The whole affair must bear the impress of an Art enterprise - and
in this sense the invitation to a Mozart-Verein [Mozart Union]
must be couched. (I leave you to decide whether you prefer the
word Mozart-Gesellschaft [Mozart Society] or Mozart-herein for
the Publication of the Complete Works of Mozart, or any other
title.) Together with this I repeat that certainly there is no
need to fear any loss in this matter, but that probably there
will be a not insignificant gain. This gain, according to my
ideas, should be formed into a capital, until the edition is
completed, to be then employed, or perhaps not till later, by the
Society of Austrian Lovers of Music for some artistic purpose to
be decided upon.
. - . Be so good as to give Herr Krall the sum (24 florins) for
the four seats kindly placed at my disposal for the two concerts
of the Mozart Festival. Although I have only paid in cash six
gulden of the amount, because the other gentlemen insisted on
sending me several gulden, yet I expressly wish that the receipts
should not be any smaller through me - any more than that the
performance should suffer by my conducting! - Therefore please
don't forget the twenty-four gulden.
Berlioz arrived here yesterday evening, and I shall be over head
and ears in work with Cellini, the great Court concert on the
17th, and the performance of Berlioz' Faust in the course of next
week, the preparations for which I have undertaken.
Cellini I shall conduct - with the two others I only direct the
rehearsals.
In faithful friendship thy Saturday, February 9th, 1856.
F. Liszt
149. To Dr. von Seiler, Mayor of Vienna. [Autograph in the
possession of M. Alfred Bovet, of Valentigney.]
Dear Sir,
As it was not permitted me to see Your Worship again at home
before my departure, I venture to express once more in these few
lines my warmest thanks for the very great kindness shown to me
during my stay in Vienna, the remembrance of which will not fade
from my grateful thoughts.
The worthy example which you, dear Mr. Mayor, and the Town
Council of Vienna have given on the occasion of the Mozart
Festival, guaranteed and attained the desired prosperity and
success of the affair. This example will doubtless bring forth
fruit in other places, so that the whole artist society will owe
you the most grateful acknowledgments for it. As regards myself
and my modest services on that occasion, I am very happy to think
from the kind letter signed by yourself and Herr Councillor
Riedel von Riedenau, that what I did so gladly was well done - and
I only cherish the wish that coming years may offer me an
opportunity of devoting my poor, but seriously well-intentioned
services in the cause of music to the city of Vienna, whose
musical traditions shine forth so gloriously.
