Dear Friend,
My cousin Edward writes me word that you are a little piqued at
my long silence, - and I, shall I tell you frankly? am a little
piqued that you have not yet thought of coming to see me, and of
transferring your bath season to some place in the neighborhood
of Weymar. Will you make peace with me? -
Accept as a friend the invitation I give you in all friendship.
Arrive at Weymar the 23rd of August, and stay till the 30th at
least. You will find several of your friends here, - Dingelstedt,
Jules Janin, Meyerbeer (?), etc., - and you will hear, firstly, on
the evening of the 24th, a good hour and a half of music that I
have just composed (Overture and Choruses) for the "Prometheus"
of Herder, which will be given as a Festal Introduction to the
inauguration of his statue in bronze by Schaller of Munich, which
is fixed for the 25th; secondly, on the evening of the 25th,
Handel's "Messiah"; thirdly, on the 28th, the anniversary of
Goethe's birth, a remarkably successful Prologue made, ad hoc,
for that day by Dingelstedt, followed by the first performance of
Wagner's "Lohengrin." This work, which you certainly will not
have the opportunity of hearing so soon anywhere else, on account
of the special position of the composer, and the many
difficulties in its performance, is to my idea a chef-d'oeuvre of
the highest and most ideal kind! Not one of the operas which has
entertained the theaters for the past twenty years can give any
approximate idea of it.
So don't be piqued any longer, or rather, dear friend, be piqued
with curiosity to be one of the first to hear such a beautiful
thing. Sulk with Vienna, for a few weeks at least, instead of
sulking with me, which is all nonsense, and believe me always and
ever your most sincerely attached, but very much occupied, very
much pre-occupied, and oftentimes very absorbed friend,
F. Liszt
69. To Mathilde Graumann
[Given by the addressee, subsequently celebrated as Mathilde
Marchesi, teacher of singing, in "Aus meinem Leben" (Bagel,
Dusseldorf)]
Mademoiselle,
Here is the letter for the Grand Master de Luttichau, which M. de
Ziegesar has just written in your honor and glory, with all the
good grace and obligingness which he keeps for you.
As regards introductions to Berlin there is a provoking
contretemps for you. H.R.H. the Princess of Prussia will pass the
winter at Coblentz.
Meyerbeer, to whom I beg you to remember me respectfully, will
certainly be your best patron with the Court, and I have no doubt
that he will receive you with sympathy and interest.
I will also send you, in the course of the week, a letter for the
Chamberlain of H.R.H. Princess Charles of Prussia, which Ziegesar
has promised me.
As to our concert, fixed for the 19th (Saturday next), I assure
you frankly that I should not have ventured to speak to you of
it, and that I hardly venture now.
The receipts are to be devoted to some pension fund, always so
low in funds in our countries; consequently I am not in a
position to propose any suitable terms. Now as, on the occasion
of the performance of the "Messiah," you have already been only
too kind to us, it really would not do for me to return to the
charge, unless you were to authorize me to do so quite directly
and positively, by writing me an epistolary masterpiece somewhat
as follows: -
"I will sing in a perfunctory manner, but with the best
intentions and the best will in the world, the air from...(here
follows the name of the piece), and the duet from "Semairamide"
with Milde or Mademoiselle Aghte, next Saturday; and in order not
to put anybody out, I will arrive at the exact time of the
rehearsal, on Friday at four o'clock."
If any such idea as this should come into your head please let me
know (by telegram if need be), so that by Monday night, or, at
latest, Tuesday midday, I may be able to make the programme,
which must appear by Wednesday morning at latest.
With homage and friendship,
F. Liszt
Friday, October 11th, 1850 Be so kind as to give a friendly
shake of the hand from me to Joachim; recommend him not to be too
late in arriving at Weimar, where we expect him for the evening
of the 14th.
P.S. - At the moment when I was going to send my letter to the
post the following lines reached me. I send them to you intact,
and you will see by them that you could not have friends better
disposed towards you than those of Weimar.
Please do not fail to write direct to Ziegesar to thank him for
his kindness, of which you have been sensibly informed by me
(without alluding to his letter, which you will return to me),
and at the same time say exactly which week you will arrive in
Berlin; unless, however, you prefer to come and tell him this
verbally on Friday or Saturday evening at the Altenburg, after
you have again chanted to us and enchanted us. [Literal
translation, on account of play on words.]
70. To Carl Reinecke
Dear Reinecke,
Here are the letters for Berlioz and Erard that I offered you. I
add a few lines for the young Prince Eugene Wittgenstein, with
whom you will easily have pleasant relations; he is an
impassioned musician, and is remarkably gifted with artistic
qualities. In addition, I have had a long talk about your stay in
Paris, and the success which you ought to obtain, with Belloni,
who came to me for a few days. You will find him thoroughly well
disposed to help you by all the means in his power, and I would
persuade you to have complete confidence in him. Go and look for
him as soon as ever you arrive, and ask him for all the practical
information you require.
