt
February 19th, 1856
Next Sunday "Lohengrin" will be given (with Fraulein Marx from
Darmstadt as Ortrude)--and on Thursday, the 28th February, the
entire "Faust" of Berlioz.
151. To Dionys Pruckner in Vienna
[Liszt's pupil; has been a professor at the Stuttgart
Conservatorium since 1858.]
Dearest Dionysius,
The joyful tidings of your success ever find the most joyful echo
in Weymar, and I thank you much for the pleasant tidings in your
letter. Haslinger, on his side, was so kind as to write me a full
account of your first concert, as well as the Court soiree at
H.R.H. the Archduchess Sophie's--and yesterday evening v.
Dingelstedt gave me also full details of your concert ravages in
Munich. All this plainly shows dass man Bock-Bier trinken kann,
ohne deswegen Bocke zu schiessen! [A play on words: that one may
drink "Bock" beer, without thereby making blunders.]
I entirely approve of your intention of spending some months in
Vienna and its charming environs--also of your closer intercourse
with the Master Czerny, whose many-sided musical experiences may
be of the greatest use to you practically and theoretically. Of
all living composers who have occupied themselves especially with
pianoforte playing and composing, I know none whose views and
opinions offer so just an experience. In the twenties, when a
great portion of Beethoven's creations was a kind of Sphinx,
Czerny was playing Beethoven exclusively, with an understanding
as excellent as his technique was efficient and effective; and,
later on, he did not set himself up against some progress that
had been made in technique, but contributed materially to it by
his own teaching and works. It is only a pity that, by a too
super-abundant productiveness, he has necessarily weakened
himself, and has not gone on further on the road of his first
Sonata (Op. 6, A-flat major) and of other works of that period,
which I rate very highly, as compositions of importance,
beautifully formed and having the noblest tendency. But
unfortunately at that time Vienna influences, both social and
publishing, were of an injurious kind, and Czerny did not possess
the necessary dose of sternness to keep out of them and to
preserve his better ego. This is generally a difficult task, the
solving of which brings with it much trouble even for the most
capable and those who have the highest aims.
When you see Czerny remember me to him as his grateful pupil and
devoted, deeply respectful friend. When I pass through Vienna
this summer, I shall rejoice to have a couple of hours with him
again. I shall probably find you still there. According to what
has been written to me, the consecration of the Gran Cathedral
will take place at the beginning of September, in which case I
shall start from here at the beginning of August.
Excuse me for not having been willing to send you the orchestral
parts to the "Turkish Capriccio." It seemed to me, on the one
hand, unsuitable to ask Hans for it--apart from the fact that the
sending of the parts backwards and forwards from Berlin to Vienna
is very roundabout--and, on the other hand, I could not but
suppose that you would find first-rate copyists in Vienna, who
would do the copying for you far better in a fortnight.
Principles of economy are UTTERLY WORTHLESS in copying, and, if
you will believe my experience, always choose therefore the best,
and consequently most expensive, copyists for transcribing the
parts that you want. Recommend them, into the bargain, to do them
with great care, and to add the cues (which are a great help
towards a good performance).
Bronsart wrote to you at my direction, to let you know in good
time that you should get the parts copied out in Vienna yourself,
and should look them over carefully with the copyist before the
rehearsal--a work which I have often done in earlier years, and
in which I generally make a rule of not sparing myself.
Please find out for me at Spina's, on a convenient opportunity,
how far the engraving of the Schubert Fantasia [Fantasia in C
major, on the Wanderer.] (instrumented by me) has progressed, and
whether he can soon send me the proofs. Bronsart played the
Fantasia with orchestral accompaniment lately at Jena.
Fare you well, dearest Dionysius, and send soon some good tidings
of yourself to
Yours in all friendship,
F. Liszt
Weymar, March 17th, 1856.
152. To Breitkopf & Hartel
Dear Sir,
Whatever fate may be in store for my Symphonic Poems, however
much they may be cut up and pulled to pieces and found fault with
through their performances and reviews everywhere, yet the sight
of the beautiful manner in which these first six numbers are
published and got up will always be a pleasant satisfaction to
me, for which I give you my warmest and heartiest thanks..--. The
two scores still wanting (Nos. 1 and 9) I will send you at the
end of this month, and will request you to publish them in the
same size and manner. Although there is somewhat of the
SPECULATIVE in these things, yet [I] by no means seek
to make a speculation of it, and only expect your friendly favor
in so far as a favorable pecuniary result may arise from it in
future years. I am expecting next time the proofs of the two-
piano arrangements, and you shall receive the two remaining piano
arrangements at the same time as the two last scores..--.
In the matter of the Handel-Gesellschaft, [Handel Society] the
scheme of which you have sent me, pray be assured of my most
complete readiness. The choice of Messrs. Hauptmann, Dehn,
Chrysander (Otto Jahn?), as the musical directors proper, I
consider thoroughly suitable--as also of Messrs. Gervinus and
Breitkopf and Hartel as members of the committee--and, as soon as
the pecuniary basis of the undertaking is fixed, I shall not fail
to get you some subscriptions, as I did for the Bach-
Gesellschaft.
With warm thanks and esteem,
Yours very truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, May 15th, 1856
If it is possible to you to send me soon the proofs of the five
piano arrangements I shall be glad, as they make the
comprehension and spread of the scores easier.
153. To Louis Kohler
Dear Friend,
After I had seen about your commission to Dr. Hartel, and he had
sent me your Methode, [Systematic method of teaching for
pianoforte playing and music, 1857 and 1858.] I delayed writing
to you, because the result (favorable, as might be expected) of
the little business had been already communicated to you through
Hartel, and I wished at the same time to send you somewhat of my
wares. Unfortunately, I have been hindered by multifarious
occupations from getting through the proofs of my Symphonic Poems
quickly; and, besides this, these proofs have taken up a great
deal of my time; for although I had not omitted, in the first
proofs, to have things altered in the scores many times, yet many
things looked different to me in print from what I wished them to
be, and I had to try them over again plainly with the orchestra,
have them written out again, and ask for fresh proofs. At last
the six first numbers have come out, and even if they are very
badly done I can no longer do them otherwise or better. No doubt
you have already received from Hartel the copy destined for you,
and within a short time you will receive the somewhat freely
arranged pianoforte edition--for two pianos--of the same things.
I tried at first a four-hand arrangement of them, which would be
much more practicable for sale, but gave up this mutilation, as I
saw that in four-hand pieces the working into one another of the
hands stands too much in the way of my tone-picture. The two-
piano arrangement sounds passable, if I mistake not. Bulow,
Bronsart, Pruckner, etc., have played it several times, and you
will assuredly find in Konigsberg a partner (masculine or
feminine) who will beguile you into it. I shall be very glad if
the things please you somewhat. I have labored too much in order
to realize the requisite proportion and harmony, for them to be
able to give me any other pleasure if some sympathy, and also
some understanding of the spirit of them on the part of my few
friends, does not fall to my share. However that may be, tell me,
dear friend, quite candidly, without any compliments, what
impression the pieces have made on you. The three numbers which
will appear next are still longer, worse, and more venturesome.
But I cannot let matters rest there, for these nine numbers serve
only as Prolegomena [Prologue, preface] to the "Faust" and
"Dante" Symphonies. The former is already settled and finished,
and the second more than half written out. "Away, away," [Written
in English.] with Mazeppa's horse, regardless of the lazy hack
that sticks in the mud of old patterns!
Let me soon hear from you how you dispose of your time in
Konigsberg. In Frau Knopp you have got an excellent Ortrude. What
have you been giving this winter? Do you keep on a good
understanding with Marpurg? Is Pabst remaining in K.?
Don't forget also to let me have your Methode (I forget the exact
title) through Hartel. Although I have grown too old and too lazy
to improve my piano-playing, yet I will get some good out of it
for my pupils, amongst whom are two or three really brave,
earnest fellows. Beyond that I have very little to tell you of
Weymar. Since Berlioz' stay here, which gave occasion for the
Litolff cudgel-smashing newspaper rubbish, Carl Formes and
Johanna Wagner have been playing here; the latter with well-
deserved and extraordinary success in Gluck's "Orpheus" and
"Iphigenia in Aulis" (in Wagner's translation and arrangement).
This evening the "Sleeping Beauty" (a fairy-tale epic), by
Joachim Raff, will be given. According to my opinion, this is
Raff's most successful and grateful work.
Farewell, dear friend, and bear in friendly remembrance
Your very sincere and obliged
F. Liszt
Weymar, May 24th, 1856
154. To Louis Kohler
My Very Dear Friend,
At last I have come out of my "Purgatory"--that is to say that I
have come to the end of my symphony to Dante's "Divina Commedia."
Yesterday I wrote the final bars of the score (which is somewhat
smaller in bulk than my "Faust" Symphony, but will take pretty
nearly an hour in performance); and today, for rest and
refreshment, I can allow myself the pleasure of giving you my
friendliest thanks for your friendly letter. The dedication of
your work "Systematic Method of Teaching for Pianoforte Playing
and Music" (the latter must not be forgotten!) pleases me much,
and you will allow me to take a modest revanche [revenge]
shortly, in dedicating one of my latest works to you. Probably
Schlesinger will bring out several books of my songs next winter,
in which you will perhaps find much that is in sympathy with your
ideas of the melody of speech. Hence I wish that you would not
refuse me the pleasure of using your name in connection with
them, and of letting it precede them, as an interpretation, as it
were, of the intention of the songs. Hartel will send you in a
couple of days the first seven numbers of the arrangements for
two pianofortes of my Symphonic Poems which have already
appeared. An arrangement of that kind is not so easy to make use
of as a four-hand one. Nevertheless, after I had tried to compass
the score of Tasso plainly into one pianoforte, I soon gave up
this project for the others, on account of the unadvisable
mutilation and defacement by the working into and through one
another of the four-hand parts, and submitted to doing without
tone and color and orchestral light and shade, but at any rate
fixing an abstract rendering of the musical contents, which would
be clear to the ear, by the two-piano arrangement (which I could
arrange tolerably freely).