In case you should be disposed to acquiesce in my wish, and to
undertake the publishing of the two or three men's choruses, I
would propose to you to bring them out as the opening numbers of
a short succession of "Compositions for Male Voices," and also,
as with the Songs, to give them a title page (with a statement of
the different numbers - to which the Basle Quartets might also be
added; thus six numbers up to now). Do not fear, dear sir, an
over-productiveness in this genre on my part! But if by chance
one or other number of these Quartets should have some spread, I
should not dislike to write a couple more, either secular or
sacred. Among the latter I hope that the Psalm "The Heavens
declare," which will be performed next summer at a great Festival
of Song, will produce a good effect.
Pray pardon my verbosity - it is not usually my way to indulge in
unnecessary words; and accept, dear Sir, the assurance of the
well-known sentiments with which I remain,
Yours most truly,
F. Liszt
Weymar, December 2nd, 1860
The first performance of "Rienzi" is announced for the second day
of the Christmas holidays. I have engaged to conduct the
rehearsals, but at the same time have positively refused to
conduct the performances. Herr Musik-director Stor undertakes
that. [After the opposition of a coterie that was inimical to
Liszt, to which, as is well known, Cornelius's "Barber of
Baghdad" fell a sacrifice, Liszt had finally resigned his post as
conductor of the theater.]
248. To the Music Publisher C.F. Kahnt
. - . With regard to the publishing of my Songs for men's voices I
do not wish in the least to hurry you, dear sir - yet I should be
glad if you could advertise the things soon - and possibly on the
back of the title-page of my songs (?), if that does not seem
impracticable to you. The two collections (the songs and the
men's songs) have a certain connection, and that is why I make
this suggestion, about which you must decide. A couple of months
ago Louis Kohler wrote to me in his witty, friendly manner, "You
really owed us some Quartets for men's voices, which Bierbruder
["Beer-drinkers," "brothers of the glass"] metamorphosed into
demi-gods!" and when the songs were published, I was already
intending to let the men's songs follow shortly after. As most of
these latter are tolerably short, I think that the score of the
twelve will not require more than forty, or at the most fifty,
plates (small size). Economy might be employed in publishing the
parts by having them well copied. Of course engraving is always
the best, but I do not want to precipitate you into a too ruinous
outlay - and if the copying is done by an experienced copyist it
looks very well, and is quite easy to read.
I am writing to Schuberth by the next post to tell him (what he
might know without that) how unwillingly and how seldom I meddle
with dedications - especially dedications to people and societies
that I don't at all know, as he would like me to do! In the
somewhat numerous works of mine that have appeared of late years
you will find very few dedications. The twelve Symphonic Poems
have none. The Gran Mass is also without one - and in the Songs I
have left out the earlier dedications. Therefore, before I try in
America a method which I have almost given up in Europe, some
time may yet elapse. Schuberth means thoroughly well by me, for
which I am obliged to him - but he means well in his own way,
which cannot always be mine.
May I beg another little favor of you? At the Court concert on
the 1st January I should like to let the Reiter-Marsch of F.
Schubert (not Julius!), which I instrumented, be performed, and I
have no longer either the score or the parts. You would lay me
under an obligation if you could quickly send them to me. I have
never heard the piece; and as it has already been given with
success in Vienna and Leipzig I may almost venture to expect that
the company here may be bold enough to go half-way in the same
direction! -
Possibly I shall also attempt the Mephisto Waltz the same
evening, as well as a couple of my orchestrated songs. (I may
mention, by the way, that I have orchestrated six songs of
Schubert's - "the Erlkonig, Gretchen, the junge Nonne, the
Doppelganger, Mignon, and Abschied" - and three of my own -
"Loreley, Mignon, and the three Zigeuner." Later on, if a weak
moment should come over you, I should be glad to impose these
three latter upon you in score - but you shall hear them first.)
A thousand apologies for all this random talk about compositions,
and best greetings from yours in all friendliness,
F. Liszt
Weymar, December 19th, 1860
249. To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
Your article "For the New Year" is most capital and worthy of
you. In three places I would merely venture to propose some
slight alterations for your consideration. You will find them
marked + and with the letters A, B, C.
At + A it would suit things better to say as follows: "Concert-
rooms and theaters, the scene of the most palpable speculation,
personal passion, and severing struggles." Or, if you think the
word "most palpable" too strong, let us put another, such as "the
commonest" or "the most mercantile speculation," etc.
+ B, instead of opinion, "the most affected assumption" Here
there is more question of assumption than of opinion.
