This Article
Coincides Rather Singularly With That Which Appeared In The Neue
Zeitschrift (No.
II.) on Robert Schumann, in which I probed
rather deeply into the question of criticism.
If you believe me,
my dear Rubinstein, you will not long delay making yourself of
the party; for, for the few artists who have sense, intelligence,
and a serious and honest will, it is really their duty to take up
the pen in defense of our Art and our conviction - it matters
little, moreover, on which side of the opinions represented by
the Press you think it well to place yourself. Musical literature
is a field far too little cultivated by productive artists, and
if they continue to neglect it they will have to bear the
consequences and to pay their damages.
With regard to Weymar news, I beg to inform you that this evening
Kulhmstedt's oratorio "The Transfiguration of the Lord" will be
given at the theater, under the very undirecting direction of the
composer. I cannot, unfortunately, return him the compliment he
paid you at Wilhelmsthal - "Young man, you have satisfied me";
for, after having heard it at three rehearsals, I found no
satisfaction in it either for my ears or my mind: it is the old
frippery of counterpoint - the old unsalted, unpeppered sausage,
[Figure: Musical example]
etc., rubbish, to the ruin of eye and ear! I will try to leave it
out in my Mass, although this style is very usual in composing
Church music. In five or six weeks I hope to have finished this
work, at which I am working heart and soul (the Kyrie and Gloria
are written). Perhaps I shall still find you at Vienna (or in the
outskirts, which are charming), when I come to Gran in the month
of July.
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