5, and "Marcia" from Op.
54] They could be played one immediately after the other.
The "Prometheus" choruses, together with the "Symphonic Poem"
which goes before them (and which has been published by Hartel as
No. 5), were composed in July 1850 for the Herder Festival, and
were performed in the theater here on the eve of that festival.
My pulses were then all beating feverishly, and the thrice-
repeated cry of woe of the Oceanides, the Dryads, and the
Infernals echoed in my ears from all the trees and lakes of our
park.
In my work I strove after an ideal of the antique, which should
be represented, not as an ancient skeleton, but as a living and
moving form. A beautiful stanza of Andre Chenier,
"Sur des pensers nouveaux faisons des vers antiques," ["On modern
thoughts let us fashion verses antique."]
served me for precept, and showed me the way to musical plastic
art and symmetry.
The favorable opinion you have formed of the work in reading it
through is a token to me that I have not altogether failed - I
hope that the performance will not spoil your sympathy for it. I
leave the direction, with the utmost confidence, entirely in your
hands. - You always hit on the right thing, and navigate
satisfactorily with your entire forces the occasional
difficulties of the dissonant entries, and of the pathetic
delivery which is absolutely essential in several places. It
would certainly be a great pleasure to me, dear friend, if I
could be present at the performance in Vienna on the 26th
February, to enjoy your intelligent and inspired performance, but
I am prevented from doing this by various circumstances (an
explanation of which would lead me too far).
I beg you therefore not to induce the directors to invite me,
because I might not be in a position to make my excuses. So
please do you undertake the office of unchaining Prometheus in
Vienna; this labour of Hercules will become you well [Footnote
below]. There are certainly no powerful eagles to hack and rend
in pieces the Titan's liver - but there is a whole host of ravens
and creeping vermin ready to do it. - Once more best thanks and
greetings from your most highly esteeming and very devoted
F. Liszt
[It took place on the 26th February, 1860. Herbeck notes as
follows about it in his diary: "Prometheus, Symphonic Poem,
pleased fairly. Chorus of Tritons pleased extremely. The
Vintagers' and Reapers' choruses and concluding chorus pleased,
but of course there was a formally organized opposition hissing.
They had sworn the overthrow of this music, without even
knowing a note of it."]
232. To Dr. Franz Brendel.
So then it has happened well that the editor of the Neue
Zeitschrift has also become the editor of my "Gesammelte Lieder."
Best thanks, dear friend, for the means you have taken to promote
this. Kahnt has only to come to an understanding with
Schlesinger; I on my side do not wish to place any limitation on
his rights. Whether a transcription of this or that song may be
made I do not know; if this should be the case I will only beg
Kahnt to let me know of any such chance transcriptions before
allowing them to appear, mainly because it would not be pleasant
to me if any really too stupid arrangements should come out. This
is only a matter of artistic consideration - beyond that I have
neither restriction nor reservation to make to the proposed
edition. As soon as Kahnt is in order with Schlesinger I am
satisfied with everything. This or that song may then appear
singly, or transcribed for guitar or zither; so much the better
if Kahnt can thereby make it pay. N.B. - I should be glad if, in
bringing out the songs singly, the same outside cover could be
employed as in the complete edition, on account of the index.
Probably Kahnt will say nothing against this, as the back of the
cover serves as an advertisement of the entire collection of
songs.
Yesterday evening Fraulein Berghaus (a daughter of the Potsdam
professor) sang two numbers, Freudvoll and leidvoll and Es muss
ein Wunderbares sein (out of the sixth part), at a concert given
by Singer and Cossmann. I had indeed forbidden it, because this
winter I will not have my name put on any concert programme at
all - but her exquisite delivery of these songs, which were also
received with approbation, reconciled me to it.
At the last Court concert in Berlin Fraulein Genast [A highly
gifted singer, afterwards Frau Dr. Merian in Weimar] selected the
"Loreley" as her concluding song, and the Frau Princess Victoria
expressed herself very favorably about it, remarking that a
Schubert spirit breathed in the composition. One of these days
Fraulein Genast is again singing the "Loreley" at the
Philharmonic Concert in Hamburg. Otten has specially begged her
to do so. The same gentleman wrote about eighteen months ago to
Frau von Milde that he must beg to remark "that in regard to the
choice of compositions to be performed Robert Schumann is the
extreme limit to whom his programme could extend!"
I cannot quite remember whether I sent Gotze a copy of my songs.
Please ask him, and if I have not yet done so let me know. Gotze
has a special claim to them, for in earlier years he had the
courage to sing several of my nonentities - and I will see that he
has a copy at once. At the same time ask Fraulein Gotze also
whether she has received the copy of the Ballade Leonore. [Liszt
had composed this melodrama for Auguste Gotze, and frequently
performed it, as well as his later melodramas, with her.] From
several places (and quite lately from Carlsruhe and Brunswick)
orders for this Ballade have come to me, which - between
ourselves - are not convenient to me.
