Write and tell me, dear Dionysius, if I can be of use to you in
any way, and you may always dispose of Yours in all friendship,
F. Liszt
Prague, March 9th, 1858
P.S. - Give me some tidings about your stay in Munich. With whom
do you have most intercourse? Do you see many of my friends
there - Kaulbach, Frau Pacher, etc.? Do you give lessons? Are you
thinking of settling there, or do you intend to make a concert
tour, and if so, where? - Send me also your exact address.
199. To Eduard Liszt
Dearest Eduard,
Hearty thanks for your few lines.
The letter of invitation has not yet arrived. It goes without
saying that I shall accept it; and as soon as I know in what form
and to whom I have to reply, I shall write at once. Meanwhile I
intend to reach Vienna on Monday, or Tuesday at latest. After
tomorrow's concert (with "Dante" and the "Ideale") there is still
a Conservatorium Concert to come off on Sunday at midday, at
which I shall conduct "Tasso," and also my first Concerto will be
played by Herr Pflughaupt. I shall either start for Vienna at
once that same evening, or else on Tuesday early. Will you be so
good as to order me rooms, as before, in the Kaiserin von
Oesterreach [Empress of Austria.] hotel? I am bringing Tausig
with me, whose acquaintance you will like to make.
Yours in spirit, and by the ties of flesh and blood,
F. Liszt
Prague, Wednesday early, March 10th, 1858
I received the five hundred gulden all right - and also the big
bill, which was a pleasant surprise to me, for when I left Weymar
I had made up my mind to give up all claim to it. Now that it has
come, however, it must be something good! - I promise you this,
that we shall not disgrace ourselves, and shall even surpass the
expectations of our very few friends! -
200. To Frau Dr. Steche in Leipzig
Vienna, March 20th, 1858
How many excuses I owe you, my dear lady and kind friend, for all
the trouble and disagreeables that the "Preludes" have occasioned
you! I can really scarcely pardon myself for having written the
piece! - When the Princess informed me of your kind intention I
wrote to her that a performance of my things in Leipzig appeared
to me untimely, and that I was resolved to let them fall into
oblivion rather than to importune my friends with them. Hence the
heterogeneousness of the letters and telegrams to you, dear
madam, which I beg you kindly to excuse. Candidly, I still think
it is better not to have the "Preludes" performed now in
Leipzig;[As there had already been a performance of this on the
26th of February, 1857, this can only refer to a performance in
the "Euterpe" Concerts.] but I thank you none the less warmly for
the kind interest you take in my compositions - in spite of their
bad name - and take this opportunity of repeating to you the
expression of high esteem and friendly devotion with which I
remain
F. Liszt
201.
