O. Singer's "Entschwandenes Ideal" ["Vanished Ideal"] is full of
music; noble in conception and powerfully worked out. I shall
write to him shortly about it, and send him my seventh book of
songs, as you told me that he rather liked the earlier ones. -
An excellent little work by our friend Weitzmann lies before us
again: "The New Science of Harmony at Variance with the Old." The
"Album Leaves for the Emancipation of Fifths" as a supplement are
stirring; and the "Anthology of Classical Following Fifths," with
quotations from Hiller and Hauptmann,. is especially instructive.
In Harmony, as in other things, it is no longer a question of
reforming what has been laid aside, but rather of the fulfilling
of the law. - - -
On any day, my dear friend, you will be heartily welcome to
Yours very gratefully,
F. Liszt
December 30th, 1860
Towards the middle of January I am going to Paris or a couple of
weeks to see my mother (who is still constantly ill).
251. To Dr. Franz Brendel.
[Beginning of January, 1861]
Dear Friend,
A thousand thanks for your letter, and still more excuses that I
have delayed so long with my answer. On New Year's Day we had a
grand Court-concert - on the top of which there was a banquet at
the Erbprinz, which lasted till four o'clock in the morning; on
the other days perpetual dinners and suppers, at which I was also
obliged to be present. Besides all this, the final revision of my
second concerto (and a couple of smaller piano pieces) occupied
me much. Schott had undertaken the publication of them, and I did
not wish to annoy him by letting the somewhat numerous
alterations which had to be made in them wait to be corrected
until the proofs were printed, etc., etc.
From all the transitions and connection of the movements (which I
am now most carefully working out in the Concerto), I pass at
once without transition to the answering of your questions.
1. I think Bronsart's engagement for next year at four hundred
thalers is advisable.
2. If Weissheimer has really made himself impossible, Damrosch
should be the next one to be thought of, as a colleague of
Bronsart. There is no hurry about this affair, and we will talk
over it again viva voce.
3. The remaining four hundred thalers for X. I will send you at
the end of this month. If you should require them sooner write me
a couple of lines.
4. The question of leave of absence is not easy to decide, so
long as no definite date is fixed for the concert.
