You have given me a rare pleasure. Your articles on my
"Gesammelte Lieder" are a reproduction, replete with spirit and
mind, of what I, alas! must feel and bear much more than I can
venture to write down! Reviews such as these are not matters of
every-day reviewers - nor must one shame you with such a title.
Accept my warmest thanks for them, and allow me to present to you
herewith a couple of little singable things in manuscript. They
were jotted down after reading your articles, and, if I mistake
not, they spring from the melody of speech. In any case, dear
friend, you have a special right to them - as well as to the
sincere esteem and faithful attachment with which I remain your
F. Liszt
Weymar, July 5th, 1860
Towards the end of October the two Symphonic Poems, Nos. 10 and
11, which have still to be published - "Hamlet" and the
"Hunnenschlacht" [The Battle of the Huns] - will appear at
Hartel's; and when these are out all the twelve monsters will
have appeared. Shortly afterwards will follow Faust, the choruses
to Prometheus, a couple of Psalms, and a new number of songs. I
will send you the whole lot. But if possible arrange so that we
may soon meet again - at the latest at the next Tonkunstler-
Versammlung next year, at which we cannot possibly do without
you.
237. To Eduard Liszt
Dearest Eduard,
You remain perpetually in the home of my heart, not at all in
countless company, but all the more in picked company. When I
think I have done anything pretty good I think of you and rejoice
that what I have done will be a pleasure to you - and in the hours
when sadness and sorrow take hold of me you are again my comfort
and strength by your loving insight into my innermost wishes and
yearnings! My thanks, my warmest and truest thanks, to you for
all the sustaining and soothing friendship that you show to me.
It is to me a special token of Heaven's favor to me, and I pray
to God that He may unite us for ever in Himself! -
Cornelius writes me word that you will probably come to Weymar
towards the end of the summer. That will be a great pleasure to
me; I often feel as if I must have a talk with you out of the
depths of my heart - for with writing, as you know, I don't
exactly get on. I expect the Princess towards the middle of
August. Meanwhile I receive good and satisfactory tidings from
Rome. I hope all will turn out for the best.
In these latter weeks I have been completely absorbed in my
composing. If I mistake not, my power of production has
materially increased, while some things in me are made clear and
others are more concentrated. By the end of October the last two
of the Symphonic Poems will be out ("Hamlet" and the
"Hunnenschlacht"). Then come the Psalms, which you do not yet
know, and which I much want you to know-and also a new number of
songs which will please you. I shall then work at the Oratorio
St. Elizabeth, exclusive of all else, and get it completely
finished before the end of the year. May God in His grace accept
my endeavors! -
I must express myself not entirely in accord beforehand with your
plan for your son, although I consider your way of looking at the
present state of things by no means a wrong one. I am also
convinced that, when it comes to settling definitely, the talents
and capabilities, as well as the bent of mind, of your child will
be satisfactory to you. If the young one has a mind for a
uniform - well, let it be so. To cut one's way through life with a
sabre is indeed for the most part pleasanter than any other
mode...The business paper for the Princess I will keep till her
return, unless you write to me to forward it to her in Rome.
May I bother you with a commission for provisions? Forgive me for
the way in which I am always making use of you, but I do so want
to make a little joke for Bulow, and I have no one now in Vienna
who could help me in it except just you. It is about sending a
pretty considerable amount of Hungarian Paprika [Hungarian,
Turkish, or Spanish pepper from Hungary] and a little barrel of
Pfefferoni (little green Hungarian pepper-plants preserved in
vinegar). Please ask Capellmeister Doppler where these things are
to be procured genuine, and send them me as soon as possible to
Weymar. I won't hide from you that I intend to go shares with
Bulow, as I am particularly fond of Paprika and Pfefferoni. So
take care that there is enough sent, and that it arrives in good
condition. - And as this will give you occasion to see Doppler,
give him my warm thanks for the instrumentation of the Pester
Carnaval (in which musical Paprika and Pfefferoni are not
wanting). He has again been most successful in it, and I intend
to push on in the autumn the publication of the six Rhapsodies
for orchestra, for which indeed I shall have to obtain the
permission or consent of three separate publishers (Schott,
Senff, Haslinger) - a circumstance which may of itself occasion
some delay, especially if the gentlemen behave in regard to my
wish as Spina did in so unpleasantly surprising a manner in
regard to the instrumentation of the Schubert Marches. To tell
you this incident briefly: I wrote to Dachs and asked him to
request Spina in my name either to publish the three Marches
himself in score - without any remuneration for me! - or else to
give me permission to bring them out through another publisher.
Spina's answer, as Dachs gave me to understand, was that he could
not consent to either the one or the other of my proposals (which
were certainly reasonable enough)! And thus I must wait until
Spina can hit on a better plan!
