The following recollections of Liszt's first visit to Stuttgart were
published in a periodical many years ago. Though they appeared without
any signature, the author seems to have been on intimate terms with the
great musician:
"Liszt played several times at court, for which he received all possible
distinctions which the King of Wurtemberg could confer upon an artist.
The list of honours was exhausted when the royal princesses wished to
hear once more this magician of the piano keys quite privately in their
own apartments. Liszt, our truly chivalric artist, accepted with delight
such an invitation, expecting less to show himself as an artist than to
express his thanks for the many honours received. It must have been rare
enjoyment for a royal family which recognised in art only a graceful
pastime and a delightful intoxication of the sense, with an agreeable
excitement of the sentiments; for no artist in the world understands
better than Liszt how to survey at a glance the character and the most
hidden recesses in the hearts of his audience. This very fact is the
cause of his wonderful effects, and will secure them to him always. He
played on that occasion Weber's Invitation a la Valse, with his own
effectual, free, final cadenza, his Chromatic Galop (which causes all
nerves to vibrate), and a few of his transcriptions of Schubert's
songs--those genuine pearls, the richness and colouring of which none
can show so well as himself, being a unique and most perfect master of
the art of touch. And, finally, in order to show something at least of
his immense bravura, he played a little concert piece. The most gracious
words of acknowledgment were showered upon him. Liszt, enraptured by the
truly heavenly eyes of one of the princesses, which, rendered still more
beautiful by a singular moisture, were fixed upon him, declared his
happiness in thus being able to express his thanks for the many honours
conferred upon him.
"Among all the princes of Europe, however, there is none so little
inclined to accept of services without remuneration as the King of
Wurtemberg. This is one of the many chivalric traits in the character of
that monarch; no other rewards artists in such royal style. On the next
morning I was with Liszt, each of us smoking a real Havana comfortably
on one end of the sofa. Liszt was telling me of his last visit to court,
when one of its servants entered. He placed a roll of 150 ducats in gold
upon the table, and presenting Liszt with an open receipt, asked him to
sign it. Liszt read: 'Received for playing,' etc. Aloud, and in a tone
of astonishment, Liszt repeated the words, 'Received for my playing?'
and, rising with that peculiar aristocratic grace, he says in a mild,
condescending tone: 'For my playing--am I to sign this document? My
friend, I imagine some clerk of the court treasury has written this
scrawl.' Upon which the servant, interrupting, said that it had been
written by Herr Tagel, Counsellor of Court and Director of the Court
Treasury. 'Well,' said Liszt, 'take back the receipt and money, and
tell' (raising his voice) 'the counsellor from me, that neither king nor
emperor can pay an artist for his playing--only, perchance, for his lost
time, and' (with haughty indignation) 'that the counsellor is a
blockhead if he does not comprehend that. For your trouble, my friend,'
(giving him 5 ducats) 'take this trifle.'"
The writer goes on to say:
"The servant, in utter astonishment, knew not what to answer, and looked
at me. But Liszt's slight figure was erect, his finely cut lips were
compressed, his head was boldly thrown back, so that his thick hair fell
far down on his shoulders; his nostrils were expanding, the lightning of
his keen and brilliant eye was gleaming, his arms were folded, and he
showed all his usual indications of inward commotion. Knowing,
therefore, that Liszt had by that document been touched in his most
sensitive point, and that this was nothing more nor less than a small
battle in his great contest for the social position and rights of
artists--a contest which, when a boy of fifteen years, he had already
taken up--I was well aware of the impossibility of changing his mind for
the present, and therefore remained silent, while the discomfited lackey
retired with many low bows, taking money and scroll with him. Whether he
really delivered the message I know not; but I was still with Liszt when
he reappeared and, laying the money upon the table, gave Liszt a large
sealed letter, which read as follows: 'The undersigned officer of the
Treasury of Court, commanded by His Majesty the King, begs Dr. Liszt to
accept, as a small compensation for his lost time with the princesses,
the sum of 150 ducats.' Liszt handed me the paper, and with a silent
glance I interrogated him in return. It is an old fact that the soul is
always most clearly reflected in homely features, and I distinctly read
in his face reconciliation and the kindest feeling again. He sat down
and wrote on a scrap of paper with pencil: 'Received from the Royal
Treasury 150 ducats--Franz Liszt,' and gave it to the servant very
politely, accompanied by another rich gift. There was never afterward
any further allusion to the affair.
"The price of admission to Liszt's concerts was unusually high, so that
they could only be frequented by the wealthier classes. At a party the
conversation fell upon the subject, and it was regretted that for such a
reason many teachers and scholars, in spite of their great anxiety to
hear the great master, were prevented from doing so. I told Liszt this,
and he answered: 'Well, arrange a concert for them, only charge as much
or as little as you think proper, and let me know when and what I shall
play. Immediately a committee was formed, and a concert for teachers and
scholars only arranged, to which the price of admission amounted to only
18 kreutzers (about sixpence). Quantities of tickets were sold, and
immense galleries had to be erected in the large hall. Liszt viewed with
delight the juvenile multitude, whose enthusiasm knew no bounds, and I
never heard him play more beautifully. With a delighted heart he stood
amid a shower of flowers which thousands of little hands were strewing
for him, and when at last six veritable little angels approached in
order to thank him, he embraced them with tears in his eyes--not heeding
the fact that the grown-up people were appropriating his gloves,
handkerchief, and all they could get hold of, tearing them up into a
thousand bits to keep in remembrance of him. On the next morning we
brought him the proceeds of the concert (nearly 1,000 florins). He
declared that he had felt happier at that concert than ever before, and
that nothing could induce him to accept the money, with which the
committee might do as they pleased, and if, after so much delight, they
did not wish really to hurt his feelings he would beg of them never to
mention that money to him again. It was appropriated to a Liszt Fund,
which will continue to exist forever, and a poor teacher's son, on going
to college, is destined to receive the first interest.
"Liszt was once at my house, when a woman was announced to whom I was in
the habit of giving quarterly a certain sum for her support. It being a
few days before the usual time, she gave as an excuse (it was November)
the hard times. While providing for her I told Liszt in an under-tone
that she was an honest but very indigent widow of a painter, deceased in
his prime, to whom an number of brother artists were giving regular
contributions in order to enable her to get along with her two small
children. I confess, while telling him this, I hoped that Liszt, whose
liberality and willingness to do good had almost become proverbial,
would ask me to add something in his name, and was, therefore, surprised
to see him apparently indifferent, for he answered nothing and continued
looking down in silence. After a few days, however, the widow
reappeared, her heart overflowing with thankfulness and her eyes filled
with tears of joy, for she and her children had at the expense of a man
whose name she was not permitted to know, received beautiful and new
winter clothing, while kitchen and cellar had been stored with every
necessary for the coming winter. Now all this had been arranged by the
landlady of a certain hotel, at which Liszt was then stopping. A piano
maker, who had not the means to erect a factory, needed but to convince
Liszt of his rare ability, and immediately he had at his command over
80,000 frs. This man is now dead, and Liszt never had received a
farthing of that money back."