[Pest,] Friday, September 5th, 1856
Dearest Eduard,
Yesterday's performance of my Mass was quite according to my
intentions, and was more successful and effective by far than all
the preceding ones. Without exaggeration and with all Christian
modesty I can assure you that many tears were shed, and that the
very numerous audience (the church of the Stadtpfarrei [I.e., the
parish church] was thronged), as well as the performers, had
raised themselves, body and soul, into my contemplation of the
sacred mysteries of the Mass...and everything was but a humble
prayer to the Almighty and to the Redeemer! - I thought of you in
my heart of hearts, and sought for you - for you are indeed so
very near and dear to me in spirit! - Next Monday, the 8th
September, at the consecration of the Hermine-Kapelle (which the
Cardinal Prince Primate of Hungary will consecrate), my Mass for
four men's voices will be sung. Winterberger will accompany it on
a Physharmonica of the organ genus. On the same evening (Monday)
the concert for the benefit of the Pension Fund will take place
at the theater: Singer and Pruckner will play at it, and two of
my Symphonic Poems - "Les Preludes" and "Hungaria" (Nos. 3 and 9)-
-will be given.
On the 14th September at latest I shall get to Vienna, and I will
write to Haslinger more definitely about it. Meanwhile will you
please tell Haslinger, as I cannot write to him until the concert
in the Hungarian theater is over.
. - . I expect to leave here before the end of next week.
God be with you and with your
F. L.
At the rehearsal this morning I was told that you have got such
an excellent article on the Mass in the Wanderer. I suppose you
sent the number to Weymar? If possible let me have one here also.
163. To Louis Kohler
Bravo, dear friend, for the three very graceful and charmingly
conceived melody-dialogues! I have pleasure in them, and am
certain of the success of this charming selam. [Meaning a musical
bouquet.] As an old laborant [Worker in a laboratory] at piano
music allow me merely to lay before you a slight alteration in
the two bars before the return of the motive (No. I). According
to my conception one bar more would have a beneficial effect
there, thus: -
[Here Liszt writes out a 5-measure excerpt of piano music]
If you agree with this version, write me simply Yes to the
address of Richard Wagner, Zeltweg, Zurich. I shall get there
next Sunday, and stay some days with our great friend. At the
beginning of November I shall be back in Weymar.
Hearty greetings from yours in all friendship,
F. Liszt
Stuttgart, October 8th, 1856.
In No. 3 (in the first two bars) the F seems to me the right
sound in the bass, and that was what you had first written:
