"Lohengrin" be thanked that I hear something from you again, dear
Dionysius, and I give you my best thanks that you wrote to me
directly after the first performance, and thus gave me fresh good
tidings [Namely after the first performance of Lohengrin in
Munich, on February 28th, 1858]. What criticism will emit about
it by way of addition troubles me little - in our present
circumstances its strength consists mainly in the fear which
people have of it; and, as the Augsburg gentlemen renounce all
claim "to wash to teach us," nothing remains for us but to teach
ourselves better than they can do it.
Ad vocem of the severe gentlemen of Augsburg, I will send you in
a few days Bronsart's brochure "Musikalische Pflichten" ["Musical
Duties." Leipzig, Matthes, 1858] (in answer to the "Musikalische
Leiden" ["Musical Sufferings." In Nos. 353-55 of the supplement
to the Augsburg Allgemeine Zeitung, 1857.], etc.). The
A[llgemeine]Z[eitung] only made a couple of extracts from it in
its columns, and from these the point was missing. Bronsart
exquisitely accuses our opponents of ill-will, unfairness, and
calumniation. Since they have not succeeded in silencing us in a
conspicuous manner, they would like to kill us insignificantly,
for which, however, other weapons would be necessary than those
which they have at their command.
Meanwhile Bronsart's form of argument will give you a pleasant
hour, and if, as you tell me, you have found in Munich a few
comrades of the same mind, let the "Musikalische Pflichten" be
recommended in their circle.
Amongst other things the assumption of the reporter of the A. Z.
that Wagner himself had never conducted his Lohengrin better than
Franz Lachner, appeared to me very droll. It is well known that
Wagner has never heard this work, let alone conducted it! -
Ignorance of this kind is, moreover, not the worst on the other
side, where intentional and unintentional ignorance and lies (not
to mince the matter) are continually being directed against us.
But enough of that. Let us continue to go on our own way simply
and honorably, and let the tame or wild beasts on our right and
left behave as they like! -
I have not kept your last letter (during my stay in Dresden).
Address, up to the 25th of this month, to Haslinger in Vienna. I
shall get there by the beginning of next week, and shall conduct
the Gran Mass in the Redouten-Saal [Ball-room] on the 22nd and
23rd. Next Thursday the "Dante Symphony" and the "Ideale" will be
given here - and on Sunday "Tasso" (in a Conservatorium Concert).
Tausig and Pflughaupt [A pupil of Henselt and Liszt (1833-71)]
play my two Concertos.
In the E-flat major (No. 1) I have now hit on the expedient of
striking the triangle (which aroused such anger and gave such
offence) quite lightly with a tuning-fork - and in the Finale
(Marcia) I have pretty nearly struck it out altogether, because
the ordinary triangle-virtuosi as a rule come in wrong and strike
it too hard.
