With heartfelt greetings, your
F. Liszt
July 14th, 1861
257. To Alfred Dorffel
My dear Sir,
Whilst giving you my warmest thanks for the great pains you have
taken with the "Faust" score [as corrector of the score] I have,
in conclusion, one more request to make.
I wish to modify the prosody of the passage in the tenor solo,
[Here, Liszt writes a 4-measure music score excerpt of the treble
portion of the piece at the point where the words, "das Ewig
Weibliche" are sung.]
each time, just as I have written it on the accompanying note-
sheet. If I mistake not, it would in this way be more singable
and weiblicher [more womanly]. [Referring to Goethe's words "Das
ewig Weibliche" ("The eternal womanly")]
Accept, my dear sir, the assurance of my highest esteem and most
friendly gratitude.
F. Liszt
Weyar, July 18th, 1861
P.S. - The "Faust" Symphony is to be given here on the 6th August.
Perhaps it would be possible to you to be present at that
concert, and to give me the pleasure of a visit from you.
258. To Hofconcertmeister Edmund Singer in Stuttgart
Dear Friend,
The article in the Allgemeine Zeitung on the Tonkunstler-
Versammlung (12th August) is an event, and I thank you sincerely
for the part you have taken in it. [It was written by Singer.]
Although, as you know, I must on principle keep myself
unconcerned as regards criticism, as I cannot allow it the first
word in matters of Art, yet it has long been my wish to see the
"systematic opposition" to the present incontrovertible tendency
(or, better, "development") of music not exclusively represented
in the Allgemeine Zeitung. Just because this paper is not a
merely local, but an European and intellectually historical one,
did the local aversions and the diatribes of the island "Borneo"
appear to me far more inadmissible than in other papers. The
reporter of the Tonkunstler-Versammlung has taken an important
step towards agreement; may he continue to work with us yet
further!
The Altenburg has been closed and locked up since last Sunday -
and in a few hours I am leaving Weymar for a long time. In the
first place I shall spend some weeks with my patron, Prince
Hohenzollern (who is musically very well disposed!), at
Lowenberg. I intend to take up again there and quietly to carry
on my work which has been too long interrupted. My promised
contributions to Herr Stark's Pianoforte School must also soon be
taken in hand. Meanwhile remember me most kindly to Herr Lebert,
[Professors at the Stuttgart Conservatorium. For the great
Pianoforte School edited by Lebert and Stark, Liszt wrote the
concert-studies "Waldesrauschen" and "Gnomenreigen."] and assure
him that I am most anxious to discharge the task allotted to me
in a satisfactory manner.
Pohl has promised me that he will soon send you the "Prometheus"
and "Faust" notices that you want. For the rest you don't require
any further explanation to enable you satisfactorily to instruct
the public in these things. As I am pressed for time I must only
give you for today once more my best thanks, and remain
Yours in all friendship,
F. Liszt
August 17th, 1861
My best greetings to your wife.
259. To the music publisher, C.F. Kahnt
Don't be alarmed, dear sir! Once more a manuscript of mine is
coming to you. "Ich glaube, die Wellen verschlingen, Am Ende
Schiffer und...Kahnt!" [A quotation from Heine's poem "Die
Loreley," set to music by Liszt:
"I fear me the waters engulfing
Are drawing the boatman beneath, -
'Tis Loreley, with voice enchanting,
Who lures him on to death!
Liszt makes a play on the words Kahn (a boat) and Kahnt (the
publisher).]
The pianoforte transcription of the "Loreley" has cost me more
trouble than I expected. But I hope therefore that it has not
succeeded badly. Let a clean and correct copy be made of it by a
reliable musician (Corno perhaps?) [August Horn in Leipzig, whom
Liszt held up as being "very exact and reliable."] before you
give the little piece into the engraver's hands. N.B. - The words
are to be engraved with it, as in the Vienna edition of my
transcription of the Schubert Songs.
As regards the publishing of the scores of my three songs -
"Loreley," "Mignon," and the "Zigeuner" - I leave them entirely to
your pleasure or the reverse, as also the size of the edition
(whether larger or smaller - but in any case, not quite full
size).. - .
I shall be staying at Lowenberg up to the 8th September.
I beg that you will send the final proof of "Loreley" to Herr von
Bulow - and also the second edition of "Mignon" in time, which is
to be engraved from the score left behind by Brendel - for voice
and pianoforte accompaniment (without instrumentation) in the
first place - as you were kind enough to promise me.
With best greetings, your obliged
F. Liszt
Lowenberg, August 27th, 1861
260. To Dr. Franz Brendel
Dear Friend,
A musical scribble that I had promised, and which I wished to
finish here, and various little excursions in the neighborhood,
have prevented me from answering your letter sooner.
The Prince [Of Hohenzollern-Hechingen] continues to show me the
same amiable friendship as ever, so that it is hard to me to
leave Lowenberg. Seifriz will write you word a couple of weeks
beforehand to which concert your coming here would be most
advantageous. The concert season does not begin till November,
and, with the exception of the winter months, when the musical
performances take place, a great proportion of the members of the
orchestra is absent. His Highness adheres always firmly and
faithfully to the endeavors of the "New German School," and is
desirous of supporting it still further.
