The "Sneaking Brood" (As You Well Name The People) Can Henceforth
Growl As Much As They Like.
What does that matter to us, so long
as we remain true and faithful to our task?
In the performance
last year at Jena (at the secular celebration of the University)
I had the opportunity of convincing myself how capital your
instrumentation of the Mass sounds, and I especially beg that you
will not leave out one iota of it in the oboes or trombones. The
organ alone is not sufficient, especially if there is a large
chorus, and the completion of the accompaniment could not have
been better accomplished than you have done it.
N.B. - At the Jena performance I hit upon the following
alterations at the conclusion of the Gloria:
[Here, Liszt illustrates with a vocal score musical excerpt]
If you are agreed with this, then let this simplification serve
for Vienna. I can only send you the score and parts of the
"Prometheus" choruses towards the middle of November, as Klitzsch
(in Zwickau) has arranged a performance of this work on the 12th
to the 14th November, and I have already placed the parts at his
disposal. If this delay does not hinder your kind intention of
having the "Prometheus" choruses performed in Vienna, I will send
the whole packet of parts to your address in Vienna, free,
immediately after the Zwickau Concert. For the poem belonging to
it, which I will also send with the rest, it is desirable that
you should get an adequate tragic declaimer. In Dresden Davison
undertook this, and in Zwickau Frau Ritter will declaim it. I am
writing today to Herr von Bulow, but rather doubt whether he will
be able to accept your invitation for this winter. According to
what he told me lately, he thinks of going to Warsaw and Paris in
the latter part of the winter. With regard to the eventual choice
of a piece you may, moreover, pacify the strict gentlemen of the
Committee. In case Bulow should make his appearance at the
Philharmonic Concert he will, on my advice, not play my A major
Concerto (nor any other composition of mine), but just simply one
of the Bach or Beethoven Concertos. My intimate friends know
perfectly well that it is not by any means my desire to push
myself into any concert programme whatever...With regard to the
scores and parts that you want, I have noted on a separate sheet
which ones I have at my disposal, and where you can obtain the
rest. In conclusion allow me once more to beg you kindly to let
me have a couple of lines about the performance of the Mass.
Perhaps some things may occur to you which might still be altered
and simplified. Do not deprive me, dear friend, of your good
advice, which I shall be glad to make use of in the score edition
of the Mass which must shortly ensue. Naturally your name will
stand on the title-page, and the responsibility of the
instrumentation will be remitted to you.
With friendly thanks and highest regard, I am
Yours most truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, October 11th, 1859
221. To Felix Draseke
Dear excellent friend,
Your surmise that I could not go away from Weymar at present was
quite correct. The Altenburg is indeed very deserted, as Princess
Marie went away directly after her marriage on the 15th October,
and the Princess went to Paris yesterday for several days - yet I
will not leave my own hearth so soon, even if my outward activity
be much limited henceforth (as I have already intimated to you)
both here and elsewhere. - I require my whole time for my further
works, which must go on incessantly - consequently I have resolved
to keep at a distance all the delights of conductorship, and to
give the baton a rest equally with the piano. -
On the 9th November the festival play by Halm, "A Hundred Years
Ago," will be given here with the music I have composed to it -
and on the 11th the "Kuenstler-Chor" is to introduce the
Festival-oration by Kuno Fischer at Jena. Damrosch writes to me
also from Berlin that he intends to include the "Kuenstler-Chor"
in the programme of the Schiller Festival there. The Zwickau
Concert is fixed for the 15th November - and I am delighted to
think of meeting the Ritters there. By the way, I am of opinion
that Sasch [Sasch, i.e., Alexander, Ritter's Christian name] will
undertake two numbers of the programme, and will fulfill
Klitzsch's wish with the "Chaconne" as well as mine with the
original Concerto, on the same evening. Zwickau chances to belong
to the few towns where the "Chaconne" (so Klitzsch writes me
word) has never been heard in public. Sasch can take this fact
into consideration, and without doing anything derogatory can
grant the public the enjoyment of the "Chaconne." The assured
success which he will have with it may also act beneficially on
the receptiveness of the audience in connection with his
Concerto. Tell our dear friend this, with the proviso that, if he
only undertakes one number on the programme, I advise him in any
case to choose his Concerto. The piece has much that is
interesting and effective in itself, and it will be useful to
Sasch to test the relation of the orchestra to the solo part by a
public production. If necessary, therefore, force him to do it,
by my order.
With regard to the causes and excuses for your pretended
"obstinacy, dogmatism," and imaginary "arrogance," I beg you,
dearest friend, to rest assured that you will never find any such
suspicion in me. What you think, feel, compose, is noble and
great - therefore I take a sympathetic interest in it. - The next
time we are together I will merely endeavour to make "amputation"
more bearable to you by chloroform! -
With highest esteem I remain,
Yours in all friendship,
F. Liszt
[Weimar,] October 20th, 1859
222.
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