Rome, February 22nd, 1831.
A thousand thanks for your letter of the 8th, which I received
yesterday, on my return from Tivoli. I cannot tell you, dear Fanny,
how much I am delighted with your plan about the Sunday music. This
idea of yours is most brilliant, and I do entreat of you, for
Heaven's sake, not to let it die away again; on the contrary, pray
give your travelling brother a commission to write something new
for you. He will gladly do so, for he is quite charmed with you,
and with your project. You must let me know what voices you have,
and also take counsel with your subjects as to what they like best
(for the people, O Fanny, have rights). I think it would be a good
plan to place before them something easy, interesting and
pleasing,--for instance, the Litany of Sebastian Bach. But to speak
seriously, I recommend the "Shepherd of Israel," or the "Dixit
Dominus," of Haendel.
Do you mean to play something during the intervals to these people?
I think this would not be unprofitable to either party, for they
must have time to take breath, and you must study the piano, and
thus it would become a vocal and instrumental concert. I wish so
much that I could be one of the audience, and compliment you
afterwards. Be discreet and indulgent, and avoid fatiguing either
yourself or the voices of your singers. Do not be irritable when
things go badly; say very little on the subject to any one. Lastly,
above all, endeavour to prevent the choir feeling any tedium, for
this is the principal point. One of my pieces certainly owes its
birth to this Sunday music. When you wrote to me about it lately, I
reflected whether there was anything I could send you, thus
reviving an old favourite scheme of mine, which has however now
assumed such vast proportions, that I cannot let you have any part
of it by E----, but you shall have it at some future time.
Listen and wonder! Since I left Vienna I have partly composed
Goethe's first "Walpurgis Night," but have not yet had courage to
write it down. The composition has now assumed a form, and become a
grand Cantata, with full orchestra, and may turn out well. At the
opening there are songs of spring, etc., and plenty of others of
the same kind. Afterwards, when the watchmen with their "Gabeln,
und Zacken, und Eulen," make a great noise, the fairy frolics
begin, and you know that I have a particular foible for them; the
sacrificial Druids then appear, with their trombones in C major,
when the watchmen come in again in alarm, and here I mean to
introduce a light mysterious tripping chorus; and lastly to
conclude with a grand sacrificial hymn. Do you not think that this
might develop into a new style of Cantata? I have an instrumental
introduction, as a matter of course, and the effect of the whole is
very spirited. I hope it will soon be finished. I have once more
begun to compose with fresh vigour, and the Italian symphony makes
rapid progress; it will be the most sportive piece I have yet
composed, especially the last movement. I have not yet decided on
the _adagio_, and think I shall reserve it for Naples. "Verleih uns
Frieden" is completed, and "Wir glauben all" will also be ready in
a few days. The Scotch symphony alone is not yet quite to my
liking; if any brilliant idea occurs to me, I will seize it at
once, quickly write it down, and finish it at last.